10.0 miles
Explorer Map OL26, - North York Moors, Western Area.
Choose a fine day with good visibility and this is an unbeatable
walk. There are stupendous views to be had from Hood Hill and,
of course, Sutton Bank.
The path up Hood Hill is a recent one, and the Hill has previously
not been open to the general public.
Hood Hill is not only the site of an aircraft that crashed in
World War 2, and is thus "protected", but recent aarcheological
evidence suggests that it was Roman fort of some sort. There is
evidence of ancient terracing below the summit.
This walk is fairly straightforward to navigate.
However, there are some quite steep ascents and descents. The
climb up to Sutton Bank is quite demanding.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the
above link.
(Overlay made with Version 4 of Memory Map)
Some new mapping software is now available which you may want to try, - QUO mapping. You can download the software for free from the link below, complete with demonstration maps. Having installed QUO, you can import and export Memory Map overlays. Thus YOU DON'T NEED Memory Map to use any of the overlays provided on the Grey Panthers website, - just use QUO!!
Start from square in Kilburn by the Feversham Arms (SE51057
79621).
(You could also start from the Visitor Centre at Sutton Bank, and
adjust the route directions accordingly).
Head North out of Kilburn along Carr Lane. Past housing there is a
farm gate opening on to a farm track. Take this track until you come
to a marked footpath on your right that takes you across some rough
pasture fields.
There is a sharp left turn to take you alongside some deer fencing
at Acre House Farm, and across a lane by a wooden footbridge built
high enough to cross more deer fencing.
Turn left when you come to the forestry track.
Follow this track for about half a mile, when there is a clear footpath
on your left taking you through the woods.
This footpath leads to an obvious ascent, and then descent, of Hood
Hill.
On decsending from Hood Hill, take the Forestry track out of the plantation,
in the direction of Hood Grange Farm. Cross a wheat field to reach
the farm, where you turn left and then right to cross a field to reach
the A170 main road.
Cross the A170 and take the field footpath to Gormire Farm.
From the farm, continue past Gormire Lake to emerge at the gates of
Southwold Lodge.
Here the footpath has been diverted. Continue ahead for about 100
yards, where the footpath to the top of Sutton Bank is clearly indicated.
Climb up to Sutton Bank along this footpath, following the marker
posts.
On top of Sutton Bank, turn right and follow the Cleveland Way footpath
past the Visitor Centre, across the A170 road again, all the way to
Roulston Scar.
The Cleveland Way continues past the top of the White Horse to emerge
at a minor rod (Low Town Bank Road).
Here turn right to follow the footpath down the steep wooded bank..
THis footpath eventually rehjoins the road back to Kilburn.