8.38 miles
Explorer Map OL27, - North York Moors (Eastern Area)
This is a year-round walk, though with one proviso. If conditions
are wet, especially following heavy or prolonged rain, parts of
the walk are EXTREMELY muddy and slippery.
In good clear weather, though, the walk would be delightful. There
are plenty of views over Esk Dale, and the walk through the Littlebeck
Woods and beside the Little Beck is highly attractive.
The highlight of the walk is a visit to the Falling Foss waterfall
(and possibly also the nearby Tea Rooms!), as well as the Hermitage.
For the most part, there are plenty of waymarks and finger posts
to aid navigation, though at one point the use of a 1 : 25,000
scale OS map definitely helped.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the
above link.
(Overlay made with Version 5 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 Point : Sleights Station, - a small number of
cars can be parked in the street outside. (NZ86814 08114).
Walk Southwards down the road from the station. Take the Bridleway
marked by a finger post indicating the way to Ruswarp. Follow the
footpath past a sports ground,continuing up a hill to Northdale House.
Here turn right and continue up the hill on the field footpath.
At the end of the second field, BEFORE the hedge turn right and take
the field footpath to Hagg House Farm.
Just before Hagg House Farm, turn right and take the field footpath
with the hedge on your left. Follow the waymarks on this footpath
until you come to the minor road leading to Ugglebarnby.
Turn right at the minor road abd head into Ugglebarnby. After the
sharp right hand bend, there is a lane which passes between some houses.
Follow this to the road "Pasture Field Lane".
A short distance up the hill, there is a gap in the hedge which opens
onto the field footpath to Dean Hall.
Just before you reach Dean Hall, the footpath changes from being with
the hedge on your left to having the hedge on your right. This isn't
marked by any marker on the ground.
At Dean Hall, turn left and follow the road towards Hempsyke Hall.
Before you reach Hempsyke Hall, a bridleway is indicated on your left.
This first passes through woodland and plantations before heading
Southwards over Ugglebarnby Moor.
At Moorside Farm, there is a footpath that takes you Southwards. This
isn't waymarked and you may find it easier to take the farm track
to Thorn Hill Farm.
Just before this farm, a sign clearly indicates that you take a sharp
left to take the track (very wet in places) Southwards.
When you come to the road at Newton House Lodge, head downhill on
the road to Newton Farm. Continue downhill to Littlebeck Woods and
the Falling Foss waterfall (you will soon hear the waterfall!).
At the waterfall, now take the track through Littlebeck Woods, past
the Hermitage, to Littlbeck.
The track is clearly signposted, but can be VERY wet and muddy (as
well as slippery) in wet weather.
At Littlebeck, turn right up the road. Past the road junction a footpath
is indicated on your left. This takes you to Low Farm.
At Low Farm, now take the clearly signposted footpath beside the Little
Beck (basically, keep the beck on your left) to Iburndale.
At Iburndale, turn left at the road. Cross the Little Beck, then take
the clearly indicated footpath back to Sleights.