| Routes to print | Prev. | Next |
Please note that I provide this free service to you as a fellow walker on the understanding that you walk the route entirely at your own risk and that the information is not used for any commercial purpose.
Route map from Ordnance Survey Open Space service.
This description gives enough information to find the intended route of the walk on a suitable map. When used with the map the description should help you to find the route and enjoy the things of interest along the way. For this walk I suggest that you use the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map 26 which covers the North York Moors, Western Area at a scale of 1 :25000. Please do not try to find your way without a proper map.
The walk is a circular route of about 16 km. and should take about 5 hours of steady walking plus any stops you make along the way. There are a few steep climbs out of the valleys and in some places you will need to pick your way through the muddy bits. You will need strong footwear (preferably walking boots) and the usual safety precautions for this outdoor activity.
My description of the route starts at map reference SE 516831.This is the car park at the Sutton Bank visitor centre. At the western end of the visitor centre, cross the road (the A170) near the top of Sutton bank. Follow the footpath to the view point on the edge of the escarpment. When you've finished enjoying the view turn left (heading south east) along the edge of the escarpment for 350 m. to the edge of the woods where there is a finger post indicating the Cleveland Way. At the finger post turn left into the woods away from the escarpment. After about 400 m. you will reach the A170 again.
Cross the road and walk along the wide grass verge of the main road for about 100 m. past the front of the Hambleton Hotel. Take the stony track that bears left off the main road just at the hotel carpark entrance. After 150 m. the path bends left and climbs a little. About 200 m. from the bend take the path to the right over a style (this is still the Cleveland Way). In another 400 m. follow the Cleveland way to the left for about 1 km. to Cold Kirby.
At the road in Cold Kirby turn right into the village. At the bottom of the village street turn left on the bridle way to Murton Grange. The bridle way goes up the drive of a house with a white farm style gate. (There is a bridle way sign) From Cold Kirby the bridle way is easy to follow for about 2 km. across fields and two minor roads to the edge of a steep sided valley overgrown with hawthorn scrub. Follow the bridle way down into the valley. Part way down the valley side there is a park bench type of seat with a plaque naming it "The Captain's Seat". The seat is set on a ledge in the valley side which you can see runs in both directions along the contour.
This ledge is what remains of the Old Byland water race. It intercepts a spring at the head of the valley and carried water around the hill side to supply Old Byland about 3 km. away. If you're lucky you may see roe deer as you cross the valley. Follow the bridle way to join a minor road and continue on the road past Murton Grange farm. About 100 m. after the farm the road comes to a 'T'-junction. Across the junction is a farm gate leading to a track which descends steeply down the valley side. Follow the bridle way which cuts down to the left from the track across the field to a farmstead called Dale Town. Continue on the bridle way through the farm and then bending to the left round the back of the farm, along the valley bottom for about 400 m. passing a derelict farm cottage on the right.
Just
past the cottage the bridle way climbs directly up the end of the hill
that intrudes into the valley at this point. The top of the hill is
called Noddle End. At the top follow the bridle way for about 2.5 km.
to the Hambleton Road (an old green drove road). Cross the drove road
and take the track to High Paradise farm. The route is now following
the Cleveland Way again. In fact you now stay on the Cleveland Way for
about 6.5 km. back to the Sutton Bank visitor centre. The route is along
the edge of the Hambleton Hills escarpment overlooking the vale of York
with views to the hills of the Yorkshire dales.
I
hope you enjoy this walk so much that you'll want to try another one
as soon as you can.
Happy wandering! Frank