9.82 miles
Explorer Map OL26 - North York Moors (Western Area)
A walk that provides some stupendous views, so ideally this walk
needs to be made on a clear day with high visibility.
The walk starts from the village of Osmotherley, and after taking
a route that skirts the Cod Beck Reservoir then ascends to Near
Moor.
The ascent to Near Moor is quite gentle, but the descent into
Scugdale is quite steep on an uneven path.
There is fairly steep ascent up from Scugdale in Clain Wood.
All of the paths are well defined and mostly well signposted or
waymarked.
There are no difficulties with moorland navigation, or navigation
in general.
So, basically choose a fine day with high visibility and you will
be well rewarded.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the
above link.
(Overlay made with Version 4 of Memory Map)
Some new mapping software is now availabe 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 website, - just use QUO!!
Start from the centre of Osmotherley village (SE45570
97236). Care needed with parking, as Osmothreley can be quite busy
and the streets congested.
Head Northwards up the road out of Osmotherley. About 400 yards up
the road on your right is a finger post, indicating a footpath.
Take the track that goes past Briers House Farm and continue until
you come to an ancient "Green Lane".
Turn left and continue into the plantation. A few hundred yards ahead
is a signposted cycle track down to the Cod Beck Reservoir.
When you reach the reservoir turn right and follow the track along
the edge until it emerges near a car park.
Turn right and follow the footpath to the footbridge over the Crabdale
Beck. Don't cross the footbridge.
On the left of this footbridge is a clearly visible track that ascends
Near Moor. The track continues all the way beside the plantation at
the top, to run along Stony Ridge.
At SE494 988 a path descends on your left into Scugdale. This path
is steep and in places very uneven.
Continue on the path until it meets a track that takes to to Harfa
Bank Farm.
Past the farm house, immediately turn left along a farm track. Where
a footpath is indicated on your left follow this into Scugdale Woods.
Follow the Cleveland Way Footpath through Scugdale Woods and Clain
Wood until it eventaully emerges at the Osmotherley - Swainby road.
(The ascent in Clain Wood is quite teep).
Now follow the Cleveland Way Footpath over Scarth Wood Moor. Where
this path splits into a bridleway and footpath at a field wall, take
the left indicated bridleway.
Follow this bridleway and then minor road all the way back into Osmotherley.