This walk is almost 6 miles long and one of our more strenuous routes. It consists of a brief descent to the River Rye followed by a long ascent to the moors (Dale Town Common) then down to Arden Hall in the Thorodale valley, following an undulating course to cross the valley of the River Rye before ascending the lower part of Hawnby Hill and returning to Hawnby along the hillside. There are some splendid views of woodland in spring, green valleys, streams and a small river, fields with young lambs, a few primroses, wild garlic, bluebells and perhaps buzzards, curlews and lapwings. Beech trees have fresh lime-green leaves while unfolding oak leaves are olive green - spring colours that almost rival those of autumn.

Recommended map: OS Explorer OL26 North York Moors Western Area, or OS mobile “app”. Start at the car park near Dalicar Bridge, map reference SE538896.  The walk should take a group of people about 3 hours.

Walk details

1.    From the car park near the church (map ref. 538896), walk towards Hawnby to a footpath sign to a footbridge on the right. Cross the bridge, turn right and continue through a gate and through a gap in a fence beside a stile. Continue uphill to the left of a line of trees, cross to the right of the trees then over a stile on the left and continue across a field to a track running uphill from a farm to the left.  [600m]

2.    (535892) Turn right onto the track and through a gate. Where the track splits, the upper (left) route is the footpath and the main track is the bridleway – both routes join just before a gate with a barn visible ahead. [650m]

3.    (528893) Continue along this track and along a field edge for 1500m to a gate by the corner of a wood. Go through the gate and turn right across a grass moorland, slightly left to cross a small valley and follow the track for 1000m to a view of Thorodale valley, then to a more major track.  [2500m]

4.    (511905) Turn right onto this compacted stone track and continue downhill to a tarmac drive on the left that leads to Arden Hall. [850m]

5.    (519905) Turn left into the entrance to Arden Hall then to the left in front of the Hall for about 80m then right at a bridleway waymark immediately  beyond a row of cottages. Follow the track through a valley and up through woodland to a left bend where a footpath is signed to the right.  [500m]

6.    (520909) Turn right through the gate and across a field heading to the left of a projecting wood. Continue beyond an old hedgerow and down through a field to a gate to a farm drive. Go through the gate and turn left onto the farm drive for 150m to a gate and cattle grid. [650m]

7.    (526911) Bear right through Mount Pleasant Farm and follow the track that leads out of the farm for 300m to a bend to the left. Turn right over a stile and continue along the left edge of a field to a gate. Go through the gate and follow a track through woodland to a footbridge. [800m]

8.    (531907) Cross the footbridge, turn left and re-cross the same stream by a second footbridge. Continue to the left of the stream to a gate on the left, turn left through the gate and follow the path alongside the River Rye to cross it at an impressive footbridge. [200m]

9.    (532909) Across the bridge, turn left and follow the path to a bend to the right followed by a steep climb through woodland to a gate on the left*. Go through the gate and turn right along a field edge to a gate on the right. Go through this gate and keep left uphill, past a pond, to a gate to the left of an isolated house. [500m]

10.  (536910) Go through the gate and turn right then keep right along the main track past the house and follow the main track which eventually descends to meet a road opposite Manor Farm. [1350m]

11.  (540898) Turn right and follow the road to a road junction. Turn left for 100m, to the churchand car park. [total 450m].