Scugdale & Live Moor ~ Medium Walk

Distance: 4 miles   Time to complete walk: 2 hours

Safety Tips:  The walk involves open moor walking. Take your walking stick and test the ground ahead of you as there is marshland on the moors. As you are exposed to the elements either wrap up well or use sunscreen depending on the weather when you complete the walk. You have a very good GPS signal here- look for the Cleveland Way and head towards it if you lose your bearings.

A walk that takes you onto the moors for open moor walking, enjoy the silence of the moors as you join the Cleveland Way. Starting at Husthwaite Green which is just outside Swainby, an ideal walk if you wish to experience some peace and solitude. Apply suncream or take a waterproof for your journey across the exposed moors though!

 

 

The Scugdale Live Moor Walk

 

 

Getting There

 

 

From Middlesbrough, go up Ormesby Bank and follow the road to Stokesley. Follow the A172 at a roundabout  before Stokesley and look for a left hand turning for Swainby. Drive through Swainby and look for a left turning which is Scugdale Road. Look for a handful of houses on the left just before the road spilts two ways. Park next to the post box which is just near a sign for the Cleveland Way.

 

 

 

 

Map of the Scugdale Live Moor walk

 

 

The Walk

 

From the post box near where you have parked, follow the road ahead which is still the Scugdale Road. Follow the road and enjoy the pleasant views around you. Look for where the road bends to the right just after you pass Sparrow Hall and take a left turning.

 

 

 

Sign for Sparrow Hall

 



Turn left onto the gently rising farm track away from the road. Walk towards the farm, Fog Close Farm but before you come to the farm itself look for a gate on the right half way up the track. Go through the gate and another gate. Look for a sign and follow this very steeply uphill alongside a stream.

 

 

 

Gate on farm track

 

 

If you follow the stream up the steep climb you will come to the boundary of the farm to the moors.

 

Stile to stream and uphill climb

 

Look for two gate posts and go onto the moor which climbs gently and avoid the marsh just after the  gate. Your walking stick will come in handy here to test the ground is firm. Remember if you get lost here, there is an excellent GPS signal to check your position in Google Maps and you will soon find your bearings. You need to aim uphill through bracken until you come to a stile and join a sandy track.

 

 

 

Cleveland Way



 

Turn right on the sandy track which is quite wide. Follow this track and before it climbs and turns to the right keep your eye open for a path to the left. Follow this path and checking your GPS you will realise you are heading for the Cleveland Way.

 

 

 

Roseberry Topping

 

Follow the Cleveland Way and if you look to the right in the distance you will see Roseberry Topping. Also you will pass two groups of stones or cairns where the Cleveland Way climbs. Don't forget to place another stone on the top of the cairns!

 

 

Cairns along the Cleveland Way

 



 

Follow the Cleveland Way until you come to the edge of a wood and go through the gate.

 

 

Woods from Cleveland Way

 

 

Follow the steep steps downward taking extra care. Follow the path back which will then exit onto the road where you left your car near the post box. I would recommend stopping for refreshments at the lovely village of Swainby which has plenty of pubs and good food.

 

 

Swainby

 

Swainby is a village in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the A172 road, 8 miles (13 km) north-east from Northallerton and 5 miles (8.0 km) south-east from the small market town of Stokesley.

Swainby is located at the north-western corner of the North York Moors National Park. The characteristics of the village and the surrounding area consist of traditional Yorkshire dry stone walls, hills, sheep, heather and moorland.
The village is close to the ruins of Whorlton Castle; Swainby appears to have been built after its abandonment.
In the 19th century the housing of miners who worked the nearby hills for ironstone and jet led to an expansion of the village.
Swainby contains two public houses, "The Blacksmiths Arms" and "The Black Horse", and a caravan park with farm house

 

 

 

 

Helmsley ~ Easy Walk

Distance Covered: 3 miles   Time to complete walk: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Safety Tips: A very safe walk with no issues

A gentle ramble through the countryside around the town of Helmsley. A walk with no climbing which is through fields and on paths near the river. However the walk could  be incorporated with a visit to Helmsley Castle which is a great detour after or before the walk. There are also many brilliant places to eat in Helmsley itself. Helmsley also has a Bird of Prey centre and Walled Gardens to visit as well.

 

The Helmsley Walk

 

 

Getting There

 

Travelling from Middlesbrough, follow the A19 south to Thirsk. Follow the road from Thrisk which is the A170 up Sutton Bank. Follow the A170 signposted to Scarborough which will eventually pass through Helmsley. Park at the long stay car park which is a left turning and well signposted.

 

 

 

Map of the Helmsley Walk

 

 

The Walk

 

Exit the car park from the end furthest from the entrance, which will pass the entrance to Helmsley Castle. You can go and visit the castle either at the beginning or the end of the walk- its a must see though if you haven't been before.

 

 

Castle Entrance

 

 

Pass the entrance to the castle and follow a walled path. Turn left and looking behind you there's a great view of the castle.

 

 

 

Helmsley Castle

 



Follow the short path noting some good places to eat on your right, in fact Helmsley has a number of cafes so there's plenty to choose from. At a T junction turn right onto a road with a stream flowing down on its left side. Follow this road round to a main road.

 

 

Road with stream on left side

 

 

Cross the road which can be busy, carefully. Turn right and then left into Rygate.

 

 

 

Turn left into Rygate

  

 

Look for a right turning into Sawmill Lane at an Ebor Way footpath sign.

 

 

 

Left into Sawmill lane

 





Walk through an industrial estate then turn right at an Ebor Way sign.

 

 

Follow the path past a timber yard

 

Walk beside the timber yard and into a field. Follow the path and then cross to the right onto another path which is beside the river. Follow the path which will cross a few small footbridges.

 

 

Footbridge

 

Follow the path over a stile and pass a water treatment works. Keep following the path until you come to a gate where the line of trees thins out.

 

 

Gon through gate

 

You will see ahead of you the river bends. Look to the left for a place to follow the rivers bend. Keep following the river until you come to a narrow gap near a power-line pole.

 

 

River bend



 

Bear left to a small gate and go through more gates to pass underneath an old railway bridge.

 

 

 

Bear left at the gate

 

 

 

Railway bridge



 

Turn immediately left and follow the path which now passes through fields.

 

 

 

 



Keep following the path through another gate and you will eventually be opposite the water treatment works. Instead of going through the gate turn right and eventually you will come to another gate. Go through the gate and through another gate onto a path. Follow this round to the junction you came to before the timber yard. Follow the path back into Helmsley. 

 

You are now spoiled for choice to either visit the castle, bird of prey centre or the walled gardens, or for refreshments and food in the many cafes and pub in the town.

 

 



 

 

 

Views of Helmsley Castle

  



Helmsley Castle

 

A castle, constructed in wood around 1120, was built by Walter l'Espec. Walter was childless and on his death in 1154 the castle passed to his sister Adelina who had married Peter de Roos. In 1186 Robert de Ros, son of Everard de Ros, began work on converting the castle to stone. He built two main towers, the round corner towers and the main gateway on the south side of the castle. He died in 1227, granting the castle to his older son William who lived there from 1227 to 1258. The only change made to the castle during this time was the construction of the chapel in the courtyard. William's son, Robert, inherited the castle and was Lord of Helmsley from 1258 to 1285. He raised the east tower and built the new hall and kitchen, as well as strengthening the castle. He built a wall dividing the castle into north and south sides, with the southern half for the private use of the lord's family in the new hall and east tower, and the northern half containing the old hall to be used by the steward and other castle officials. William died in 1316.
Helmsley Castle remained in the possession of the de Roos family until 1478 when Edmund de Roos sold it to Richard, Duke of Gloucester who later became Richard III. Richard did nothing to the castle, staying instead at Middleham Castle. After Richard III's death at the Battle of Bosworth, Helmsley Castle was restored to Edmund de Roos by Henry VII.
Edmund died childless in 1508 and the castle passed to his cousin Sir George Manners of Etal on whose death in 1513 his son Thomas inherited it. He was created Earl of Rutland in 1525. On his death in 1543, Thomas was succeeded by his son, Henry, but it was under the rule of his grandson Edward, that the castle was altered next. He had the old hall converted into a Tudor mansion, converted the 13th-century chapel into a kitchen linked to the old hall by a covered gallery, and knocked the new hall down. The south barbican was converted into a more comfortable residence at this time. A letter of April 1578 describes the slow progress of the mason's work, and that timber was available for a gallery in the attic of the mansion. On Edward's death in 1587 his brother John Manners inherited the castle, followed by John's son Roger, and then Roger's younger brother Francis. On the death of Francis in 1632 the castle passed to George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham through his marriage to Katherine, Francis' daughter.
During the English Civil War, the castle was besieged by Sir Thomas Fairfax in 1644. Sir Jordan Crosland held it for the king for three months before surrendering. Parliament ordered the castle to be slighted and much of the walls, gates and part of the east tower were destroyed. However the mansion was spared. The castle had by this time been inherited by George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham who married Mary, daughter of Thomas Fairfax in 1657.
After his death in 1687 the castle was sold to Charles Duncombe, a banker and politician who was knighted in 1699 and became Lord Mayor of London in 1708. His sister Mary's husband, Thomas Brown, inherited the castle on Charles's death in 1711. Thomas changed his name to Duncombe. He hired John Vanbrugh to build a country house at Duncombe Park overlooking the castle and left the castle to decay. Although it is still owned by the Feversham family of Duncombe Park, the castle is now in the care of English Heritage.

 

 

Keld ~ Hard Walk

Distance Covered: 6 miles   Time to complete walk: 3 hours

Safety Tips: The drive to this beautiful part of Swaledale can be bit of a white knuckle ride. Give yourself plenty of time to ensure you finish the walk in daylight. The Pennine Way part of the walk can be perilous with rocky loose stones but also with amazing views. Complete this walk in the summer.

A walk with beautiful cascading waterfalls and epic panoramic views of Swaledale. The drive to the remote village of Keld is on winding country roads and an adventure in itself. Give yourself plenty of time for the walk and ensure you complete the walk in sunny dry weather as the rocky path of the Pennine Way can be precarious if the path is muddy or slippery.

 

The Keld Walk

 

 

Getting There

 

If travelling from Middlesbrough, take the A66 to Scotch Corner then take the A6108 through Richmond and then follow it and look for a right turn off to Reeth. Exit Reeth and take the B6270 and follow this windy country road until you eventually come to Keld. Parking can be found at the Park Lodge carpark further into Keld. 

 

Map of the Keld walk

 

The Walk

 

From the car park walk ahead down a gravel path signed Muker. Continue along the path as it rises ignoring the path that goes down to the left. Go through a gate, pass a sign to Kilsdon Upper Force and continue on the path which carries on below a crag and to a signpost.

 

 

 

Turn right which is on the Penine Way and go up to a gap in the wall. and to another signpost.

 

 Pennine Way

 

 

The path can be slippy and precarious in frost or after rain, so take special care negotiating the rocky path. Follow the path as it goes over rocky ground and slopes. Cross a ladder stile as the path starts to descend. You will have amazing views as you follow the path. You will cross over more stiles.

 

 

 

Stunning Views

 

Go down to a signpost and you will come across a signpost to the Pennine Way. Ignore that path and join a walled track signed Muker. The track is gravelled and works its way down to the village of Muker.

 

 

Gravel Path

 

 

You will pass a house and then to your left look for a path signed Public Footpath. If you struggle to find it as long as you don't go down into the main village of Muker you will find it. Follow the path through six gates towards the River Swale.

 

 

Path to the river

 

 

Turn a sharp right when you reach the river and look for a footbridge over the river.

 

 

 

Footbridge over the river

   

Ascend steps beyond the footbridge and turn left where it is signed Keld. Follow the clear track along the valley, until it curves right into Swimmer Gill. Take a short detour to see the waterfall. It really is beautiful.

 



 

Swimmers Gill

  

 

Cross the footbridge and head up to a gate. 

 

 

Track around an old barn

 

 

Start climbing the track and follow it around an old barn. Continue steadily downhill and you will come to a gate above East Gill Force. Fork left when you come to a wooden seat and you will then be able to admire the waterfalls.

 

 

East Gill Force waterfall

 

 

After you have visited the waterfalls follow the path over a footbridge,  then bear right uphill and you will be on the track you started you walk on. Head back to Keld for some food and refreshment!

 

 

 

Cross the footbridge

 

 

Keld

 

Keld is a village in the English county of North Yorkshire. It is in Swaledale, in the district of Richmondshire and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The name derives from the Viking word Kelda meaning a spring and the village was once called Appletre Kelde - the spring near the apple trees.
Keld is the crossing point of the Coast to Coast Walk and the Pennine Way long-distance footpaths at the head of Swaledale. At the height of the lead-mining industry in Swaledale in the late 19th century the village had a population of around 6,000. During this period a series of remarkable buildings - now Grade II listed - were erected: they include the Congregational and Methodist chapels, the school and the Literary Institute.
Keld has no shop except at the campsite. There used to be a Youth Hostel but it closed in October 2008 and the building has since reopened as Keld Lodge, a hotel with bar and restaurant. There is a series of four waterfalls close to Keld in a limestone gorge on the River Swale: Kisdon Force, East Gill Force, Catrake Force and Wain Wath Force.

 



 



 

 

 

Robin Hoods Bay to Boggle Hole ~ Medium Walk

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

Safety Tips: No real safety issues- a pair of Wellington Boots would come in handy to explore Boggle Hole.
 

Starting at the popular fishing village of Robin Hoods Bay, make your way down to Boggle Hole and look for fossils in the shallow waters. An ideal walk for children. Wellington Boots will be required for exploring Boggle Hole!

 

The Robin Hoods Bay to Boggle Hole walk

Getting There

From Middlesbrough go up Ormesby Bank and at the top turn left onto the A171. Follow this road to Whitby. Pass through Whitby and follow the A171 to Scarborough. Shortly after you leave Whitby look for a left turning to Robin Hoods Bay. Parking is to be found at the top of the village.

 

Map of the Boggle Hole walk 

The Walk 

 

Leave the car park and turn right and head down until you reach the Victoria Hotel. Further on from the hotel the road falls steeply down into the fishing village.  

 

 

Road down to the village 

At the bottom just before you reach the shore turn right up Albion Road which is signed the Cleveland Way.

 

                                                                             Albion Road

By Flagstaff Cottage look for some steps ascending steeply to reach the clifftop path.

 

                                                                    Steps by Flagstaff Cottage

 

Where it turns left through a gate follow the Boggle Hole sign. Stunning views of the coast can be seen along the path

                

 

Follow this path until it falls steeply down into Boggle Hole.

 

 

 

 

Time to put on those wellies if you want to explore the shore waters while the tide is out. Fossils from the Jurassic period can be found! There is also a nice café in the YHA   building.

 

 

 

 

 

After you have explored for a while, cross the footbridge to ascend the bank on the other side leaving the Cleveland Way and following the road away from the shore.

 

 

Follow the road past a car park and some houses. Farther on you will come to a fork in the road. Take the right fork signed Fylingthorpe.

 

Fork in the road

 

Cross over a stream and look for a sharp right up some steps onto a dis-used railway line.

 

 

Follow the dis-used railway line

 

Follow the path under a bridge and then cross a lane and continue on the railway path.

 

 

Soon you will go through two farm gates and eventually you will go through another gate onto a main road. Turn right along the road and look for a left turning signed Village Hall which will lead you back to the carpark.

 

 

Boggle Hole

 

 

Walk about a mile south from Robin Hood’s Bay along the ‘Cleveland Way’ or on the beach, if the tide is out, to Boggle Hole.
Here, the bay in front of the old converted Watermill, was once a notorious smugglers’ haunt. Nowadays all ages can enjoy the Jurassic coastline and beachcombers can search for fossils or rockpool life along the shore.
The name Boggle Hole, comes from boggle, or goblin, which is said to haunt the slopes. In local folklore,
Surrounded by a dominant cliff face full of tales of fishermen’s secrets Boggle Hole really is a quaint hollowed out crevice in the coastline.