Yorkshire Walks

The road into Oldstead

To be honest it's not very satisfactory parking spot and it may be better to start and finish the walk from the road near Oldstead Grange at map ref. SE533798, where there is a reasonably wide grass verge. From our parking spot we walked back into Oldstead to Scawling Farm on the right hand side of the road at map ref. SE530801. Here we took the footpath up through the farm and followed the path heading southwards roughly parallel to the road through the village.

It was fine and sunny today so after doing some little jobs at home my wife and I drove a few kilometers to Oldstead for a short walk. Parking in the village is awkward. It's a narrow road with little or no verge. We drove through the village to a junction at map ref. SE530804. Here we turned right to drive about 150m along the lane where we managed to squeeze our car just off the road by a footpath sign where the road turns right and a track goes off straight ahead.

Start of the path through Scawling Farm

The little valley above Beckside Farm

One of many meadow brown butterflies we saw today

As the path climbed up from the beck we came to another path at map ref. SE527797. Here we turned right to follow the path towards High Kilburn.

After about 600m we crossed a pretty little valley with a beck flowing down it. About 200m down stream the beck crosses the road at Beckside Farm.

The little valley above Beckside Farm

Footbridge over the beck above Beckside Farm

The path heading for High Kilburn

Bunches of young ash keys (ash tree seeds)

We continued on the path to the road at map ref. SE521796, near High Kilburn. We turned left onto the road, a narrow lane really, and followed it for about 200m to a track on the left at a right hand bend in the lane. Here we turned left onto the track.

The path followed the line of the beck for a few hundred metres and then turned south west. From this part of the path we could see the Kilburn White Horse cut into the hillside about 1.5km away to our right.

Kilburn White Horse about 2km away to our right

Approaching the road near High Kilburn

Track to Weatherall Barn

Path heading towards the road at Kilburn Thicket

A one of several white giant bellflowers by the path

After about 700m from Weatherall barn we came out on to a bend in a road at the edge of a wood called Kilburn Thicket.

We followed the track for about 300m to Wetherall Barn. Just beyond the barn the path turned left to follow the field edges.

Weatherall Barn

View westwards from the path

Path heading towards the road at Kilburn Thicket

Joining the road near Kilburn Thicket

Horse drawn plough used as a garden ornament

Green Veined White butterflies drinking

There is no public access to this private wood. We continued along the road to a right hand bend in the road at map ref. SE529783, about 250m past Fox Folly Farm.

We joined the road to walk along it past Kilburn Thicket. I believe this wood was owned by the Forestry Commission until the early 1990's when it was sold off along with other small woodlands all over the country.

Entrance to Kilburn Thicket

The road passing Kilburn Thicket

Bailing the hay near Fox Folly Farm

Harebells by the path

Ancient oak marking where the
parish boundary leaves the stream

This tree is recorded on the "Ancient Tree Hunt" database and it seems likely that it is a boundary marker for the point where the parish boundary turns north east away from the stream.

At the bend we turned left off the road to follow a path across the fields for just over a kilometer to Oldstead Grange. Where the footpath crosses a stream at map ref. SE534787, there is a large old oak tree visible in the field on the right of the path.

Footbridge over a stream that is the parish boundary here

The path to Oldstead Grange

The path to Oldstead Grange

At the road we turned right and walked along the road for about 150m to a right hand bend in the road. As we approached the bend there was a wide grass verge on the right hand side of the road where I think we could have parked to start and finish the walk from this point.

From Oldstead Grange we followed the farm access road through a very large wheat field to the road at map ref. SE532797.

The path to Oldstead Grange

Looking back to Oldstead Grange

Path along the field edge towards Oldstead Hall

Hazel Nuts overhanging the path

Steep descent to Oldstead Hall entrance

"Fox & Cubs" growing by the road,
a member of the daisy family

The access road is lined with lime trees and we walked along this avenue to the road through the village at map ref. SE530803. At the road we turned right and retraced our steps for about 200m back to our car. It had been a very pretty route of about 7km and it had taken us two and a quarter hours to walk.

At the bend in the road we turned left onto a footpath along the edge of the fields to our left and a steep wooded bank on our right. The bank goes down to the beck that flows past Byland Abbey and on into the lake at Newburgh Priory. After about 300m from the road, the path drops down a steep bank to the access road to Oldstead Hall and Oldstead Mill.

A seat fenced to keep the livestock off

Path along the field edge nearing Oldstead Hall

Betony flowers on the bank by the road

Avenue of limes from Oldstead Hall