Forge Valley ~ Easy Walk

Distance Covered: 3.75 miles   Time to complete walk: 2 hours

Total Steps: approx. 10,000

Safety Tips: The path can be overgrown - take a walking stick.  At North Stile Cottage there may be a bull in the field. Be careful when passing by the electric fencing. Heed the warning sign at Weir Head on the way back.

Walk on the boardwalks by the River Derwent and some field walking and through woods on this walk at the beautiful Forge Valley nature reserve. Walk above the valley at the beginning and then return by the River Derwent.

 

The Forge Valley Walk

 

 

Getting There

From Middlesbrough follow the A170 to Guisborough and keep on it until you reach Whitby. Then take a right turn and head towards Scarborough keeping on the A170. Follow the A170 out of Scarborough and head to East Ayton. Look for a right turn out of the village to Forge Valley. Parking can be found at the intriguingly named car park called Old Mans Mouth car park which is to your left. Parking is free.
 

 

 

 

Map of the Forge Valley walk

 

 

The Walk



From the car park head to the right on a clear path and then over a bridge

 

Old Mans Mouth Car park

 

Cross over the bridge

Follow the boardwalk to the right and look for a track to the left heading upwards

 

Follow the boardwalk to the right

 

Head upwards on the track to your left

The path zig-zags upwards but stay on it and you will soon come to a gate at the top. Instead of going through the gate double back on the track to the right which is above the valley below.

 

Double back on the track above the valley

 

 

The path soon comes to a building - continue forwards past another building and over a stile onto a field

 

 

Follow the path behind the building

 

Stay to the back of Spikers Hill farm

 

Go over the stile onto the field

 

 

Continue on the side of the field and over a stile

 

 

 

Keep to the side of the field and over a stile

 

Head to the corner of the field where the track widens and heads down. Look for a bench to your right and soak in the wonderful view.

 

 

Amazing view from the bench

 

Stop at the bench for a pitstop

  

Head down the track to the bottom and over a stile at the bottom near adjacent gates

 

 

Head down the track

 

Go over the stile

 

Head towards a clump of trees with a hidden barn, The path can be obvious once your on it. 

 

 

 

Head across the field

 

Head towards the left of the clump of trees

 

Now head towards the right of the building ahead which is North Stile Cottage. Go through the gate and head up to the top of the bank to the stile at the top

 

 

Go through the gate

 

Stile at the top of the bank

 

 

There may be bulls in the field ahead so make your way through the narrow path between the field and the cottage and you will then end up on a track

 

 

 

Keep to the narrow track

 

Head on to the track





The track goes on for 3 quarters of a mile and is gently undulating

 

 

View from the track

 

Keep on the track

 

 

Follow the road on until you come to a cattle grid

 

 

 

Cattle grid

 

 

Now double back on the same track and walk back to a gate on your left

 

Go through the gate on your left



 

 

Head down to near the river and keep  a straight direction and through another two gates

 

 

 

Go through the gate

 

 

Go through another gate



Keep on the track ahead and maintain a high direction

 

 

 

Keep to the track

 

When you come to a stile near a gate go over the stile and follow the grass track keeping a high line to avoid the marshland below, Then go through another gate

 

 

 

Go over the stile

 

 

Go through the gate

 

 

Head towards the woods by finding a gate at a corner in the field. This then brings you onto the boardwalk again near the river and will take you back to the first bridge and the carpark

 

 

Keep to the rough track

 

Gate into the woods

 

Boardwalk by the river

 

Forge Valley

 

Forge Valley is a National Nature Reserve in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England, located within the North York Moors National Park on the East Ayton / Hackness road. The valley follows the route of the River Derwent and was formed by melting ice water at the end of the last ice age.
The area is now covered with woodlands which are thought to be 6000 years old. Forge Valley takes its name from the charcoal that was made in these woods for iron forges. There was a foundry to the north of the valley in 1798.
Forge Valley is managed by Natural England.

 

River Derwent

 

The Derwent is a river in Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles (106 km) long and is a tributary of the River Trent, which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District.
Much of the river's route, with the exception of the city of Derby, is rural. However the river has also seen many human uses, and between Matlock and Derby was one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution, providing power to the first industrial scale cotton mills. Today it provides a water supply to several surrounding cities, and its steeply sided valley is an important communications corridor through the uplands of the Peak District.
Because of its scenic qualities, the valley of the River Derwent sees many tourist visitors. The upper reaches pass through the Peak District National Park, whilst the middle reaches around the old spa town of Matlock Bath which attracts tourists because of its souvenir shops and amusement arcades, together with attractions such as the Heights of Abraham and its cable car.