Thornton-le-Dale to Ellerburn & Howl Dale Wood - Route.
Distance: 5½ miles
Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Grade: Easy
Map: OS Explorer OL27 - North York Moors-Eastern Area.
Start Point: Thornton le Dale Car Park, accessed via Maltongate, near to Old Maltongate Farm Cottage.
Grid Reference: SE 834 830
Nearest Post Code: YO18 7SD
| Serial | Distance | Grid Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 0.00 miles | SE 834 830 | From the large car park at Thornton-le-Dale head for the main road (A170), then turn right towards All Saints Church, after about 500 yards, to Priestman’s Lane (second road on the left). |
| 02 | 0.33 miles | SE 838 831 | Turn left along Priestman’s Lane for about 350 yards towards Thornton Mill to a fingerpost on the right at a wooden footbridge. Turn right follow the path to St Hilda’s Church. |
| 03 | 1.13 miles | SE 842 841 | Take the path to the left of St Hilda’s Church. Follow the path up Kirkdale Slack and through Kirkdale Wood until it meets a road (Dalby Forest Drive), which is the start of the Dalby Forest. |
| 04 | 1.75 miles | SE 834 850 | Turn left along Dalby Forest Drive, to a T-Junction with Dalby Forest Lane. Turn left and follow the lane for about 600 yards to a single track lane (Kingthorpe Lane) on the right. |
| 05 | 2.25 miles | SE 839 846 | The single track lane bends to the right, with a foot path on the left. Follow the footpath to Howl Dale Wood. Take care when descending down into the wood, as the slope can be slippery. |
| 06 | 3.00 miles | SE 830 950 | At the T-Junction at the bottom of the hill, turn left to follow the trail through Howl Dale Wood. Keep going straight ahead, to a Y-fork take the left fork to continue ahead, then at the next Y-fork bear right following the way marker. |
| 07 | 4.20 miles | SE 815 837 | At the end of the wood, turn left for about 50 yards to the corner of the field then turn left back into the wood. Follow the path to a gate then cross over a field to another gate. |
| 08 | 4.38 miles | SE 818 835 | Continue straight ahead and bear left towards Hagg House, then turn right on a path through Hagg Wood, continue along the path over open fields to where it eventually meets with the A170 (Thornton Road). |
| 09 | 5.10 miles | SE 829 830 | Turn left to follow Thornton Road (A170) into Thornton-le-Dale and back to the start. |