13.0 miles.
Outdoor Leisure Map No OL26 - North York Moors (West)
This walk takes in sections of
the North Yorkshire Moors, and the walker should therefore be fully
prepared in that respect. Although most of the walk is on well defined
tracks and footpaths, there are a couple of sections where the footpath
is NOT clear.
There are also some sections where a fairly steep descent has to be
made, over ground that is not all that easy.
In clear weather, this walk is highly rewarding as regards views.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above
link.
(Overlay made with Version 4 of Memory Map)
Start from Chop Gate car park (SE5589199331).
Leave the car park and turn right along the B1257 (Care! traffic) and
continue until you reach the farm track leading to William Beck farm.
Just before the farm house, turn right and then take the waymarked path
East up on to the moors. Continue along this path in an Easterly direction
until Tripsdale is in view. You then need to take the path South-South
East to ford Tripsdale Beck (SE5825198892). This second path can be
quite difficult to find.
From Tripsdale Beck take the shooter's track all the way to Stump Cross
(SE6070298179).
Just past Stump Cross the footpath down to Bransdale and Colt House
Farm can be found, heading in a South Easterly direction. Parts of this
footpath are very steep, and covered in bracken.
From Colt House Farm take the waymarked path to Bransdale Mill (SE6207697913).
From Bransdale Mill, ascend to Cow Sike Farm, and turn left along the
minor road for a hundred yards or so.
Now take the waymarked path that leads back up to the moors.
At SE6318698670 there is a pile of stones beside the footpath. Right
by these stones is a track that heads North to Rudland Rigg. Just before
the track meets Rudland Rigg, Cockan Cross can be found on the left.
Follow the Rudland Rigg track all the way to Bloworth Crossing (NZ6158601472).
From here follow the Cleveland Way, West, to Round Hill (NZ5942801598),
- the highest point on the North Yorkshire Moors at 1500 ft (454 m).
Just past Round Hill a track leaves the Cleveland Way to descend in
a Westerly direction to Chop Gate. Where this track descends over the
pre-historic earthworks, the descent becomes very steep.