Hackfall Wood ~ Medium Walk

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

Safety Tips: A highly enjoyable walk with no big safety issues. The river is Ure is fast flowing so stick to dry land.

Discover a magical wood, with a waterfall, grotto, castle, fountain pond and many other secrets. Ideal for families with children or  just those who are big kids at heart, once you visit Hackfall Wood you're sure to return...

 

 

The Hackfall Wood walk

 

Getting There

 

From Middlesbrough follow the A19 south to Thirsk. Look for the A61 right turn off to Ripon. Follow the A61 until you come to the A1608 turn off. Follow this to Masham which is well signposted. When you reach Masham follow the road out of Masham which is called Thorpe Road and look for the car park on your left for Hackfall. The car park is small and often full. Alternative parking can be found in the next village, Grewelthorpe.

 

The Walk 

 

 

Map of Hackfall Wood

 

From the car park, make sure you pick up a map of the wood. They are kept well stocked up and you would be lost without one. Follow the route for the longer walk. Make a note of your position as the P for parking on the map. Follow the meadow downhill until you reach the wood. The woods are spectacular in the Autumn so get your camera ready. Also take a good pair of boots and a walking stick as it can get muddy in places.

 

 

Entrace to Hackfall

  

 

On entering the woods through a gate make a note of your bearing on the map. You are near Limehouse Hill on the map and whichever route you take will take you to the banks of the River Ure. There is an excellent beach to stop at and take in your surroundings.

 

 

Beach on the river bank

  

 

Follow the rivers bank path passing the Sandbed Hut on your right. Eventually you will come to a series of stepping stones. Instead of crossing the stream at this point double back and follow the path upwards to Fishers Hall. This is an intriguing building which can be used for a pitstop.

  

 

 

Fishers Hall

 

Continue up the path from Fishers Hall and turn right and you will soon come across The Grotto. If you sit on the seat in The Grotto you will be able to see the third attraction in this area, the Forty Foot Fall. You will probably want to linger here a while. It has a magical atmosphere!.

 

 

The Grotto

 

 



If you can tear yourself away from these stunning views, continue on the path until you come to another folly, the Rustic Temple and the Fountain Pond. If you're lucky the Fountain will be on.

 

 

 

Rustic Temple

 

 

If you continue on this path you will find yourself at a log fence. If you hop over this and turn left this will take you back to the car park. However if you double back and cross the stream by the stepping stones, this path will take you to a fork in the path. If you again double back to your right, this path will take you past the other attractions, the Castle, Alum Spring and the Mowbray Point and Ruin.

 

 



 

Hackfall Wood

 

It was probably sometime towards the end of August 1816 when Turner visited Hackfall, whilst exploring Lower Wensleydale between Ripon and Middleham.  In Turner's day Hackfall was famous as one of the finest and largest wild gardens in Britain.

Between West Tanfield and Masham, the River Ure cuts a winding route through high ground. Set in a 350ft gorge on the edge of Grewelthorpe, the site was bought in 1731 by John Aislabie, famous for his landscaping work at nearby Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.  The most dramatic section at Hackfall was laid out as a woodland garden by his son, William, around 1750. There are pathways, grottos, follies, springs, ponds and waterfalls, on a grand scale, and Hackfall was one of the most important managed landscapes of its kind and period in Britain.

The woods are now owned by the Woodland Trust and in the care of the Hackfall Trust, and considerable work has been done since 2002 to recover this 'lost landscape' and to preserve the historic buildings and improve access.  Hackfall is now a Grade 1 registered landscape garden and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).  The recent restoration work has been made possible due to a grant of almost £1 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and further grants from the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Yorventure.

 

Rosedale Abbey ~ Medium Walk

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Distance Covered: 4.25 miles   Time to complete walk: 2h 15m

Safety Tips: Be especially cautious on the open moor part of the walk as the ground can be marshy - use your walking stick to check the ground ahead. Use your GPS if unsure you are on the right track. Always head for a road if you lose your bearings. Start and finish this walk in broad daylight

A perfect walk for a bright Autumn day which includes walking upstream with the sound of the river for the first half of the walk and then open moor walking for the second half. The walk will take about 2 hours to complete.

 

 

The Rosedale Abbey walk

 

 

Getting There

 

Follow the A171 road out of Guisborough and after you climb Birk Brow look for the right turn off to Castleton. Follow the road into Castleton and as you come to the main street in the village, turn right for the road to Rosedale Abbey. Follow this road over the moors watching out for the sheep grazing at the roadside until you see a left turning for Rosedale Abbey. Follow this road into the village of Rosedale Abbey. Parking can be found on the roadside in the village.

 

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Map of the Rosedale Abbey walk

 

 

The Walk 

 

The walk starts by taking a right signposted path in between a converted chapel and the hotel car park in the centre of Rosedale Abbey village. Rosedale Abbey is really the name of this pretty village and not much remains of the Abbey itself.

 

 

Signposted path

 

 

Follow this path which follows the stream upstream through several stiles and gates through meadows. This is an enjoyable walk if you enjoy the sound of the water streaming down-stream.

 

 

Path

 

Streams converging

 

 



Before you reach a wooden footbridge crossing the stream, look for a right path which climbs uphill.

 

 

Turn right keeping the wall to your left

 



Climb up the tracks, keeping the stone wall to your left.  You should be able to see a derelict barn at the top of the hill. Turn left at a gate and cross the next field diagonally to another gate on the right. The barn will now be to your right.

 

 

Derelict Barn



 

Turn left away from the barn onto a track that will eventually lead you onto a road.

 

 

Bear left from the barn

 

Turn right onto road



 

Join the farm road and turn right following the road until you come to two farm buildings. Look for a signed footpath to the right after the last barn. Follow the path uphill, which is a steep climb. Once at the top look for a gate which leads onto the open moor.

 

 

 

Gate onto moor

 



Once through the gate bear right along the path and then bear left until you join a bigger moorland track coming from the left.  This will be found if you head towards the stone wall ahead on the moor. Once you join the moorland track follow this until you come to a main road. You will see the cars passing to indicate where it is.

 

Main road

 

Stone cross



 

Turn right and follow the road back into Rosedale Abbey village.

 

Rosedale Abbey 

 

Rosedale Abbey is a village in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately 8 miles (13 km) north-west from Pickering, 8 miles south-east from Castleton, and within Rosedale, part of the North York Moors National Park.

A Cistercian Priory of the same name once stood on the site. All that is left today is a staircase, a sundial and a single stone pillar. Originally founded in 1158, the priory was inhabited by a small group of nuns who are credited with being the first people to farm sheep commercially in the region. The priory ceased to operate in 1535 due to the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The building was eventually dismantled in the 19th century when the stone was reclaimed for building - including a new church on the site of the original priory.
In the 19th century an iron ore mining industry was established. The population of the valley expanded rapidly until the demise of the mines in the 1920s. The standard-gauge Rosedale Branch railway line ran round the head of the valley, serving mine workings on either side, and across the moors to reach what is now the Esk Valley Line at Battersby Junction.
Rosedale Abbey comprises a collection of stone houses, and public houses, St Mary & St Laurence Church, an art gallery, tea room, glass studio and a village green. Inhabitants of the village consist largely of those born elsewhere, with very few being indigenous.
Tourism in the area has developed into a major industry, with many smaller properties renovated for private holiday homes or as self-catering accommodation. Hotels, larger properties, and farms provide bed and breakfast accommodation.
Recently a local parish council election attracted candidates opposed to the construction of affordable housing close to their properties.
The Rosedale Show is held in the village each August, and attracts some 5,000 visitors. The show dates back to 1871 and is one of the oldest in North Yorkshire.

 

 

Aysgarth Falls ~ Medium Walk

Distance Covered: 4 miles   Time to complete walk: 2 hours

Safety Tips: There are some steep climbs on the walk and care needs to be taken if walking on the stepping stones near waterfalls

This walks starts and ends at the village of West Burton and mid way through reaches the beautiful Aysgarth Falls. Perfect for a picnic at the falls, this walk will take around 2 and a half hours if you spend time at the falls for a mid-walk pitstop.

 

 

The Aysgarth Falls Walk

 



Getting There

 

From Middlesbrough, take the A19 south to the Northallerton turn off. Follow the A684 to the Yorkshire Dales and through the town of Leyburn. Shortly after Leyburn look for a left turn off to West Burton which is where the walk begins. Parking can be found on the side of the Green in the village.

 

  

 



Map of the Aysgarth Falls Walk

 

The Walk

 

Start the walk by leaving the village of West Burton by the village shop on the road to the right of it.

 

 

Sign opposite "Meadowcroft"

 

 

Look for a building called "Meadowcroft" and opposite this will be a signpost to the left signed "Eshington Bridge". Cross the road turn right and then left through a gate and down steps.

 

 

 

Gate beside the barn 

 

Go through a gate beside a barn, and continue to a stile at the bottom right of the field. Cross two stiles then bear right to a wall. Follow this and continue to a road.

 

 

 

Field track

 

Stile to road

 



Turn left and cross the bridge, and go up a lane until you reach a bend in the lane.

 

 

Lane after bridge

 

Stile signed Aysgarth

 

 

Go through the stile on the lane signed "Aysgarth". Climb past a stile and to the left of a barn. This is the steepest part of the walk and can be an effort to make it to the top. Continue to the left of the field bearing left to a gate near the corner, then continue diagonally across the next field.

 

 

Wall Gap



 

Keep left of a wall gap to a stile by another gap. Descend to reach a stile and a footpath sign. If you get confused with your bearings, remember the path will be well worn so is easy to follow if you stick to the well worn track.

 

 

Footpath sign

 







Take the Aysgarth direction which is the path ahead. Cross the field half left to a stile on to a lane. Turn left and then immediately on your right will be another stile signed "Aysgarth". Cross three stiles to a road.

 

 

Stile on Lane



 

Turn right and follow the road into Aysgarth village. Go past the George and Dragon then straight ahead to the Methodist Church.

 

 

George and Dragon

 

 

Methodist Church

 

 





Bear right along the lane. Cross a stile by Field House. Follow the wall and continue along a short track. Follow the path you are on through eight stiles until you reach the churchyard.

 

 

 

Church and churchyard

 



Enter the churchyard and pass to the right of the church and leave by a stile. Cross a field and go through a wood. 

 

 

Field

 

Go through the wood

 



 

Follow the path downhill descending steps to the river bank. Aysgarth Falls are comprised of the middle falls and the lower falls. The falls are a perfect spot for a pitstop and a picnic. Once you decide to leave the falls follow the riverside path to a stile.

 

 

Aysgarth Falls

 



Follow the riverside path to a signpost in a field. Bend to the right of the field until you reach the main road.

 

 

Sign in field

 



Turn left and cross the bridge, then turn right into woodland signed "Edgley", soon bearing left uphill to a stile.

 

 

Sign into wood

 



Go over the stile and walk over the meadow bearing right to a gate in the far corner to join a road. Turn right and look for a stile to the left about 150 yards along which is signed "Flanders Hall".

 

 

Stile to the left

 



Walk towards the two follies above keeping to the ridge below. A folly refers to an ornamental building with no practical use.

 

 

Two Follies above ridge



 

Walk under the follies passing Sorrelsykes Park to your right. Cross a track and bear left past a waymark to a signpost.

 

 

Signpost

 



Follow the direction of the footpath sign uphill and then turn right and head for the bottom edge of the field to cross a stile with stepped stones up to it. Follow the path ahead until you are opposite the barn at a gate.

 

 

Look for gate opposite barn

 



Descend through the gate and then two more gates. Bear left along the field on a well worn track to a stile. Continue onto a lane, turn right, cross a bridge and join the village road. Turn left heading back to the Green.

 

 



 



 



Aysgarth Falls

 

Aysgarth Falls are a triple flight of waterfalls, surrounded by forest and farmland, carved out by the River Ure over an almost one-mile stretch on its descent to mid-Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales of England, near the village of Aysgarth. The falls are quite spectacular during wet weather, as thousands of gallons of water cascade over the series of broad limestone steps.
Aysgarth Falls have attracted visitors for over 200 years; Ruskin, Turner and Wordsworth visited, all enthusing about the falls’ outstanding beauty. The upper and middle fall was featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
In addition to the falls, there are walks which wind through the wooded valley, offering views of the river and falls. Wild flowers appear in the spring and summer, and wild birds, squirrels and deer may also be seen. Nearby is St Andrew's church, which has a large churchyard, reputed to be the largest in England. The church has a medieval painted wooden screen rescued from the destroyed Jervaulx Abbey.
The name originates from old Norse, meaning the open space in the oak trees.
It was featured on the television programme Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of the North