From the once industrial village of Swainby, a walk with fine views from the Moors and a taste of history in Whorlton.
Swainby, Northallerton DL6 3EA, UK 6 Miles 2.5 HoursMedium
Paths: Footpaths, moorland paths with 11 stiles throughout
Landscape: Farmland, moorland and a little woodland
Dog Friendliness: Yes, dogs can be off lead in moorland and woodland
Parking: On road parking in village
Public toilets: No public toilets on route
With the beck running along your left, walk out of the village along High St, walking past a sign 'unsuitable for coaches' heading uphill. Follow the bridleway signposted Scugdale, as the road bends.
Passing through 2 gates, turn left after the second one and join the waymarks for the Cleveland Way National Trail. Walking through woodland, you’ll come to a bench, turn left just after, continue down to a stile. The path goes through a field to a gate. Cross the stream at the footbridge and you will come to a lane with another footbridge over Scugdale Beck.
Continue on past Hollin Hill Farm and you will come to a T-junction with a phone and post boxes. Cross the lane and pass a Cleveland Way signed gate. Continue up through woodland to a gate and stile.
The path bares right to a stile and then onto a paved track in the wood. Continue straight at the crossing and you will come to another stile, follow the path to heather moorland.
You will come to a concrete post, after about 100 yards, the path then forks, go left and continue along the path down the gully to a fence beside a wall. Go left, when you come to a fork again continue left again down to another gully where you’ll come to a sign post by a wall, follow the sign, going over a spoil heap to reach a gate on your right.
Going through the gate, continue straight down the hill through woodland. At the bottom cross a stile and continue down the lane. Past a drive where woodland begins take the footpath over 2 stiles.
You’ll walk along a grassy path through the woodland. Turn left and then left again at another track and then come to a T-junction. Take a left and follow the path downhill till you get to a stile. Go through a waymarked gateway.
Go over a stile beside a gate and continue along the path along the hillside. Go over a stile with steps beyond, take a left at the bottom and follow the field edge. Continue over a waymarked stile by a gate and along the field. Walk along the field to a gate at the end, then follow the lane past Whorlton church and castle back to Swainby village.
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