Time: 2½ hours
Distance: 4¾ miles
Is This Walk For Me?
The walk is relatively short and almost entirely flat. Most of the paths are well maintained and the route should not be too muddy even in winter. There are several stiles and a narrow footbridge to cross. The road section north of Cawton carries almost no traffic.
Getting There
The recommended starting point is Hovingham. Parking is available at the village hall or on nearby roads. Public transport from York is difficult. The only feasible option is bus or train to Malton, then the 194 bus which runs four times daily to Hovingham (not Sunday). The last return bus to Malton currently leaves Hovingham at 3.50pm.
Refreshments
The main option is the Worsley Arms Hotel on Hovingham’s main street. Hovingham Bakery provides takeaway food and drink. There are picnic tables nearby..
What To See
Hovingham is an attractive stone-built village best known for eighteenth century Hovingham Hall with its unusual riding school entrance. The church has a part Saxon tower. Stonegrave Minster, is one of the smallest ‘minster’ churches in the country, dating back to the eighth century. There is an almost complete and four fragmentary Saxon crosses in the building. Unlikely though it now may seem, the house passed between Hovingham and Cawton was once a spa.
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Directions
1/ Starting from outside the village hall, cross the main road and turn right passing Hovingham Stores. As the main road starts to bend right, walk left in front of Hovingham Bakery to cross the stream on a footbridge next to the ford. Once over, turn left and follow the road for a short distance, but soon turn right as signed by a telegraph pole. Approaching a playground, take the signed and fenced bridleway going half left (not the footpath going sharp left).
2/ Follow the bridleway soon reaching a track crossroads. Here go straight ahead signed Oswaldkirk (the right turn is your return route). Now continue on the obvious track with a hedge right. At a junction, ignore the permissive path ahead turning right to pass between two oak trees. Keep on the track as it turns sharp left. Reaching a house (formerly the spa) stay on the track as it curves right then left. Now remain on the track for a further 1,000 metres to reach wooden gates. Go through these and continue for 60 metres to a road at the edge of Cawton.
3/ Turn right and continue on the road which turns sharp right after 500 metres at a cottage. About 100 metres beyond this, take the signed footpath left by a roadside bench heading down the right side of a long field with a hedge right. At the field’s right corner, turn right through a kissing gate. Now continue along the field’s edges with a hedge and stream left to a footpath junction. Here turn left, crossing a brick-sided bridge. Keep ahead with a pond right to a field gate. Through this head diagonally right over the pasture, then angling slightly left to the end of the wooden fence towards a gate. Through this walk between trees for 20 metres, then climb the steps ahead to enter the churchyard of Stonegrave Minster. Keep the building on the left to exit through metal gates, going ahead to reach a main road.
4/ Turn right on the road but in a short distance go right downhill on a tarmac lane (signed Cawton). In 150 metres, immediately after a bridge, turn left over a stile walking beside the stream to the left field corner. Here turn right to a metal gate and a stile. Through, walk ahead on a grassy path with a hedge right. At the field corner turn left with a hedge/ditch left. In about 150 metres go over a wooden bridge across the ditch then turn immediately left. At the field corner turn right keeping the hedge left. Continue to the field corner. Here do not go into the field to the left but pass through
a hedge gap into the field to the right with the hedge left. Follow the hedge as it soon curves sharp left and passes sheds to reach an earth track. Turn right quickly coming to a track T junction.
5/ Turn left then follow the track as it veers right over a sleeper bridge. Continue on the obvious route with a hedge right. In about 500 metres at a path crossroads turn left (signed Hovingham). Now retrace your outward route turning right then left to arrive back in the village by the ford and Bakery.
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 compilation. Neither the walk author nor Your Local Link can accept any responsibility for errors or omissions.
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