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The deserted village of Wharram St Percy

Yorkshire Wolds Walk

Region - Yorkshire Wolds

County/Area - North Yorkshire - Yorkshire Wolds

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 2.7 miles / 4.4 km    Ascent - 300 feet / 91 metres

Time - 1 hours 40 minutes    Grade - easy

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - The deserted village of Wharram St Percy
Click image to see photo description.

This short North Yorkshire walk explores the countryside to the south of the deserted village of Wharram Percy including scenic Deep Dale. The Yorkshire Wolds provide some excellent walking with wide ranging views, steep sided valleys and quiet well-signed paths. The highlight of this walk is the deserted village of Wharram St. Percy with its ruined parish church dominating the scene. Maintained by English Heritage, information boards describe how this once thriving community gradually fell from favour.

The walk starts from the small EH car park (Grid ref. SE866644). Exit the car park onto the lane and turn right (south), following the Centenary Way. The road turns right and then immediately left where you take the Centenary Way on your right. Following the track west ignore the first signed bridleway on your left and continue for about 800 metres to reach the rim on Deep Dale, which is on your right (grid ref. SE858631).

Turn right off the track here following the signed path (Yorkshire Wolds Way) north along the edge of Deep Dale, which drops steeply down to your left. After a further 800 metres the path descends into the Dale with an excellent view of the deserted village dominated by the ruined church. Information boards offer a detailed history of the village and its demise. After exploring the church continue north along a track to reach a junction (grid ref. SE860645). Turn right here following the Centenary Way uphill to reach the car park used at the start of the walk.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2703 Thixendale & Kirby Underdaleeasy/mod8.5 miles
Walk 1990 Settrington from North Grimstoneasy/mod7.3 miles
Walk 2655 Wayram To Fridaythorpe Circulareasy/mod7.5 miles
Walk 2906 Circular from Wayrham Through Painsthorpemoderate8.5 miles
Walk 3349 Pasture Dale, Frendal Dale and Horsedale from Huggateeasy/mod9.1 miles
Walk 1779 Horse Dale, Holm Dale, Tun Dale and Frendal Dale from Huggateeasy/mod9.0 miles
Walk 3740 Cowlam & Cottam Circulareasy/mod8.0 miles
Walk 3126 Kirkham Priory & Pretty Wood from Low Huttonmoderate11.0 miles
Walk 3127 Bishop Wilton & Millingtonmoderate13.4 miles
Walk 3733 Coneysthorpe & Castle Howard from Welburneasy/mod9.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Trail and Fell Running in the Yorkshire Dales

Trail and Fell Running in the Yorkshire DalesGuidebook to 40 of the best trail and fell runs in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Ranging from 5 to 24 miles, the graded runs start from bases such as Ribblehead, Dent, Sedbergh, Malham and Grassington and take in the region's diverse delights, from castles and waterfalls to iconic mountains such as Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen Y Ghent.
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