Distance Covered: 5 miles Time to Complete Walk: 2.5 hours
Suitable for dog walking: No - sheep in most fields
A delightful walk in wonderful Wensleydale. Starting at the amazing Aysgarth Falls then climbing to an ancient Templars chapel. From there you walk high above the dales before descending to the pretty village of West Burton. Then its a brief climb back to the magnificent St Andrews Church. It really is Wensleydale at its best!.
General Safety Tips: Take care on the road part of the walk - keep to the grass verge where possible. There are quite a few squeeze stiles. The final part of the walk includes some strenuous climbing albeit brief.
From Middlesbrough head down the A66 towards Darlington to join the A1(M) southbound. At junction 52 turn onto Catterick Road heading for Leyburn. Following Leyburn Road turn left onto Range Road which then becomes the A6108. Follow the A6108 to Leyburn. At Leyburn turn right onto the A684. Follow the A684 towards the village of Aysgarth. Before Aysgarth, turn right down Church Bank signposted as Aysgarth Falls car park. Turn right into the car park. Parking is £6.00 for all day parking.
Maps of the West Burton walk
The Walk
From the car park, turn right and right again towards the beautiful St Andrews Church.
Head past the church to a gate.
Head towards another gate.
Follow the grassy path to another gate at the entrance of the woods
Head through a gate and over a step stile.
Turn left and head onto the field with the River Ure on your left.
Go though a small gate and follow the path above the river.
Follow the path through another gate as it passes Aysgarth Falls on your left.
Soon you come to a gap on your left and have a full view of Aysgarth Falls. A great spot for a picnic.
Re-commence your walk by going through a small gate.
Head through another small gate in the wall and walk towards a signpost in the field ahead.
Head in diagonally in the direction of the signpost to a small gate and a road beyond.
Turn left and carefully follow the road as it bends and climbs.
Look for a signpost on your right just before a farm and head up the path signposted to Templars Chapel.
Follow the grassy path as it skirts the farm and curves around a wire fence.
Follow the path as it climbs and bends to the left to a gate.
Go through the gate and climb the path to the top and to a gate on your right.
You need to turn right here onto the field. But before this go through a small gate on your left to visit the remains of the Penhill Preceptory.
After this small diversion, head through the gate and across the field keeping to the edge.
Head through a gate and follow the path above the dales below.
When you come to an open gap, head down the path to your right.
Eventually go through a gate and turn right onto a stony track called Morpeth Gate.
Keep right when the path forks and follow it down to the road below.
Turn left and head into West Burton. At a right turn in the road keep ahead into the village centre.
In the village centre, head across the village green to a very striking monument.
After the monument head to the right and pass the village store.
Follow the pavement until you come to The Reading Room. Before this look for a signpost to your left and head through the gate and down the path.
Keep on the path which descends steps to a road.
Turn right and cross the road and head almost immediately onto the path ahead.
Go through a gate and head towards another gate near a pylon.
Go through a gate and turn right to follow the field track to the right of a wall and a yellow marker post.
Head towards the road before the bridge and turn left.
Go over the bridge and follow the road as it bends right looking for a gap in the wall and a signpost to your left.
In the field head diagonally towards a stile.
Climb over the step stile and follow the grass track around to another stile.
Go through a small gate in the wall and follow the stone track.
Head diagonally across the field to another gate.
Follow the direction of the signpost in the wall to another gate.
Head to another gate and a road beyond.
Head over the road and head to St Andrews Church.
After the church, turn left and left again back to the car park.
West Burton
The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book as just Burton. The toponymy of the village is derived from the Old English burh-tūn meaning a fortified farm. Until the 17th century the village was known as Burton in Bishopdale. "West" distinguishes the village from the village of Constable Burton, 9 miles (14 km) to the east, also known simply as Burton in the early Middle Ages, and in the 19th century as Burton-in-Bishopdale.
At the time of the Norman invasion the village was part of the manor belonging to Thorkil, but afterwards the manor was granted to Geoffrey of Swaffham by Count Alan of Brittany, who had been awarded the lands by the Crown. West Burton (or Burton in Bishopdale or Burton-cum-Walden) was a manor or township of the ancient parish of Aysgarth, and was always coupled with Walden.[5] The manor befell the same fate as other lands belonging to Geoffrey in that they eventually passed to Richard Duke of Gloucester in 1480. Thereafter the descent of the manor followed that of Castle Bolton into the 19th century.
The village used to be an important market town and the octagonal market cross and stocks are still seen today on the village green.
Burton-cum-Walden became a separate civil parish in 1866.
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