Aysgarth Falls & Castle Bolton - Route.
Distance: 7½ miles / 12 kilometers
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Map: OS Explorer Map: OS Explorer OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Start Point: Aysgarth Falls Cafe Bar car park, above St Andrews Church, A684, Aysgarth
Grid Reference: SE 011 884
Nearest Post Code: DL8 3TH
| Serial | Distance | Grid Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 0.00 miles | SE 011 884 | The walk starts at the Aysgarth Falls Cafe Bar car park, where there is a cafe and toilet facilities. Turn left out of the car park and enter the grounds of St Andrew's Church. |
| 02 | 0.09 miles | SE 011 885 | Turn left along the path just before the church, follow the path to the road. |
| 03 | 0.20 miles | SE 010 886 | Cross over the bridge and turn left, following the signs for High Force waterfall.
After visiting High Force, retrace the path back to this point. |
| 04 | SE 010 886 | Continue on the path ahead (on the left hand side of the road), to the Aysgarth Falls National Park Visitor Centre, where there is a cafe and toilet facilities.
An alternative start point for the walk. |
|
| 05 | 0.58 miles | SE 012 887 | Turn right out of the Visitors Centre Car Park and cross over the road. Then follow the sign post for Middle Force and Lower Force waterfalls. |
| 06 | 1.07 miles | SE 017 888 | After visiting the Lower Force waterfall, retrace the path back to the main track and turn right, then follow the path and signs for Castle Bolton. |
| 07 | 1.38 miles | SE 021 893 | Continue along this path, passing Hollins House. After passing Hollins House, continue ahead, crossing over the meadow. |
| 08 | 1.98 miles | SE 025 900 | Continue passing the hamlet of High Thoresby, to a footbridge across Kendell Beck, stay on this path ahead to junction with the road 'Brunton Bank'. |
| 09 | 2.50 miles | SE 028 907 | At the road turn right, as the road bends round to the right, about 20 yards after the bend, there is a footpath on the left, turn left hear to head towards Castle Burton. |
| 10 | 3.21 miles | SE 034 916 | Follow the path until it meets with a narrow lane, after passing over a style. Turn left on the narrow lane up to Castle Bolton. |
| 11 | 3.34 miles | SE 033 019 | On leaving Castle Bolton, turn left to follow a track, keeping the car park on the right, passing a sheep wash on the left, after about 150 yards. Follow the path for about 1.5 miles to where it crosses a ford. |
| 12 | 5.00 miles | SE 009 918 | After crossing Beldon Beck, the path bears south. Follow the path to a fork junction. |
| 13 | 5.58 miles | SE 007 908 | Take the left hand fork, the track bends south-south east and joins a road that junctions with Brunton Bank road in the village of Carperby. |
| 14 | 6.24 miles | SE 008 900 | Turn right on the road and go as far as the Wheatsheaf Public House. |
| 15 | 6.37 miles | SE 007 898 | Opposite the Wheatsheaf Public House, cross over the style and through a field. Follow a wall on the right heading away from the village. Pass through two gap styles and cross two fields to arrive at a stile on to the narrow road of Low Lane. |
| 16 | 6.65 miles | SE 010 895 | Cross over Low Lane, go through a gap stile, shortly the path bears half right, continue along the path towards Freeholder's Wood. |
| 17 | 6.98 miles | SE 011 890 | Follow the path ahead, passing through a couple of fields to enter the northern edge of Freeholder's Wood, |
| 18 | 7.05 miles | SE 011 889 | Just inside the wood, turn right and then left to emerge once again on another road. |
| 19 | 7.16 miles | SE 011 887 | Turn left on the road and pass under the railway bridge with a head height restriction of 5'9", to arrive back at the Aysgarth Falls National Park Visitor Centre. |
| 20 | 7.48 miles | SE 011 884 | Retrace the route back to the Aysgarth Falls Cafe Bar car park from where the walk started. |