9.83 miles.
Explorer Map OL27 - North York Moors, Eastern Area
In good weather this is a delightful walk, with views
of Great Fryup Dale and Glaisdale.
There are some muddy sections, and one farm in particular involves a
bit of a messy passage through the farmyard.
Farm footpaths are used, as well as a shooter's track along Glaisdale
Rigg. There is some road walking on minor roads.
Climbing up from Great Fryup Dale to Glaisdale Moor involves a fairly
steep ascent, but otherwise there are no particular problems on the
walk.
It is essential to have an Ordnanace Survey map, and to be able to use
it (checking field patterns against the route) as you go along.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above
link.
(Overlay made with Version 4 of Memory Map)
Park in the small public car park in Lealholm (NZ76351 07625).
Head up the road towards the railway station, and turn off the road at
NZ76375 07799 to follow the footpath across farm land initially North
West.
At NZ75892 08257 take the waymarked footpath in a South South Westerly
direction to Houlsyke.
When you reach the road, follow the road for a short distance towards
Houlsyke, before cutting across fields and the railway line by the footpath
at NZ74030 07812.
Turn right at the road and follow it for four fields, when you read a
gate with a public footpath on your left. Take the path up the field until
you reach a track, then turn left along the track heading Eastwards until
you meet the minor road.
Follow the road Eastwards to Furnace Farm, then take the footpath that
passes through Furnace Farm's yard to Finkel Bottoms and Beckside Farm.
At Beckside Farm, take the footpath South East to the road at Hollin Hall.
Follow the road in a Southerly direction until you come to the footpath
at a gate in the wall at NZ73810 04944. This footpath ascends steeply
to eventually lead you to the standing stone on Stony Rigg at NZ74307
04664.
Here take the footpath South East to Glaisdale Rigg, and walk Eastwards
along the Rigg heading for the disused qaurries at NZ76532 04972.
From here take the track North Eastwards to Glaisdale. The track opens
out onto a minor road.
At Glaisdale's village green, head South East until you come to the Robinson
Institute. At this point, take the footpath downhill until you come to
the road (opposite Willy House).
Immediately to your left is the waymarked Esk Valley footpath to Lealholm.
When you reach Glaisdale Mill, keep to the path by the River Esk.
Return to Lealholm by Rake Farm and Underpark Farm on the clearly signposted
/ waymarked Esk Valley Way.