Distance Covered: 7.5 miles Time to Complete Walk: 3.5 hours
Suitable for dog walking: Yes - Walk on lead when signposted to do so.
Known as the gateway to Wensleydale, Leyburn is a small market town surrounded by stunning countryside. Starting at the spectacular Leyburn Shawl work your way over fields and woods to a small village. Then cross over the Wensleydale railway through the Bolton Hall estate. Then return to Leyburn beside the River Ure.
Virus Awareness: Plenty of space on the walk to make way for fellow walkers. If looking at the shops in Leyburn remember to take your mask in your rucksack.
General Safety Tips: Be careful crossing the railway. There may be an electric fence on the Bolton Hall part of the walk to keep the horses safe. There is plenty of space to duck underneath. Be careful walking on the A684 towards the river as the road can be busy. Walk facing the traffic. There is a gradual climb at the start and end of the walk.
The Leyburn Walk
Getting There
From Middlesbrough follow the A66 to Darlington and join the A1 southbound. Take the Catterick turnoff which is the A6505. Keep on Leyburn Road following the signposts to Leyburn. Head onto the A6108 and then the A684. Parking is at Market Square in the middle of the town and is by donation and for an unlimited time.
Map of the Leyburn Walk
The Walk
From the car park head to the war memorial.
Head to the War Memorial
Look for a signpost and head towards the Leyburn Shawl.
Follow the signpost to Leyburn Shawl
Head down a road with The Shawl indicated on a house.
Head to The Shawl
Enter The Leyburn Shawl through a small gate and a another wooden gate.
Go through the gate
The views of Wensleydale to your left are amazing. There are plenty of seats for a picnic and just to take in the view.
The Start of the Leyburn Shawl
View of Wensleydale
Head onwards on the path through a gate.
Go through the gate
Keep on the path which stays to the edge and through a gap in the wall.
Go through the gap in the wall
Go through a squeeze stile and another gap in the wall keeping on the path ahead.
Go through the gate/ squeezes stile.
Soon you come to a branch in the path. However both paths merge into one so choose either path to continue.
Choose which path at the branch
The path steadily climbs at a steady pace.
Keep on the path ahead
At another branch keep on the path beside the wall to your right.
At the branch in the path keep on the path with the wall to your right.
The path is a pleasant one and enters some woods.
Keep on the path
As you come out of the trees head down to a signpost to Preston under Scar.
Head down the path
Signpost to Preston under Scar
Head through a gate and follow the path which is clear ahead.
Head through the gate
Follow the clear path through the field
Head through another gate
Head through the gate
At the corner of a fence head in the direction of the marker but after 15 metres head right keeping a wall to your left towards some trees.
Take an unmarked turn to the right
Head towards the trees with the wall to your left
As the path goes closer to the wall keep ahead
Follow the path down to the wall
Keep ahead beside the wall
Soon you come to a road. Follow the direction of the bottom waymarker into the woods.
Follow the markers direction
Take the right branch into the woods
The path meanders through the woods. At a marker keep right and stay in the woods.
Follow the waymarkers direction and keep right
Pass a bench and follow the path beside and over a stream.
Pass the bench
Follow the path beside the stream
Cross four footbridges and you then arrive at a gap in a wall.
Cross the footbridges
Arrive at the gap in the wall
Enter the field and head towards a gate.
Head onto the field
Go through the gate.
Soon you come to a road. Keep right and enter the village of Preston under Scar.
Turn right when you come to the road
Enter Preston under Scar
Shortly, as you walk into the village look for a public footpath signed to your left. Head down the drive and look for a narrow path between two houses.
Public Footpath sign
Head down the drive
Follow the narrow path
Go through a squeeze stile onto a field.
Go through the squeeze stile
Follow the grassy path heading to a gap in a wall near a barn.
Follow the grassy path
Head towards the gap in the wall
Enter the next field and walk past a tree next to a pylon.
Enter the field passing a tree next to a pylon
Keeping left look for a gate onto a railway crossing.
Keep on the grassy path
Gate at the railway crossing
Taking care, cross over the railway crossing. Head onto a field straight ahead to a small gate.
Go through the small gate
Descend some steps and then arrive at a road with a lane straight ahead
Arrive at the road
Cross the road and head onto the lane ahead which enters the Bolton Hall estate
Head down the lane
Follow the lane and at a T Junction keep left following the lane as it continues
Follow the lane on the left
Keep right and ignore a path to your left as you pass the Bolton Hall Estates farm complex.
Keep on the lane
Keep left as the lane swerves to the left.
Keep left as the lane swerves
The lane then passes Bolton Hall to your left.
Pass Bolton Hall to your left
Continue ahead and keep left at a split in the lane and arrive at the entrance of the grounds.
Head left to the entrance
Keep right and cross the road carefully heading towards a church.
Keep right and head towards a church.
Keep on the road ahead which can be busy and called Low Lane
Follow the road ahead
Follow the road as it bends
Keep on the path as the road bends
Take extra care on the road and continue for some time until you come to a layby on the right of the road.
Arrive at the layby
Look for a path to your right at the top end of the layby and go through a gate onto the riverside path.
Go through a gate to your right
Follow the path as it continues beside the River Ure.
The River Ure
Keep on the path
Go through a small gate and follow the direction of the waymarker
Go through the gate onto the riverside path
Follow the riverside path as it hugs the river as it loops
Keep on the path as the river loops
Briefly follow the path as the river loops then climb to your right and follow the path and turn left to follow the path back onto the A684.
Climb up the river bank
Follow the path to the fence
Go over the stile and cross the road very carefully and look for another stile almost directly over the road.
Go over the stile
Ascend the field keeping to the left edges of the field until you arrive at a small gate.
Ascend the field
Go through the small gate
Ascend the field heading towards Leyburn
Ascend the field
Go through a small squeeze stile at a small brook
Go through the small squeeze stile
Keep climbing until you arrive at a gate and residential houses
Head towards the gate
Turn right on the road and look for a narrow path on your left
Turn right at the road
Turn left and follow the path
As you emerge from the path, turn left and head over a bridge over the railway
Turn left and cross over the bridge
As you exit near a church, turn left and follow the pavement back into Leyburn and Market Square.
Turn left and head back into Leyburn
Leyburn
Leyburn is a market town and civil parish in the district of Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, England, sitting above the northern bank of the River Ure in Wensleydale. Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the name was derived from 'Ley' or 'Le' (clearing), and 'burn' (stream), meaning clearing by the stream. Leyburn had a population of 1,844 at the 2001 census increasing to 2,183 at the 2011 Census. The estimated population in 2015 was 2,190.
Leyburn was mentioned in the Domesday Book but had no recorded population,the growth of Leyburn as a major hub is linked to the decline in fortunes of nearby Wensley, which had prominence as the only market town in Wensleydale until being devastated by the plague in 1563, leaving what was once an important and prosperous town, mostly abandoned. Leyburn's stature increased in the 17th century when a market charter was granted by Charles II in 1686. A new town hall was built in 1856 by Lord Bolton, which now houses several shops.In 1870-72 John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Leyburn.
Leyburn Shawl, an escarpment of about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length is located to the west of the town, it provides panoramic views of Wensleydale and links to footpaths towards Preston-under-Scar and Castle Bolton. According to legend, Mary, Queen of Scots, upon fleeing captivity in nearby Bolton Castle, dropped her shawl en route to Leyburn.A grade II listed war memorial in the form of a cross is situated in the market place, commemorating the lives lost in both the First and Second World War. Leyburn Hall, also a listed building, dates back to 1750.
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