C 07: West from Lastingham, map & directions

Route C 07: From Lastingham to Hutton-le-Hole, returning over the moors

The walk (~6 miles) is mainly on firm tracks. It is a circular walk from Lastingham climbing to the south, through Spaunton and across fields and old lanes to Hutton-le-Hole. It then heads north and up onto the moors before returning to Lastingham. The walk is all on OS map OL26 (North York Moors Western area). A hill near the start may be muddy and there are boggy areas on the moor, but with care, these will not present a problem. In short, farmland, old lanes, 3 villages and wild moorland.

Start from 100 yards beyond the church (on the road to Cropton) in Lastingham village (6 miles NW of Pickering; Explorer map OL26 North York Moors Western, grid reference SE728904). Park near the start point where the village road is wide, or at the side of a nearby “no through road”.

Walk directions

1.   Where the village road turns left, turn right into a “no through road” over a small bridge (map reference 729904) and round a bend to the left. After a further 50m, turn right onto a footpath uphill and through a gate into a wood. Continue climbing through the wood, following waymarks, to emerge near a road junction. [500m]

2.   (729899) At the road junction, cross the Appleton-Lastingham road and follow the road to Spaunton. Continue through the village to the end where the road turns right* and a track goes off to the left and through a gate. Turn left onto the track (Spaunton Lane) and follow this for 1200m (passing a footpath to the right** after 500m) to a staggered crossing of paths at a wooden signpost. [1800m]

3.   (723886) Turn right onto the bridleway track (Lingmoor Lane) and continue for 550m then through a gate into a field (with a barn to the left) and continue almost to the end of the field then turn right to a bridleway gate into a wood [650m]

4.   (717883) Follow the bridleway at the edge of the wood and after 250m round a bend to the left and downhill through a valley (climbing out of the valley, another path** crosses the bridleway). Continue up the wide grass track to a junction of tracks. [600m]

5.   (714886) Turn right onto a firm track (Bottomfields Lane, signed “Tabular Hills Walk”) for 550m then left alongside a field boundary on a grass track for 400m to another junction. [950m]

6.   (709893) Follow the bridleway to the right on an old stone and compressed soil track that goes downhill and through a gate then round a bend to the left to join a minor road (wooden sign towards Gillamoor) and continue to a junction with the main village road. [550m]

7.   (706897) Turn right onto the village road* over a stream and for 200m to a footpath sign by a small gate opposite the Village Hall. Turn right through the gate and follow the footpath initially around bends then across several fields to a gate to a narrow concrete bridge and into a wood. Follow the path through the wood, then along the side of a grass bank, eventually reaching a road. [1000m]

8.   (714904) Cross the road and follow the narrow (sometimes boggy) path on the other side to a farmhouse displaying a Welsh flag or a Yorkshire flag. Turn left onto the farm drive track and right onto a wide grassy track veering slightly uphill***. Near a gate on the left, keep right on a narrower path through the heather for about 300m to a road. [800m]

9.   (713912) Turn right onto the road for 600m to a green barrier on the right. Turn right onto the track behind the barrier and follow this track uphill then down a long downhill slope*** to the corner of a stone wall near Camomile Farm. [2000m]

10. (726908) Keep right to a gate beside Camomile Farm then through the gate and continue down the farm drive to a road. Turn left onto the road into Lastingham Village. Pass the Blacksmith’s Arms and turn left back to the starting point. [550m]

Alternatives:

From 2 at * turn right then left through a farm on a track (very muddy in places) that goes to Hutton-le-Hole * in 7 via a steep grassy bank – a shorter alternative in dry weather. [2000m instead of 4000m]

From 2 ** turn right and follow the waymarked path across fields, turning left, right, left after 550m and along field edge paths to turn right at ** in 4.

From 8 *** keep right on a narrow path that eventually disappears. Head through the heather towards the right of the highest point to meet a track. Turn right onto the track down a long downhill slope *** in 9