Walk 3121 - printer friendly version

Castle Howard & Coneysthorpe Walk

Author - Andy Chaplin

Length - 11.4 miles / 18.5 km

Ascent - 1025 feet / 311 metres

Grade - moderate

Start - OS grid reference SE697676
Lat 54.0995830 + Long -0.9356431
Postcode YO60 7BP (approx. location only)

This North Yorkshire walk is a combination of well maintained paths around Castle Howard and paths that looked like they had not been walked for some time as you get over to the west side of the route during the return to the start. Highlights include the monuments around Castle Howard, which are interesting, the villages of Bulmer and Coneysthorpe which are picturesque and the views from Slingsby Bank.

Park in the attractive village of Bulmer (grid ref. SE697676) and follow the main street out eastwards past the parish church. When the road bends left then right, take the road off to the left past the village hall then take the path across fields to the road (grid ref. SE703682). Turn left and walk northwards up the road then take the path on your right through Brandrith Wood to 'The Stray' road and turn left.

Go under the Castle Howard Gatehouse and turn immediately right on the road heading in the direction of the Pyramid and Mausoleum. Shortly after passing the Pyramid on your right, turn left on the path that goes over the New River Bridge then bear left towards the Temple of The Four Winds. Follow the ha-ha wall into Horse Close Rush Wood and then turn left on the track (the Centenary Way) when you come out of the wood and follow it northwards out to the Coneysthorpe gates (grid ref. SE713712).

Turn left and carry on along the Centenary Way through Coneysthorpe village where there are benches on the green that are well placed for a lunchtime stop. Then turn right onto the Centenary Way again and continue north to Coneysthorpe Banks Wood. The path then continues west to Slingsby Banks Wood with good views to the north and south from the ridge.

At grid ref. SE694734 there is a signed junction of paths. Take the path signed to Hall Moor and follow it down to Thurtle Wood. The path is well signed all the way through the wood on the forestry tracks. At the south of Bell Bottom Wood turn left on the track then right on the short bridleway down to the C172 road (grid ref. SE693717). Turn right on the road and in a short way take the bridleway off on the left towards Ganthorpe.

The paths from here become harder to follow. The bridleway skirts the western boundary of Cum Hag Wood. It is then signed off at a gate across the field and before heading south past Moor Hill. At the crossroads of paths north of Ganthorpe (grid ref. SE691707) the bridleway south to Ganthorpe does not seem to exist so go right then left on paths and left again on the road into the village.

In the village take Sleigh Lane off on the right. Then take the first footpath on the left that crosses a field then follows the stream down Mowthorpe Dale. The path on the edge of Mowthorpe Dale wood is completely overgrown so you can walk in the field at the side of the wood. The path comes out near fish ponds in the valley. Turn right up the track towards the Centenary Way. Turn left along the Centenary Way for a short distance and then go left on a path that leads above the three fish ponds and on through Ox Pasture Wood to Bulmer. Again the paths from the fish ponds look like they do not get much traffic.

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