Time: 2½ hours
Distance: 5 miles
Coneysthorpe
The area around Castle Howard is one of the most popular walking areas in the Howardian Hills. This route, largely on bridleways, avoids some of the busier paths. About a third of the walk follows the long track that leads along the wooded edge of the hills overlooking the Vale of Pickering. The rest traverses a mix of fields, woodland and pastures on the northern side of the Castle Howard estate.
Is This Walk For Me?
A generally easy route, all off-road, with good and well-signed paths. Some sections may be muddy in winter, especially at Direction Point 5. There is one moderate climb onto the ridge at Direction Point 2 and a steepish descent at Direction Point 5. There are no stiles.
Getting There
The only practical starting point is Coneysthorpe, where there is a small informal parking area on the left-hand side of the village green. Coneysthorpe is 15 miles from York using the A64, then following signs for Castle Howard before ascending to Whitwell-on-the Hill. Drive through the long avenue at Castle Howard, turning right at the crossroads beyond the obelisk, then left into Coneysthorpe green in 300 metres. There are currently no feasible public transport options for this walk.
Refreshments
There are no refreshment opportunities on route. The nearest off-route option is the Courtyard Café at Castle Howard, which can be accessed without paying the admission fee for the house and grounds.
Directions
1/ Starting from the green in Coneysthorpe, take the track to the rear of the chapel (signed Barton-le-Street), soon going down a slope. Continue on the track, which becomes sunken between bushes before climbing to reach open fields. Keep ahead, passing between gorse bushes on a mound towards the wooded ridge ahead.
2/ At the wood edge, follow the right of way left then right in 50 metres (blue arrows). Keep to the main track and begin climbing through the woods. Ascend more steeply to reach a path junction at the ridge top.
3/ Turn right (signed Park House) with open fields to the left and woods to the right. Continue on the clear track, with newly planted trees eventually replacing open fields to the left.
4/ Arriving at a path crossroads, keep ahead (signed Park House) with fields left and the wooded bank right. Reaching a field gate, go through and follow the worn path right across the grass with buildings over a fence to the left. At the fence corner, follow it left to a gate giving access to a tarmac drive. Turn right on the drive to the road.
5/ Cross straight over and take the path opposite (signed High Gaterley), bearing left through bushes. Just after the path emerges into a more open area, follow it as it doubles back right downhill (seat and viewpoint in a few metres if you keep ahead at the bend). The path soon turns left, continuing downhill, bending right at the bottom of the slope to reach a path junction.
6/ Here, keep ahead (signed Bog Hall), initially with an open area to the left, on a clear and straight track. Follow this for 800 metres until you reach a junction with a barn on the left. Here, turn half right (not hard right) on the main track (signed Coneysthorpe) with a fuel tank at the right.
7/ Cross a small stream and continue on the track over a grassy field. Ignore a track turning off left. With a large oak tree to the left and several small trees to the right, take a faint path heading off diagonally over the grass, cutting a corner and returning to the track (if you miss this, staying on the track and keeping right will bring you to the same point).
8/ Turn right (or keep ahead if you stayed on the track), remaining on the track as it dips and rises over grass fields. Approaching the double white gates, go through the pedestrian gate to the left. Turn left on the pavement for a short distance, before crossing the road and walking right over Coneysthorpe’s small green to the start point.
What To See
The main attraction of this route is the quiet woodland and farmland. The deciduous woodland supports a wide range of wildlife. A hare and 18 species of birds were seen during the walk reconnaissance. There are long views from the ridge at Direction Points 3 and 4 across the Vale of Pickering to the North York Moors. At Direction Point 6, the route fringes the recently begun Bog Hall Habitat Bank, a Castle Howard estate project to rewild 440 acres. Further details can be found at www.castlehoward.co.uk/estate/bog-hall-habitat-bank.
Disclaimer
Walks are undertaken at your own risk. Due care must be taken in following the walk, particularly after poor weather. Whilst every care is taken in compiling the description, changes may have occurred since publication. Neither the walk author nor Your Local Link can accept any responsibility for errors or omissions.
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