Walk 1473 - printer friendly version

Hollin Hill to Square Corner by the Cleveland Way Walk

Author - Andy Chaplin

Length - 9.5 miles / 15.4 km

Ascent - 1260 feet / 382 metres

Grade - moderate

Start - OS grid reference SE479959
Lat 54.35638856 + Long -1.264465344
Postcode DL6 3QB (approx. location only)

This North York Moors walk gives great views of Black Hambleton, Upper Ryedale, Osmotherley Moor and Oakdale as well as marking the point, in South Wood above Osmotherley, where the Coast to Coast path and the Cleveland Way part company, having been one and the same since Bloworth Crossing. Parking at Square Corner (grid ref. SE479959) is limited and popular but there are plenty of other opportunities on the verges at either side of the official off-road parking.

After parking, walk south east along the road passing a bridleway on your right then take the shooters track on you left, stepping over the low vehicle bar. The track is well defined as it heads northwards across the moor past Miley Pike with other tracks joining from right then left as you keep straight on towards the Swainby Shooting House, which is clearly visible on Rye Head.

Take the left hand path after the shooting house, which goes in front of a row of grouse butts. After butt No 3, take the track off left along Stony Ridge and continue to the corner of Clain Wood (grid ref. SE487997). There is now a section of pathless moorland to cover keeping the edge of Clain Wood to your right. After 800 metres you reach a track (grid ref. NZ480002) which is followed across Whorlton Moor for a further 600 metres to reach a left hand bend (grid ref. NZ475000). Here turn right onto a footpath and follow this down to a road (grid ref. NZ471000).

Cross the road onto a track heading roughly north. This soon joins the Cleveland Way. Turn left along the edge of Scarth Wood Moor. The path then skirts the edge of and then descends through South Wood. The trees are a reasonable way from the path so it does not feel, as sometimes it can, like an oppressive section of woodland walking. As you come out of the wood the Coast to Coast path joins from your right, on its way to Bloworth Crossing.

Continue straight on to Chapel Wood Farm, then take the farm track to the left that goes uphill before bending to the left and then descending through houses to the road to Osmotherley. Go right on the road down into the village and, at the War Memorial in the centre, go through the passage between the house on your right which is way-marked with an acorn marker and signposted to the Methodist Church.

At the end of this passage bear right at the end, cross the road and take another fenced passage between gardens then fields as you are corralled down Middlestye Bank and across the Cod beck. Coming up the other side you cross the track to Middlestye Farm, go around Whitehouse Farm then turn right on Green Lane and continue on to the road.

Turn left on the road, then right off on the track into the Thimbleby Estate, which is signposted to Black Hambleton. In Oak Dale there is considerable Yorkshire Water work on the upper reservoir until 2015. There was no water in it at September 2014 so it is a little hard to say where it would have ended but look for the small footbridge over Jenny Brewster's Gill which should be down to your right. Go over the footbridge then climb up the path at the side of Jenny Brewster's Spring back to Square Corner.

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