Middleham Castle -Medium Walk

Distance Covered: 7 miles   Time to complete walk: 2h 30m

Safety Tips!  Take care when returning back to Middleham on the road, stick to the grass verge!

Recently featured in the Tour De France Yorkshire leg- this walk starting at Middleham Castle which was Richard III's favourite castle is a medium walk and you can take your time exploring the castle or the charming village of Middleham

Getting there

From Middlesbrough/Stockton follow the A19 southwards until you reach Thirsk, then take the A61 towards Ripon.  Before you reach Ripon turn right onto the A1608 and keep on the A1608 until you reach Middleham. Parking is limited so if struggling to park, go down a residential street and you will find a parking spot.

                                            Middleham Castle


The Walk

 

Middleham Castle Walk route

Start the walk to the left of the castle tea rooms and keep left of the castle along a walled track to a gate. Either explore the castle now or after your walk. Take some great pictures of course!

 

 

Bear left across the big field following the sign for the stepping stones. You should come across this lonely tree in the field you are walking in.

 

 

 

Cross two more fields over waymarked stiles. After the third stile follow the field edge above a steep bank. At a crossing wall turn right down to the River Cover by the stepping stones.

 

 

Have a walk on the stepping stones and then turn back to the rivers edge and turn right to continue your walk. The path takes you through the wood and a field. A gate leads to some steps and an elevated section. You will then end up back on the river bank and cross a stile into a field. After another stile turn immediately right. Climb steeply to a marker post.

Turn left and follow the edge of the wood. At the end of the field go left through the trees then left on a descending path. Cross a stile and turn left to Hullo Bridge.

 

 

Hullo Bridge

 

 

 

Cross the bridge and turn right on a permissive path crossing three stiles. At a crossing wire fence turn left. Cross another stile. Where the fence bends right, go ahead up a steep bank to reach a gate onto a lane. Turn right and descend to Coverham bridge. Cross the bridge and turn right onto a track.

 

Before iron gates, turn left through a small gate climbing beside a waterfall into the churchyard.

 

 

Turn right at the church onto the main road and walk back to Middleham for a pint in the local pub!

 

A history of Middleham Castle

 

Middleham Castle in Wensleydale, in the county of North Yorkshire, England, was built by RobertFitzrandolph, 3rd Lord of Middleham and Spennithorne, commencing in 1190. It was built near the site of an earlier motte and bailey castle. In 1270 it came into the hands of the Neville family, the most notable member of which was Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, known to history as the "Kingmaker", a leading figure in the Wars of the Roses. Following the death of Richard, Duke of York, at Wakefield in December 1460, his younger sons, George, Duke of Clarence, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, came into Warwick's care, and both lived at Middleham with Warwick's own family. Their brother King Edward IV was imprisoned at Middleham for a short time, having been captured by Warwick in 1469. Following Warwick's death at Barnet in 1471 and Edward's restoration to the throne, his brother Richard married Anne Neville, Warwick's younger daughter, and made Middleham his main home. Their son Edward was also born at Middleham and later also died there.
Richard ascended to the throne as King Richard III, but spent little or no time at Middleham in his two-year reign. After Richard's death at Bosworth in 1485 the castle remained in royal hands until the reign of James I, when it was sold. It fell into disuse and disrepair during the 17th century. It was garrisoned during the Civil War, but saw no action. The ruins are now in the care of English Heritage.