Route Ref:  NYM10

Back to North Yorkshire Moors Routes

OK, only 20% off road, but it's about as much as we can do in July 2001 with foot & mouth taking a foothold within the North Yorkshire Moors National Park! Still, you won't be disappointed with the views & scenery if you choose a clear sunny day as we did. Start at the south west corner of the car park at the top of the bank. Ride up to Dailstone Farm and turn left onto a very muddy bridleway, picking up up the bridleway which runs for three and a half miles along the top of Whitestone Cliff and Bolty Scar. Unfortunately only two thirds of this bridleway is open. Mostly single track but watch out for the walkers and meanderers on the first mile! Open and closed signs keep you right and there is no doubt about where you have to turn right away from the escarpment. This is a nice bit around the edge of a few fields bringing you out onto the Cleveland Road. Turn left and follow to the top of Sneck yate bank.

The drovers road lies directy ahead but is still closed and a noticed a sign threatening a £5000 fine for anyone caught in Boltby forest. Our way continues on tarmac passing along the top of Peak Scar Wood (Peak Scar popular for rock climbing. At least it was about twenty years ago when I used to do a bit). Picking up speed the road bends and falls steeper to the valley bottom below Hawnby. I hit 58kph which was fast enough for me on narrow roads. Cross the bridge (under repair) and make the short climb towards Hawnby. How convenient. A hundred yards or so brings you to the junction and the Post Office Tea Rooms , so you don't have to make the climb to the pub at the top bit of Hawnby.

When you finish doing whatever you decide to do in Hawnby, retrace your route,"UP", to the road junction about 400 meters up the hill. Turn left and follow this road all the way through to the B1257. Enjoy the one mile ascent through Tup Hag Wood. This is one of those hills that go on forever and never end. Not until you get to the top anyway! You can ride a little off road along the grass verge at the side of the main road thanks to local tractor drivers.Turn right at the junction for Rievaulx and it's down hill all the way to Rievaulx Abbey. Continue past the Abbey to the T junction and turn right over bridge and then right again after Ashberry Farm. More hard climbing now all the way to Old Byland.

At the T junction turn right and continue straight ahead at the next bend. This lane descends to Caydale Mill. At the bottom you have an opportunity to freshen up your feet. Sorry, no choice in the matter. The ford here is about thirty meters long and 18 - 24" deep. (Nice mix of old world and metric!). The bottom is sandy and there is no room either side to avoid it! Great fun. After the ford enjoy a long hard climb to the bridleway junction at the lane bend. The bridleway takes you south into Murton Wood. There is a very strange detour here off the track for a short section. I am sure someone has a good reason for it. The latter half of the descent is single track and a little tricky. Over the wood bridge and then get off and push up the other side, unless you are some sort of super human. At the gate the going gets easier over planted fields to High Leir Lane. Straight over and onto another easier riding bridleway to Cold Kirby via Cold Kirby Lane. Turn right at the junction and follow the road back to the visitors center. A nice long gentle uphill finish! Well if you start at the top what do you expect?

When the foot & mouth thing is finally over there are a number of options to do this route using a few more off road alternatives.

Start Sutton Bank Visitors Center Car Park GR 505830 - Bridleway start 507839 - Track Jnc 507839 - Tack Jnc 507854 - Cleveland road 515856 - Sneck Yate 509876 - Tea Room Hawnby 542893 - Road Jnc 542890 - Road Jnc B1257 571870 - Road Jnc 582852 - Rievaulx Bridge 574843 - Road Jnc 570844 - Old byland Jnc 548860 - Ford (Caydale) 542867 - Road/Track 535875 - Bridge 531869 - Road 531861 - Road 531852 - Road bend (Cold Kirby) - 529844 - Jnc 519841 - Car Park 505830.

19 Miles, 30.58 Kms, 2448 Feet, 803 Metres, 7 Gates, 22% Off Road