The Grey Panthers

This walk principally uses field footpaths, though there is one section where an ancient lane is followed. The walk goes from the village of Sleights to the villages of Ugglebarnby and Littlebeck, and onwards to the waterfall at Falling Foss. Falling Foss is now a very popular spot with visitors, attracted by the cafe at Midge Hall which is beside the waterfall. There are several woodland walks in the area if you want to extend this walk.
The route described involves several moderately steep ascents. Although all these ascents are on good surfaces they can be surprisingly arduous.
Navigation is relatively straightforward, but there are times when the 1:25000 OS map is particularly 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 street adjacent to Sleights Railway Station (NZ86816 08116). If parking is not available here, there is car parking space in nearby Coach Road.
Head Southwards down Lowdale Lane. Turn sharp right with Lowdale Lane past the cricket pitch, then head up Whin Green (indicated by a footpath sign).
Cross a small beck over a footbridge then continue on the footpath as indicated by waymarks in the direction of Ugglebarnby. (The footpath climbs up through woodland en-route to Ugglebarnby).
The footpath emerges at the road that leads into Ugglebarnby. Follow this road for about 100 yards until, on your right, the Tom Bell lane is indicated by a finger post.
Follow the lane in the direction of "Throstle Nest" until you come to the LIttle Beck.
Here cross the footbridge and turn left. Follow the footpath and farm lane until you come to Low Farm.
Take the footpath past Low Farm, and where the footpath meets a fence cross over (at the stile) and turn right.
Continue on the field footpath until you come to the road above Littlebeck.
Turn right and continue to the where the road crosses the Little Beck.
At this point there is an information board, providing information on Little Beck itself.
To the right of the information board, and somewhat hidden, is the footpath through Little Beck Wood. Follow the footpath Southwards to Less Head Farm.
At the farm, continue Southwards on the footpath to Foss Farm then onwards to Falling Foss.
From Falling Foss, head uphill along the road until you come to Newton House Lodge on your right.
Opposite Newton House Lodge is the footpath to Thorn Hill Farm. (There are two footpaths at Newton House Lodge, - take the right hand path.)
At Thorn Hill Farm, the footpath onwards is indicated by a finger post. The path appears to be overgrown and a bit hidden, but is quite good in actuality.
When you reach to minor road, turn right and after about 100 yards take the farm track to Moor House Farm. (This is an easier route than the footpath from the road to the farm).
Continue Northwards along the footpath and then minor road to Dean Hall (a small settlement by the farm).
At the last house in Dean Hall, a field footpath can be found immediately past the house. This footpath is reached by a field gate and is somewhat hidden.
Follow the field footpath to Ugglebarnby. When you reach the village, turn left and continue along the road until you reach Tom Bell Lane and the footpath which returns you to Sleights.