10.9 miles.
Explorer Map OL27, - North York Moors (Eastern Area)
This is one of the few linear walks that the Grey Panthers
have done. The walk depends on returning using the North Yorks Moors
Railway train from Levisham Station to Goathland, - so check
the timetable before planning your journey.
The walk can be done, obviously, from Levisham to Goathland, but the
timing of this will also depend on what trains are running.
The outward leg, as described, crosses Goathland Moor. Although the
track is reasonably well defined, there are several sections where
it lies in deep heather and is sometimes hard to make out. The usual
precautions apply for walking on moorland.
The route then makes use of Forestry Commission tracks to reach Needle
Point. There is a very steep and slippery (when wet) descent here
to the railway line, where the footpath is picked up again.
Crossing the railway line, there is a steep ascent up to Levisham
Moor and the footpath then follows the scar that is at the edge of
the Vale of Levisham.
From the Skelton Tower, the footpath returns to Levisham Station.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the
above link.
(Overlay made with Version 4 of Memory Map)
Start from the car park in Goathland, maintained by
the North York Moors Park Authority (NZ 83349 01346). A small charge
applies.
Head Westwards, then South Westwards down Goathland's main street.
Past the Church there is a road junction which you cross to then taken
the footpath that heads South to Two Howes Rigg. The footpath is mostly
fairly clear, but there are sections where it lies deep within heather
and you need to keep a careful watch out for it.
Continue Southwards to cross Simon Howe Rigg using this footpath.
You leave the moorland at a gate near a plantation. There is a "Skelton
Tower footpath" sign on this gate.
Continue South Westwards on the footpath across pastures, until you
come to a Forestry Commission track, beyond a gate. Cross this track
to take the footpath beside a plantation that heads due South.
Where the footpath meets the Forestry Commission Drive, turn left
and follow the road for a few hundred yards. Just past a road sign
indicating a right hand bend, take the (gated) fork track that heads
almost due East. Continue along this track until there is a left hand
bend; at this point you will see a footpath on your right that takes
to to Needle Point.
From Needle Point there is a waymarked footpath that drops you steeply
down to the valley floor.
At the foot of this path, turn left along the Forestry Commission
track.
After a short distance, a footpath across the railway line is indicated.
Cross the railway line and continue in a South Easterly direction
on the footpath.
The path ascends beside the Havern Beck Dale quite steeply until you
eventually reach the moor top at a gate.
Here, turn right and follow the footpath along Yew Tree Scar then
Huggitt's Scar. To your right there is a very steep drop into the
Vale of Levisham.
The footpath eventually meets the broad grassy track of Levisham Bottoms.
Head South Westwards on this track, and take the footpath to the Skelton
Tower.
From the Skelton Tower return to the grassy track of Levisham Bottoms.
Finally, where this grassy track meets the roadway, drop down to Levisham
Station.