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Parent Category: walking north yorkshire

Ebor Way 112 kilometres / 70 milesnorth and west yorkshire, england

Ebor Way walking route from Helmsley in the North York Moors National Park to Ilkley.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps 290 York, 289, 300 Howardian Hills & Malton,  OL26 North York Moors Western Area

Stage 1

Helmsley 

to

Oswaldkirk 

7.5 kilometres / 4.65 miles  1 hour 45 mins

The ebor way leaves Helmsley via a small road leading to the industrial estate, going past Thomas the Bakers bakery and one of the North York Moors National Park service depots.

Just to the left of the depot in the near distance you will see a signpost pointing to the right behind a series of low industrial buildings.

Crossing a cattle grid the walk joins the bank of the River Rye. There are a series of footbridges crossing minor streams and grass land that is at times of heavy rain can be very wet, even flooded. Follow the river  bank all the way to a fish farm.

Look into the stream to the left and you will see some fairly large trout that we presume have escaped from the farm. The farm itself is covered over with nets to stop Herons and birds of pray from helping themselves to diner.

The path briefly goes between the fish farm and the river before turning right across a very well constructed wooden bridge. The route takes a straight line across the field to the edge of a with a classic oxbow lake to its left. Following the small lake to the left you come to a footpath gate in the corner.

Passing through the gate a small rise gets you to another gate leading on to a farm track. The track keeps to the right hedge to a larger field gate.

The track now climbs through a pasture field along a well defined grass track to join a gravel track. Do not follow the gravel track up to Low Parks Farm, nstead keep to the left of the field to another farm gate in the corner.

Once through this gate the grass track turns to the right before joining the gravel track coming out of the farm. The Ebor Way continues along this track down into the dip and up the other side.

Keep on this track until it reaches a fork. The Ebor Way turns back towards Robson's Spring woodlands trust wood and follows the gravel track through to a farm gate with a sign for Throstle Nest. Go through the gate and immediately turn right through another gate into a grass field. If the grass is high there can be hidden dangers for walkers in the form of hoof holes. Take care!

Stage 2

Oswaldkirk 

to

Hovingham   

7 kilometres / 4.1 miles  1 hour 20 mins

The Ebor Way meets the main road from Helmsley to Malton and the route goes along this road for 1km before turning right onto a large entrance to Birch Farm

The path crosses what was once a railway line connecting Helmsley with Malton to the east and the East Coast Mainline to the west. It is now a very impressive farm track.

Cross the field to pick up another track that leads up into the small village of Cawton. Entering Cawton you pass Folly Hall on the right hand side of the road with the folly set back in the hill and an enormous winged horse at the entrance to the hall.

As the minor road turns left at the end of the village the Ebor Way continues straight on on another impressive farm track running along the edge of Cawton Low Plantation.

Hovingham Spa

Stage 3

Hovingham   

to

Terrington    

6.5 kilometres / 4 miles  1 hour 30 mins

The Ebor Way now joins with the howardian way and leaves the village by way of the Terrington Road. A clear sign indicates the route off to the left along a green lane and as the walk climbs gradually out of the village vista open up in every direction.

The track continues into the South Wood (note the three cast iron fence posts and one fence tree stump on the right) At the track junction take the route signed Ebor Way Terrington. The track dips down and bends around to the left.

The route continues to be marked with small sign posts with two arrows passing the first four tracks off to the left. The fourth track is where the Centenary Way joins the Howardian and Ebor Ways. If the dead tree trunk is still there make a slight detour down the Centenary Way to have a look at the horse shoe fungi growing out of it.

At the next junction take the track with the steepest descent towards Hollin Hill Bogs. At the bottom of the descent you leave the private wood through a swing gate and head directly across the valley bottom to a complimentry gate opposite.

The going is very wet the closer you get to the opposite gate. Once through the gate the path turns left and curves around the field edge before entering the lower section of Hollin Hill Plantation.

It is wet and muddy in Hollin Hill Wood and it is not helped by the path running along the side of the stream. Just plod on and the path passes an old reservoir to the right before leaving the wood and curving around to the right up to a junction of paths.

The Ebor Way turns left here over Wath Beck, through the gate and straight on. Through another gate the path keeps the stream to the left up to a farm track.

Turn right up the track to Howthorpe Farm. The Ebor Way goes through the farmyard and out to the left along the tarmac road.

The road climbs gradually to the top of a bank to extensive views in all directions. Ignore the track to the left and the route descends from the bank before turning right onto a grass path to a set of trees. The path dips down to and across the Wath Beck at the bottom.

A wide green lane now runs along the hedge across the valley and up to a right hand turn towards the edge of Terrington.

The path turns right at the top of the slope and then right again to a short series of steps taking you along the side of a stone wall onto a gravel area.

The path continues into an enclosed section into Terrington passing the church on the left down to the main road.

Stage 4

Terrington   

to

Sherrif Hutton   

6.2 kilometres / 3.85 miles  1 hour 18 mins

Leave Terrington by way of Mowthorpe Lane, past the village hall and further on the cemetry before leaving the lane through a field gate into a grass field.

walk to the road and turn right for short distance before turning left into a large arable field. Head for the end of a hedge in the distance to the right.

Go to the left along the hedge side until you reach a gap that takes you into what looks like a builders yard. Go straight through the yard to enter Sheriff Hutton. Walk up into the centre of Sheriff Hutton, keeping to the right hand path. Go past both greens and the Castle Inn until you see a wide lane off to the left going towards the castle.

Cross the road, read the instructions and proceed up the lane. Turn right before the farm gates through a swing gate into a grass field.

The path through the field takes you a safe distance from the ruins of Sheriff Hutton Castle

Stage 5

Sherrif Hutton

to

York

18.6 kilometres / 11.6 miles  3 hour 50  mins

Stage 6

York

to

Tadcaster

Our recommendation for this section! Catch the bus, it's horrible!

19 kilometres / 11.9 miles  3 hours 55 mins

Stage 7

Tadcaster

to

Wetherby

13 kilometres / 8.1 miles  2 hours 45 mins

Boston Spa

Thorp Arch

Stage 8

Wetherby

to

Harewood

13.75 miles / 8.5 miles  3 hours 8 mins

Linton

Stage 9

Harewood

to

Menston

18.25 kilometres / 11.35 miles  4 hours 15 mins

Bramhope

Stage 10

Menston 

to

Ilkley 

7.85 kilometres / 4.9 miles  1 hour 55 mins

Accommodation

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Books

External Links

Ebor Way walk walking hike hiking North Yorkshire England