Wharram Percy to Thixendale Route

Wharram Percy Wold & Burdale Tunnel to Thixendale (Circular) - route.

Distance: 8½ miles

Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Grade: Easy

Map: OS Explorer 300 - Howardian Hills & Malton

Start Point: The free car park for the Wharram Percy medieval village site near Bella Farm, on minor road off the B1248 south of Wharram le Street.

Grid Reference: SE 867 644

Nearest Post Code: YO17 9TL

There are two route options:
This walk 8½ miles - Wharram Percy Wold and (Burdale) Tunnel Plantation and on to Thixendale via Vessey Hill, or
Alternatively a 3½ miles walk - Wharram Percy Wold and (Burdale) Tunnel Plantation.

Serial	Distance	Grid Reference	Description
01	0.00 miles	SE 867 644	From the free car park for the Wharram Percy medieval village site, take the path at the rear of the car park, signed Wharram Percy ¾ mile. Descend the hill along Centenary Way on the chalk lined path through 3 kiss gates, to the bottom of the hill.
02	560 yards	SE 860 645	At the bottom of the hill, and turn left under the cattle bridge, heading SE and passed the sluice. Follow the trail of what use to be the old railway line, after about 140 yards at the fork junction (SE 861643) keep left above the old rail track bed, and continue through Tunnel Plantation to the north portal of the (bricked up) tunnel.
03	0.50 miles	SE 861 644	From above the north portal of the tunnel, take the path ahead (over on the left) - note this is private land and dogs must be kept on a lead. Continue a gentle ascent up Wharram Percy Wold to a T-Junction where it joins the Centenary Way bridle way. This can be very muddy when wet.
04	1.10 miles	SE 868 634	At the T-Junction turn right onto the Centenary Way, heading SWW and follow the hedge row, after about ¾ of a mile, the trail meets the Yorkshire Wolds Way and the sparse tree line of North Plantation.
05	1.9 miles	SE 858 631	At the junction with the Yorkshire Wolds Way, turn left to head west along the embankment of Deep Dale for about 1½ miles. Continue passed the Centenary Way marker sign (SE 848 628), continue ahead to where it meets the farm track.
06	3.3 miles	SE 836 629	At the farm track turn left and follow the sign for the Centenary Way. Descend the valley of Vessey Pasture Dale, pass through the gate, then ascend Vessey Hill, at the top pass through another gate.
07	4.0 miles	SE 833 618	At the top of Vessey Hill, bear left and follow the hedge row and join the farm track.
08	4.75 miles	SE 840 611	Follow acorn and walker way markers along the farm track down in to the village of Thixendale and turn left on the main thoroughfare, signed the Yorkshire Wolds Way and Centenary Way. Continue passed the village hall and the church of St Mary, to a road on the left, signed Centenary Way.
09	5.0 miles	SE 844 610	Turn left along Centenary Way, passed the Cross Key Inn, and pass through the gate at the end of the road. Pass in front of the wooden sports pavillion, then bear left up the hill through Water Dale, follow the path NW for about 700 yards to a gate.
10	5.4 miles	SE 845 615	From the gate ascend Court Dale along a winding narrow chalk lined path of the Chalkland Way and Centenary Way, pass through the gate on the right, bearing NW, and continue along the Centenary Way, until it joins the Yorkshire Wolds Way.
11	6.5 miles	SE 847 628	Turn right along the Yorkshire Wolds Way for about ¾ of a mile to a fork junction (see serial 5 above). Keep left to follow Deep Dale for a further ½ mile or so to a Wolds Way finger post. The church ruins of St Martin, Wharren Percy will eventually come in to view.
12	7.75 miles	SE 858 639	At the Wolds Way finger post, bear left down the hill to a kiss gate. Pass through the kiss gate, to follow the path along the northern bank of the old mill pond and to the ruins of St Martin’s Church. Follow the path through the building outlines of the medieval village.
13	8.25 miles	SE 861 654	Continue along the path leading away from the medieval village, after about 400 yards at the cattle bridge, keep left and descend the steps to cross over the foot bridge, and pass through a kiss gate. The follow the path up the hill for ¾ of a mile back to the car park.