The Grey Panthers

Explorer Map 302, - Northallerton and Thirsk

This walk is a linear walk, and is "Day 2" of the Swale Way walk as described on the Swale Way website.
The walk utilises field footpaths, farm tracks, country lanes, and there is a short section of road walking.
Although sections of the walk are clearly described and waymarked, we found that there were sections where there were no waymarks and it was surprisingly easy to stray off the correct route.
For this reason, although the walk should only be about 12.2 miles, we managed to clock up 13.4 miles by the time we reached Morton Bridge!
Other problems included having to climb over farm gates which were padlocked shut (even though on a public footpath).
One big advantage is that the route has no gradients of any significance, and this makes for speedy walking.

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 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 long stay car park in Thirsk (SE429 823) - fee payable.
Head towards St. Mary's Church to find the footpath beside the Cod Beck which is cleraly waymarked as being "The Swale Way". Follow the footpath to South Kilvington.
When you reach the mill, cross the Cod Beck via the footbridge and cross a field via a fram track to reach the Northallerton Road. (We found that at the end of the farm track that we followed, the gate was padlocked shut, - requiring us to climb over it).
Cross the Northallerton Road, and take the bridleway opposite. Follow this for two fields, then turn right to follow the waymarked footpath to the Big Wood.
When you reach the Big Wood, the Swale Way footpath enters the wood at a small gap which is quite easy to miss (the waymark is somewhat hidden). Continue Northwards at the edge of the Big Wood and enter the parkjland of Thornton Park.
When you reach the farm track, turn left and continue to exit Thornton Park at the main gates.
Here turn right and follow the road (over the main railway line) for a short distance, until you come to a footpath on your right. This is also accessed by climbing over a locked farm gate.
The continuation of this footpath is by crossing a ditch in a hedgerow, and is somewhat hidden.
Now follow the footpath as per the 1 : 25K OS map, to emerge at a field gate by the main A167 road. This gate was also locked and had to be climbed over.
Cross the road and head for Kirby Wiske.
Head Westwards along first the road, and then the track to Kirby Grange Farm.
Continue on the field footpath past the farm, and at the hedge-line turn right to follow field footpaths to Maumby.
We found the field footpaths waymarked in parts, but somewhat obscure in others. Use the 1 : 25K OS map for guidance.
In Maumby, head for the village Green, then taken the track (Pickeringmoor Lane) to just before Rush Farm.
Here turn left to follow the bridleway beside the River Swale to Far Fairholme Farm.
Past the farm, take the lane (Fairholme Lane) to Morton Bridge.