Yorkshire Walks

Start of the permissive path from the Beningbrough Hall car park to the Home Farm Cafe

Permissive path nearing the Home farm Cafe

From the car park we set off along the footpath to the Home Farm Cafe, less than 150m away. The cafe was not open yet but we intended to stop there at the end of our walk. At the cafe we turned left to walk along the Home Farm access road for about 70m to the main drive through the Beningbrough Estate.

This morning my friend, Jim, and I drove the short distance from home in Easingwold to Beningbrough Hall, a National Trust Property. We parked at the north East corner of the car park where there is a pedestrian gate and footpath leading to the farm cafe at Home Farm. The weather this morning was just perfect for a walk with clear skies, bright sunshine and a cool breeze.

Farm access road from Home Farm

Turning right off the access road from Home Farm onto the main drive through the estate

Following the drive towards the woodland

Following the permissive path through the woods

Here we turned right to follow the permissive path into the woodland. The path bent to our left, briefly parallel to the main drive, and then began to bend to our right in a semi-circle until it reached the edge of the Beningbrough parkland next to the fields.

At the main drive we turned right and walked along the drive towards the exit onto Beningbrough Lane. After about 350m there was some woodland on both sides of the drive and about 25m into the woodland there were iron pedestrian gates on both sides of the drive where a permissive path crosses the drive.

Turning right off the drive onto a permissive path into the woods

Nearing the gate at the southern corner of the wood

The permissive path continues through the gate and there is a public footpath just outside the wood on our left

Permissive path through the wood towards the River Ouse

We walked along the pretty woodland path for about 450m to a gate at the corner of the woodland onto the public footpath. Through the gate on our right just a few metres away we could see the River Ouse.

Here there was a gate into a strip of woodland running along the edge of the parkland. Through the gate there was a permissive path through the woodland. On our left outside the woodland there is also a public footpath along the field edge that we planned to use later.

Permissive path through the wood towards the River Ouse

Gate from the permissive path in the wood to the public footpath just outside the wood. The R Ouse is a few metres to the right

Public footpath heading towards Beningbrough Lane

Public footpath heading towards Beningbrough Lane

Public footpath nearing Beningbrough Lane

Car park next to Beningbrough Lane

Gateway into the drive through Beningbrough Park from Beningbrough Lane

The drive through Beningbrough Park from the gateway

Following the Pike Pond Walk

Path around Pike Pond

The path continued around Pike Pond

Path away from the pond to the main path

Here the path was starting to bend to our left. Here we turned right along a not very clear path that led us in a loop around Pike Pond. The pond was in fact drained and seemed to have been drained for some time judging by the growth of bushes and saplings in the old bed of the pond.

From the gateway into the estate we walked along the main drive for about 150m to the point where permissive path crosses the drive. Now we turned right off the drive to follow the permissive path where a sign indicates that this is the Pike Pond Walk. We followed this clear path through the woodland for about 250m.

Turning right off the drive to follow the Pike Pond Walk

We turned right to Pike Pond where the path starts to bend left

The dry bed of Pike Pond

An arm of Pike Pond with just a little water in it

Returning from the pond to the main path

The path from the pond rejoins the main path at the bend in the main path

A carved seat by the main path

Path called Larch Walk

Joining a farm access road at the end of Larch Walk

At the farm access road we turned left heading back towards the main drive through the estate again. After about 200m we came to farm gates across the access road at the Main Drive. We passed though the gates and crossed the main drive to walk along the access road towards Home Farm.

We continued along the path round the pond site until we rejoined the main path just a few metres further along from the point where we had left it. This part of the permissive path is called Larch Walk and we followed it for about 350m out to a farm access road.

Path called Larch Walk

Nearing the end of Larch Walk

Following the farm access rod towards the main drive

Gate onto the main drive from the farm access road

The access road to the Home Farm Cafe

Heading back to the car park from Home Farm Cafe

That was the end of our walk at Beningbrough Hall. The whole walk had been about 3.4km and it had taken me a little over two hours to walk it plus our stop at the cafe. It had been a very pretty walk in the autumn sunshine.

About 70m along the access road we came back to the Farm Cafe with a stack of pumpkins ready for halloween. We stopped at the cafe for a very good coffee and a bacon sandwich. Then we followed the permissive path from the cafe back to the car park.

Seasonal pumpkins at the Home Farm Cafe

Heading back to the car park from Home Farm Cafe

Returning to the Beningbrough Hall car park at the end of our walk