The Grey Panthers

Explorer Map OL26, - North York Moors (West Area)

A walk which makes use of Forestry tracks, minor road, farm footpaths, and a footpath through a Forestry plantation.
In dry weather with good visibility this walk has much to offer.
However, in wet weather some of the paths become extrememly wet, muddy and slippery. In particular, the footpath through Big Wood, that descends into Oak Dale, becomes slippery to the point of being dangerous.
GREAT CARE is needed at this point, - especially in wet weather.
This particular path descends steeply over rocks and boggy ground, that when wet becomes very difficult to negotiate.
Navigation is fairly starightforward, but there is one section between Kepwick and Nether Silton where a 1 : 25000 OS map is highly useful.

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 web site, - just use QUO!!

Start from the car at SQuare Corner, above Osmotherley (SE 47970 95900).
Head down the track Southwards. When you come to the finger post on your right that directs you to the Forestry track to Kepwick, head down this track. Follow the track (Moor Lane) South Westwards past Moor House until you come to the junction with Kirk Ing's Lane.
Turn left, then left again into Bridge Beck Lane. You can either follow this lane (a minor road) all the way to Kepwick, or take the field footpath to Kepwick that is found at a sharp left-hand bend in the road.
In kepwick, head along the main street Westwards past Kepwick Lodge Farm.
Where the finger post indicates a bridleway on your right, follow this to cross the old Kepwick tramway at a stone bridge.
Head Northwards up a lane (can be very muddy in wet weather) to a footbridge over the Old Beck.
Continue ahead on the field footpath until you come to the point where a lane leads to Brenk House Farm. Continue up this lane for about 50 yards (this may involve wading through a beck which crosses the lane). On your left take the path to a field gate, then immediately turn right and follow the field footpath to Hall Farm.
At Hall Farm take the farm lane to Nether Silton.
When you reach the village, turn right and continue along the road until just opposite the church there is a gate leading to a footpath that heads North.
Follow this footpath to the St. Mary's Church.
From St. Mary's Church, take the field footpath West to Over Silton.
In the village, continue Northwards on the road past the Old School House, then continue on the footpath through Thimbleby Bank Plantation.
Continue along the footpath leading to Big Wood, - following the finger posts and waymarks which guide you.
In Big Wood, descend to Oak Dale, - CARE, a steep and slippery descent.
Once in Oak Dale, take the track past the reservoir and back up to Square Corner.