Grosmont and Beck Hole Circular Walk
There are so many beautiful local walks and also walks a little further out from Whitby. This is the first one we are going to share with you…
This is a 4.5 mile circular walk starting at the village of Grosmont. It is a pretty walk beginning on the old railway track bed, before continuing through woods and out onto the edge of the Moors. If you are a fan of steam then the start and finish at Grosmont will be a treat. The walk retraces part of the original Whitby to Pickering railway built by George Stephenson and opened in 1836 as a horse drawn tramway. The line was upgraded to use steam trains in 1845.
The walk has several steady gradients plus one steep climb on the road out of Beck Hole. The paths are mainly firm, but can get muddy towards the end of the walk. You will need to negotiate two single stiles (both with dog gates), plus one double style (which dogs may need to be lifted over). There are also several gates, a footbridge and steps on route. One stretch of the route crosses fields that may have sheep in so please keep your dog on a lead when there are sheep about.
Grosmont is signposted from the A169 Whitby to Pickering road and the A171 Whitby to Middlesbrough road. The walk starts at Grosmont station. The station has it’s own car park or follow the road under the railway to the North York Moors National Park car park on the right. Both car parks are pay-and-display.
START TO CINDER PATH
From the station café, cross the railway line by the level crossing and take the path in front of some cottages on the right. Cross the suspension bridge over the Murk Esk and follow the ‘Goathland Rail Trail’ left at the fork uphill towards the church. Keeping the church on your left, continue uphill towards a kissing gate with a sign pointing towards ‘Rail Trail’. Turn right and continue uphill with Grosmont NYMR depot visible through the trees to your left.
Immediately ahead there is a sign for the ‘Goathland Rail Trail’. Follow the path to the left and continue downhill through two gates to the cinder path right alongside the railway line.
CINDER PATH TO BECK HOLE
Turn right and follow the path straight ahead towards the pretty settlement of Esk Valley. At the line of railway cottages continue onwards through the gate ahead of you into the wooded area.
Keep following the path through the gates and over a wooden footbridge, with the NYMR visible to your left climbing through the trees. You will see the Murk Esk on your right.
At the next footbridge stay on the same side of the Murk Esk leaving the wide, accessible footpath and taking a more rugged route uphill - ignoring the sign for Egton. Keep ahead on the unsigned, but clear and obvious route through the trees, before coming to a wall on the right with a clear view of the fields. The path rises to a gate, beyond which is the road into Beck Hole.
BECK HOLE TO FARM LANE
Immediately to the left of the gate, the road climbs steeply as it bends sharply to the right and then left before crossing the railway - a good place to watch the steam trains go by. After the bridge turn left and continue up the road for a short while to a farm on the left, just after a pathway joins the road from the moor to the right. Passing the farm buildings, there is a waymarked gate to the left. Follow this path through the fields and gates until reaching a farm. Pass through the farm and turn left onto a tarmac lane.
FARM LANE TO TRACK
At the end of the lane look for a green and white public bridleway sign to your right. Take this path through a gate and then another waymarked gate onto a grassy path towards a track lined with Hawthorne hedges.
Continue downhill to a gate. Turn off the bridleway here, following the yellow arrow indicating a footpath to Grosmont, and taking the path down towards the trees on your right. Follow the rugged, obvious path through woodland to cross a stile. Continue onwards to your right and take another stile before emerging onto the edge of a meadow and taking the path to your left.
Ahead is a double stile - you may need to lift your dog over it - and the path continues into the next meadow. Continue downhill towards a footbridge and enter the woodlands again. Keep ahead as the path climbs into the trees towards a gate on the right. Pass through the gate and turn left through the field keeping the tree line to your left, until meeting a track coming down the hill from the right.
TRACK TO END
Join the track and pass through a gate before following a public sign downhill along the wide lane. At the sign for a ford, take the public footpath indicated to the left and cross a footbridge over the Murk Esk again before climbing a flight of stone steps back to the church by the railway at Grosmont. Follow the path through the churchyard and return to Grosmont station.
Hopefully you will enjoy this walk, and please keep an eye out for more great walks appearing here soon!