The Grey Panthers

A very pleasant walk that uses country lanes and field footpaths, with a bit of road walking, to visit two villages, - each with interesting churches.
There are only a few gentle gradients, and navigation is basically straightforward.
However, we did encounter one problem area with the navigation, where having the most up-to-date OS map would possibly have saved us from getting into difficulty.
For this reason, it is recommended that you have an up-to-date 1 : 25000 OS map so that field patterns can be checked out.

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 available 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 web site, - just use QUO!!

Start from the car park opposite the Forresters Arms in Kilburn (SE51348 79620).
Walk down Kilburn's main street in a South Easterly direction until you come to Trencar Lane at SE5145 7931. Head down Trencar Lane, and continue on the waymarked field footpaths to Common Lane.
Here turn right and continue on the farm track to High House Farm.
A footpath diversion takes you round High House Farm onto Thwaites Lane in Little Thirkleby.
At the end of the lane turn right, then take the footpath West to All Saints' Church, Great Thirkleby.
From the church head Northwards through Great Thirkleby, and continue along Mill Lane.
Take the footpath on your left, indicated by a footpath sign, that takes you Northwards to Bagby.
In Bagby, head Westwards along the main street to Church Lane in order to visit the Parish church.
Now head Eastwards along the road to Balk.
AS you enter Balk, there is a large building on your right which appears to have been a mill. Here the footpath leaves the road and heads Southwards over fields to Thirkleby Mill Farm.
Past the farm, take the track Eastwards towards Low Osgoodby Grange Farm, then continue on the field footpaths to Rose Cottage near the Balk-Kilburn road.
Cross this road and turn left and after a few yards there is a field footpath on your right.
Follow this footpath to the farm track that leads to Carr Lane, and Kilburn.
(NOTE : THis footpath requires the latest and most up-to-date 1:25K OS map to follow correctly. Using an older version of this map led us to take an incorrect route, which resulted in a bit of navigational difficulty.)