10.6 miles.
Explorer Map OL26, - North York Moors (Western Area)
If you have a fine day with good visibility, head straight
for Hawnby and relish this walk. The views and the scenery are absolutely
spectacular.
However, the complete walk is relatively challenging. There are steepish
ascents of both Easterside Hill and Hawnby Hill, as well as a long and
gradual ascent up Sunny Bank. The total height involved in these climbs
is about 900 metres. Because of this, you might want to break the walk
into sections, and ascend either Hawnby Hill on its own, or Easterside
Hill.
The footpath up to Easterside Hill is very faint, and you are mostly
using "game tracks". There is no marked footpath up Easterside
Hill, though it is Open Access Land.
The footpath down from Easterside Hill and across to Hawnby Bridge was
very wet and muddy, and in some parts not very well marked.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above
link.
(Overlay made with Version 4 of Memory Map)
Start from Upper Hawnby village. After obtaining permission
from the landlord of the Hawnby Hotel, we parked in the hotel car park
(SE 54209 89791).
Head East along the road out of the village, towards Easterside Farm.
After a short distance, a footpath across rough pasture is indicated,
crossing a footbridge to meet up with a farm track heading Northwards.
Follow the track, and marked footpath, to the ruins of Crow Nest Farm.
From here, head East North East for a short distance, then follow the
footpath along the field wall in an East South East direction.
When you come to a gate in the wall, go through this gate and head for
another gate on the opposite side of the field.
Once past this second gate, make your way up Easterside Hill.
Possibly the best track to follow up the hill goes diaginally up the
hill, initially on the left. The track up the hill is faint, but reasonably
clear to follow.
Once on the summit of Easterside, head South until you meet the marked
footpath that takes you down to the road near Easterside Farm.
Head Westwards along the marked footpath, over fields, to Hawnby Bridge.
At Hawnby Bridge, head South along the road for a short dustance, then
take the farm track Westwards to Sunnybank Farm. Just before the farm,
follow the clearly marked footpath signs to the track that leads you
to Dale Town Common.
At Dale Town Common, turn right and follow the broad gass track, past
Stoney Gill Hole, to the road at Arden Bank.
Descend this road (no traffic) to Arden Hall.
From Arden Hall, take the marked paths to Mount PLeasant Farm and Harker
Gates (a derelict farm house now being renovated).
Past Harker Gates, take the marked field footpaths Southwards to Half
Moon Plantation.
When you reach a footpbridge crossing a small beck, turn left and follow
the footpath through Low Wood (over a large wooden footbridge that cdrooses
the River Rye) to Hill End House.
Here turn left along the track. Initially head Northwards, but then
follow the track East until you see a footpath ascending Hawnby Hill.
The footpath isn't signposted, but is reasonably clear.
Ascend and then cross Hawnby Hill, before decsending back into Hawnby
village.