Walks and Routes in Scarborough

Scarborough is blessed with some of the UK's finest coast line and beaches and you can take it all in by going on any of a number of different costal walks as well as inland walks. Some walks and routes are suitable for all ages and abilities so put on your hiking boots and take the family on a day out walking in beautiful Scarborough. Search through the Scarborough Walks and Routes listed to help you decide what you want to see and do during your visit to Scarborough… Use the link at the bottom of this page to add another walk or route to the ThisIsScarborough.org directory of Scarborough Walks and Routes.

Goathland, Egton Bridge,Grosmont Circuit Mr Frank Firth Tel: Fax: www.btinternet.com/~yorkshire.walks/walk5.htm This description gives enough information to find the intended route of the walk on a suitable map. When used with the map the description should help you to find the route and enjoy the things of interest along the way. For this walk I suggest that you use the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map 27 which covers the North York Moors, Eastern Area at a scale of 1 :25000. Please do not try to find your way without a proper map. The walk is a circular route of about 13 km. and should take about 4 hours of steady walking plus any stops you make along the way. There are a few steep climbs out of the valleys and in some places you will need to pick your way through the muddy bits. You will need strong footwear (preferably walking boots) and the usual safety precautions for this outdoor activity. My description of the route starts at map reference NZ 833013.This is the car park in the village of Goathland near the top of the hill that leads up from the railway station. From the northern end of the car park, about 50 m.past the public toilets take the footpath on the left. The path leads across a field with the back gardens of some houses on the right. The path follows what is in fact a disused railway track. After about 400 m. from the start of the path it crosses a minor road and continues down hill. It's quite a steep hill considering it's a disused railway track. (I believe the trucks were horse drawn one at a time). Continue for about 1 km. (passing the cottage at the bottom of the slope) to the junction in the path at the wooden finger post. At the finger post turn left, away from Beck Hole, to a little foot bridge over the stream. Once over the bridge the path climbs steeply up the valley side through the woods. After about 150 m. there is another wooden finger post in the woods. Here keep to the path to the left. It continues to climb and for a while the path is formed by the worn stones of an old pannier way. At the next finger post (another 150 m.) follow the bridle way(blue arrow) to the right, continuing to climb. After about 300 m. the path emerges from the wood into some pasture land. The path skirts Thackside Farm and joins the farm access road. Follow the farm road to its junction with the minor road (Randy Rigg) and turn right onto the road. Keep on this road for about 1 km. and turn left onto a footpath. There is a footpath sign at a wooden field gate. It's opposite some woods and about 100 m. before a house on the left. The path goes across some rough marshy pasture staying close to the stone wall and climbing up towards the moor top. The path comes out onto the open moor through a small wooden gate and climbs for about 400 m. through a barren stony area. Be careful as the path reaches the top of the moor, our path is a narrow footpath skirting a little depression or valley (marked as Lady Bridge Slack on the map) to the left.(Don't follow the vehicle track which bears off to the right.) After another 400 m. the path meets a minor road. Cross the road and turn half right, along a track which is bearing WSW away from the road. Keep to this track for only about 200 m., no more. Here turn sharp right almost doubling back to follow the wall which is now on the left to head NNE for about 300 m. to where there are two new wooden gates with footpath arrow markers. Go through the gate and follow the path (which gradually becomes a farm road) for about 1 km. to Swang Farm. The path goes through the farm yard. About 200 m. after the farm, the farm road turns sharp right. Be careful here. Our path goes off to the left of the farm road just on the crown of the bend. It's a grassy track which goes through a gate into some pasture land. There is an old stone farm building ahead in the field. Keep to the left of the building and you will find yourself on a grassy track with trees and bushes on either side. About 150 m. after the farm building the path becomes a track between stone walls with tall holly and hawthorn bushes on the right. About 300 m. from the start of this walled track, the track crosses a stream and there is a gate across the track. There is a dense vegitation of hawthorn and blackthorn choking the little ravine containing the stream. A few yards before the gate across the track there is a gate into the field on the left. Our path goes through this gate on the left. There was no footpath sign on it last time I was there. The path keeps to the edge of the field with the blackthorn scrub on the right. At the bottom of the field (about 120 m.) there is a style into a wooded area on quite a steep descent opening out into another field. Keep to the line of the stream down the field, marked by old trees, for about 200 m. from the style. The Egton Bridge road is only 150 m. to the right. Near the bottom of the slope there is a path to the road through a wooded strip. Enter the wooded strip by a style. Again no sign posts and you may have to look carefully to spot the path at this point. When you reach the road turn left down the hill towards Egton Bridge. In about 100 m. there is a road junction. The boring route here is to turn right and take the road bridge over the river Esk. As you descend the hill to the junction, it's much more interesting to take the stone footpath snicket on the opposite side of the road . This footpath leads to the stepping stones over the Esk. Two lots of stepping stones as the river is flowing round an island at this point. Once accross the stepping stones the track leads between the houses and onto a road. At the road turn right and continue along the road for about 200 m. to a 'T'-junction. (Just before the junction there are some public toilets on the right hand side of the road.) At the junction turn left and after about 40 m. turn right onto the estate road towards Grosmont. The estate road is an unmade rough farm track. Stay on this track for some 2 km. until it reaches the road about 0.5 km. from Grosmont. All the way the track follows the river sometimes just a few metres away, sometimes 100 m. away. At this time of year there is a great variety of wild flowers in the hedgrows and banks along the track. At the road turn right and continue along the road for about 0.5 km. into Grosmont. The North York Moors Railway is based here. There is usually a steam engine at the station and the engine sheds are open to visitors. If you enjoy steam engines you will need to make a separate trip to Grosmont, preferably by steam train from Pickering, just to see everything. When you can tear yourself away continue accross the level crossing and then up the hill for about 200 m. to a footpath on the right hand side of the road. The turning is through an iron gate marked by a footpath sign. Follow the path through the woods. There are lots of wild flowers and it's very pleasant indeed, once you've passed the initial dog walking bit. After about 300 m. the path joins a farm road. Turn left onto the farm road and continue up the hill for 250 m. where there is a gate across the road into a field. Twenty metres before the gate the path turns off to the right into the woods. The path is quite narrow here and easy to miss. The path runs in the woods, parallel to the field boudary and just a few metres from it. (There is another short stretch of stone pannier way in the middle of the woods) Follow the path through the woods and fields for about 1 km. to Green End where the path comes out beside a farm onto a road. Turn left onto the road for 50 m. and then right through a farm yard ( there is a yellow footpath arrow on the farm gate). Follow the path across the fields to come out onto the road near Hollin Garth farm. After about 50m take the path on the left hand side of the road. The path contours round the hill just above the stone field walls. After about 0.5 km. there is a very pretty bowl of land formed by a loop in the river which crosses under the railway and then back again. Half way round the loop is an attractive waterfall, although it's a bit difficult to get a realy good view of it due to the shape of the land. Take the path that descends into the bowl and cross the river on the footbridge under the railway bridge. The whole river here passes in a narrow channel between two rock shoulders. Follow the path up the hill and across the fields to the road. At the road turn left and follow the road for about 400 m. back to the car park.

Glaisdale, Egton Moor Circuit Written by Mr Frank Firth Tel: Fax: www.btinternet.com/~yorkshire.walks/walk8.htm This description gives enough information to find the intended route of the walk on a suitable map. When used with the map the description should help you to find the route and enjoy the things of interest along the way. For this walk I suggest that you use the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map 27 which covers the North York Moors, Eastern Area at a scale of 1 :25000. Please do not try to find your way without a proper map. The walk is a circular route of about 15 km. and should take about 5 hours of steady walking plus any stops you make along the way. There are a few climbs out of the valleys and in some places you will need to pick your way through the muddy bits. You will need strong footwear (preferably walking boots) and the usual safety precautions for this outdoor activity. My description of the route starts at map reference NZ 784055. This is a lovely old stone pack horse bridge over the river Esk near Glaisdale Station. There is room to park off the road here alongside and under the railway viaduct. From the pack horse bridge go under the railway viaduct and cross the footbridge over a small tributary of the Esk, and follow the footpath through East Arncliff Wood about 1.3 km. south east to Delves. At the minor road turn right up the hill and round the hairpin bends. At the top of the hill but before you reach Delves Farm turn sharp left doubleing back almost on the footpath that cuts back down the hill skirting the side of "The Delves". You need to be careful for the first 150 m. from the road to be sure that you are heading in the right direction to just skirt past the southern edge of "The Delves". Follow the footpath down into the valley across the footbridge and up the other side to a track running south through Hall Grange Farm. Stay on this track for about 1.5 km. until you reach a sharp right hand bend just before Grange Head Farm. At this point turn left on the footpath up the hill for about 500 m. onto the open moor. About 50 m. above the last stone field wall the path turns south west towards Egton High Moor. Follow this path across Egton High Moor for about 3.5 km. to a minor road. Across the moor there is a series of six or seven tall oak finger posts marking the footpath. The posts are placed so that about 100 to 150 m. after you pass one post the next becomes visible on the horizon. The path meets the road beside Wintergill Plantation. At the road turn left and about 200 m. after the end of the plantation take the bridle way on the right. The bridle way follows a well defined track heading towards Mountain Ash Farm. You can keep on the bridle way to the road at the farm and then walk round the road to Nab End, but I think it's nicer to stop one field before the road and turn right to follow a track around The Nab and drop down onto the road in front of Nab End. Turn right onto the road and just past Nab End turn left onto the footpath down the side of Nab End then heading north east for about 1 km. to a foot bridge where the path joins a bridle way and turns left to head north west for about 600 m. through a farm to a minor road. At the road (Map ref. NZ 753043) turn left for 100 m. then right onto a bridle way climbing up towards the moor top. When you have come about 200 m. along this bridle way from the road, stop for a moment and look over the wall to your right to the little square arena beside the road below you. The arena is about 20 m. square with a roofed over section at the left hand end and a few benches for spectators. This is the local quoits court and league matches are still played in the summer between local teams. Continue up the bridle way to the moor top. For the last few hundred metres onto the moor top, the path is not very well defined but just keep heading up the hill until you strike a wide stoney track. At the track turn right and follow the track for about 1.5 km. until you meet the main road throgh Glaisdale village at The Green. At the main road turn right for 100 m. then turn left down a steep narrow lane. Follow this lane for almost a kilometre to Carr End. At the 'T'-junction with the main road, cross the main road and take the track opposite which cuts through the woods for about 200 m. to bring you back to the footbridge beside the railway viaduct where you started.

Sutton Bank, Murton Grange, Cold Kirby Circuit http://www.btinternet.com/~yorkshire.walks/walk7.htm Written by Mr Frank Firth Tel: Fax: This description gives enough information to find the intended route of the walk on a suitable map. When used with the map the description should help you to find the route and enjoy the things of interest along the way. For this walk I suggest that you use the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map 26 which covers the North York Moors, Western Area at a scale of 1 :25000. Please do not try to find your way without a proper map. The walk is a circular route of about 16 km. and should take about 5 hours of steady walking plus any stops you make along the way. There are a few steep climbs out of the valleys and in some places you will need to pick your way through the muddy bits. You will need strong footwear (preferably walking boots) and the usual safety precautions for this outdoor activity. My description of the route starts at map reference SE 516831.This is the car park at the Sutton Bank visitor centre. At the western end of the visitor centre, cross the road (the A170) near the top of Sutton bank. Follow the footpath to the view point on the edge of the escarpment. When you've finished enjoying the view turn left (heading south east) along the edge of the escarpment for 350 m. to the edge of the woods where there is a finger post indicating the Cleveland Way. At the finger post turn left into the woods away from the escarpment. After about 400 m. you will reach the A170 again. Cross the road and walk along the wide grass verge of the main road for about 100 m. past the front of the Hambleton Hotel. Take the stoney track that bears left off the main road just at the hotel carpark entrance. After 150 m. the path bends left and climbs a little. About 200 m. from the bend take the path to the right over a style (this is still the Cleveland Way). In another 400 m. follow the Cleveland way to the left for about 1 km. to Cold Kirby. At the road in Cold Kirby turn right into the village. At the bottom of the village street turn left on the bridle way to Murton Grange. The bridle way goes up the drive of a house with a white farm style gate. (There is a bridle way sign) From Cold Kirby the bridle way is easy to follow for about 2 km. across fields and two minor roads to the edge of a steep sided valley overgrown with hawthorn scrub. Follow the bridle way down into the valley. Part way down the valley side there is a park bench type of seat with a plaque naming it "The Captain's Seat". The seat is set on a ledge in the valley side which you can see runs in both directions along the contour. This ledge is what remains of the Old Byland water race. It intercepts a spring at the head of the valley and carried water around the hill side to supply Old Byland about 3 km. away. If you're lucky you may see roe deer as you cross the valley. Follow the bridle way to join a minor road and continue on the road past Murton Grange farm. About 100 m. after the farm the road comes to a 'T'-junction. Across the junction is a farm gate leading to a track which descends steeply down the valley side. Follow the bridle way which cuts down to the left from the track across the field to a farmstead called Dale Town. Continue on the bridle way through the farm and then bending to the left round the back of the farm, along the valley bottom for about 400 m. passing a derelict farm cottage on the right. Just past the cottage the bridle way climbs directly up the end of the hill that intrudes into the valley at this point. The top of the hill is called Noddle End. At the top follow the bridle way for about 2.5 km. to the Hambleton Road (an old green drove road). Cross the drove road and take the track to High Paradise farm. The route is now following the Cleveland Way again. In fact you now stay on the Cleveland Way for about 6.5 km. back to the Sutton Bank visitor centre. The route is along the edge of the Hambleton Hills escarpment overlooking the vale of York with views to the hills of the Yorkshire dales.

Hole of Horcum, Lockton, Bridestones Circuit. Written by Frank Firth Tel: Fax: www.btinternet.com/~yorkshire.walks/wkslist.htm This description gives enough information to find the intended route of the walk on a suitable map. When used with the map the description should help you to find the route and enjoy the things of interest along the way. For this walk I suggest that you use the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map 27 which covers the North York Moors, Eastern Area at a scale of 1 :25000. Please do not try to find your way without a proper map. The walk is a circular route of about 16 km. and should take about 5 hours of steady walking plus any stops you make along the way. There are a few steep climbs out of the valleys and in some places you will need to pick your way through the muddy bits. You will need strong footwear (preferably walking boots) and the usual safety precautions for this outdoor activity. My description of the route starts at map reference SE 853937.This is the car park on the A169 Pickering to Whitby road at the view point overlooking the Hole of Horcum. From the car park follow the main road north. The road at once turns west going steeply down hill. (Opposite the car park there is a path to the left of the road and below it so you can walk alongside the road with all the traffic out of sight).After 300m. from the car park there is a hairpin bend in the main road. At the hairpin bend take the track heading west through a gate. (Be careful, there is a path heading north over a style and a track heading south down into the Hole of Horcum.) Our track stays on top of the moor. After about 1.5 km. the track passes Seavy pond, and after another 1.5 km. it reaches Dundale pond. For much of the way there is a deep ditch and bank alongside the track. About half a km. past Seavy pond there is a small plaque on a stone beside the track which explains that the ditch and bank are the remains of a protective earthwork built about 2000 years ago by the local iron age tribe. At Dundale Pond there is a similar plaque which says that the land was given to the monks of Malton Priory in 1230 and the pond was built then to water their cattle and sheep. From the signpost at Dundale pond take the path down Dundale Griff (heading east) for about one km. to another signpost at the 'T'-junction in the path. Here turn south towards Levisham and Lockton. The path climbs up the valley side and contours along some distance below the valley rim. The views here are very pretty looking both ways along this wooded valley. After about 1.3 km. the path turns west running along the valley side just below a large flat field. At the end of the field there is a group of trees and here you have to double back sharply onto a path which cuts diagonally down the hillside heading east. Keep on going down until the path crosses the stream. Follow the path up Wedland Slack to the road at the eastern end of Lockton village. This path from the stream crossing to the road is pretty muddy most of the time. At the road turn left and head east towards the A169 main road. Cross the main road and go through the field gate opposite. (There is a public footpath marker post by the gate). Keep next to the fence accross the field to a track heading north east down through some woods. After about 250 m. at the bottom of the slope the track bears right, heading east and climbing slowly. After another 400m. the track emerges from the woods into a more open area climbing quite steeply to a gate onto a farm road at the top. Stay on this farm road heading north east for about 0.5 km. to the farm road on the right to Low Pasture Farm. Go along this road past Low Pasture Farm . The sign at the start of the road says 'Private Road' but you can walk along it and you will see a National Trust sign about the 'Bridestones' a few metres along the road. After the farm the road bears left (heading north east) and drops down through some woods to a house and out buildings called Low Staindale. Leave the farm road and pass in front of Low Staindale. Once past the buildings climb a few metres up the bank to a track. Follow the track north east for about 200 m. and cross the stream on the stepping stones. Accross the stream turn sharp left and go through the gate into the National Trust area to head north. After about 300 m. the path is paved with sandstone cobbles and begins to climb steeply up the end of a hill called Needle Point toward the High Bride Stones. As you climb the hill you can see the Low Bride Stones ahead of you on the ridge across the valley to your right (Bridestone Griff).The High Bride Stones are about 200 m. along the path after you reach the top of the hill. At this point the path turns right to cross the head of the valley (Bridestone Griff) on a small footbridge, and there are steps and a timber hand rail up the other side ( it's not much of a climb). At the top take the path on your left, doubleing back a bit to head north east across the moor to the edge of the forest. The start of the path may be a bit awkward to spot but once you are on it, it's well defined. Where the path across the moor meets the edge of the forest there is a wide track. Turn left onto this track to head generally north west for about 3.5 km. to the A 169 main road. The track meets the main road about 150 m. north of the car park where the walk began. As you plod along the track about 2 km. from the main road there is a slendid view across the valley to the right with the unmistakeable conical shape of Blakey Topping. It seems oddly out of place and local legend has it that in the days of mythology the giant, Horcum, arguing with his wife scooped up a handful of earth leaving behind the bowl called 'The Hole of Horcum'. He threw the earth at his wife and missed. You've guessed it already. Blakey Topping is the giant's handful of earth.

There are loads of fun places to spend your time in in and around the Scarborough / North Yorkshire area, there are entertainments for every taste and budget! Select the type of entertainment in Scarborough you are looking for from the list below: