Yorkshire Wolds Way Circular and Linear Walks

Enclosure Rites is a stunning artwork overlooking the Vale of Pickering that is reached after the steep ascent from Wintringham. The work is part of the WANDER - art along the Yorkshire Wolds Way installations. It was completed by Jony Easterby and draws strongly on the archaeological importance of the area. You will encounter this great artwork after climbing the steepest hill on the Yorkshire Wolds Way, soon after leaving Wintringham! The rest of the walk is peaceful and tranquil, with wonderful views across the Vale of Pickering to the North York Moors and a return back into the Yorkshire Wolds.

• Distance: 8.7 miles/14km
• Duration: allow about 5 hours
• Difficulty: relatively undulating, but with one steep hill!

This day walk follows the northern escarpment of the Yorkshire Wolds Way.  It is a great route to use by public transport as both ends are linked by the hourly Coastliner service (see www.traveline.info for a journey planner) allowing access from Leeds, York and Scarborough. This is a really peaceful section of the route.  At the same time it commands outstanding views across the Vale of Pickering to the North York Moors National Park. There is also the option of shortening this linear walk by stopping at Ganton after 6.5 miles/10.5km.

• Distance:  9.9 miles (15.9km) option of 6.5 mile (10.5km shortcut)
• Duration:  allow 6 hours including breaks
• Difficulty:  This is a challenging walk because if its distance and it involves climbing up onto the Yorkshire Wolds

This is a pleasant, easy walk of 3 1/2 miles in total along the track bed of the old railway, known as the Hudson Way, from the centre of Market Weighton. Return the same way or follow this route shown via Goodmanham. There are no stiles or steps on this walk and the maximum gradient is 1:6. Path Details The track bed of the old railway line is mainly level.  The surface is compacted aggregate, but not always smooth. The last 50 metres of track bed to reach the road near Rifle Butts are the steepest at about 1:6 gradient. After this the route is tarmac or pavement and follows the minor road to Goodmanham, which has no footpath and climbs for 400m at a maximum slope of 1:10. From Goodmanham a tarmac footpath follows the road to Market Weighton.  Apart from a short (100m) rise of 1:12 the route is level or with a max down slope of 1:14. There are several seats along the route. To enjoy this walk - find it on the National Trails (north) walks at OutdoorActive

From the attractive village centre this short walk of 1.2 miles there and back follows the Yorkshire Wolds Way through the beautiful parkland of the Londesborough Estate as far as the lake and then returns the same way. The walk starts by All Saints Church. Leaving the road the route follows a short rough track with a maximum down slope of 1:7.  This is the roughest part of the walk. After this it enters Londesborough Park and follows a mixture of stone and grass path, which can be a little rough in places. The Parkland stretch has gentle slopes of 1:8 to 1:20. This described walk finishes at The Lake. There are 3 Radar Lock Kissing Gates along this section. There are no steps or stiles on this walk. For wheelchair access through these gates a radar key is needed. For all the details of this walk and downloadable mapping go to our OutdoorActive page. For wheelchair access through these gates a radar key is needed.

Londesborough Park is a very special stretch of the Yorkshire Wolds Way.  A mansion was first built here in the 16th Century and was owned at that time by the powerful Clifford family.  The landscaped gardens were laid out in the late 17th Century under Lord Burlington and glimpses of this layout can still be seen today as can remnants of the former Hall. This walk gives a great chance to spot Red Kites, who are a common visitor.  They appreciate the Parkland setting with a good food supply and old mature trees for roosting and nesting. The walk is just 3 miles long, setting out from the Towthorpe picnic site  near Market Weighton.

• Distance: 3 miles / 5 kilometres
• Duration: allow 2 hours
• Difficulty: This is not a difficult walk. There are only slight ups and downs. You may come across cattle in some of the fields.

This walk covers fairly easy terrain, whilst taking in some superb historical sections of the Yorkshire Wolds Way.  Here you can walk in the footsteps of  the Market Weighton Giant. William Bradley stood an incredible 7 feet and 9 inches tall.  At sleepy Goodmanham you will be  visiting the birthplace of northern Christianity.  The walk also takes you through the most attractive parkland and estate village of Londesborough.

• Distance:  7.5 miles (12.1km)
• Duration:  allow 4  to 4 1/2 hours
• Difficulty:  This is an easy circular walk

This is a great circular walk for families, with 5 themed Geocaches to find, each with letters taped inside.  Find all the geocaches and their letters and use them to unscramble a word.  Tell us the word, or visit the Fiddle Drill Tearooms at Goodmanham and tell them, and each family will get their very own special National Trail Geocoin! You need to go to www.geocaching.com  to find the details of where the Geocaches are hidden.  Their names are

• Yorkshire Wolds Way Geocache Trail - Railway
• Yorkshire Wolds Way Geocache Trail - Stream
• Yorkshire Wolds Way Geocache Trail - Well
• Yorkshire Wolds Way Geocache Trail - Quarry
• Yorkshire Wolds Way Geocache Trail - Village

• Distance: 6.3Km / 3.9 miles
• Duration: allow about 3 hours for the walk, plus refreshment stops
• Difficulty:  This is a fairly easy walk, with no stiles and just a small climb on the road from old railway line up towards Goodmanham.  It is accessible to wheelchair users.

This is a lovely short circular walk at the southern end of the Yorkshire Wolds.  it is a great introduction to the Yorkshire Wolds, with plenty of woodland and uplifting views across the Humber Estuary. When you visit Welton be sure to call in at The Green Dragon Inn.  It has a special claim to fame as it was here that the notorious Highwayman Dick Turpin was arrested.  At the time it was for shooting a gamecock and for stealing horses - only later was his true identity revealed!

• Distance:  4.3 miles (6.9km)
• Duration:  allow 3 hours
• Difficulty:  an easy to moderate circular walk

Fridaythorpe is the best place to explore the characteristic dry valleys of the Yorkshire Wolds. The network of dry valleys, known locally as "dales" or "slacks" which dissect the Yorkshire Wolds plateau, offer fantastic opportunities to experience peace and tranquillity.

• Distance: 7 miles (11Km)
• Duration: 4 1/2 hours including breaks
• Difficulty: This is a moderate walk with a fair number of ups and downs along the way

This is a delightful circular walk on one of the really quiet and peaceful sections of the Yorkshire Wolds Way. It visits the northern Yorkshire Wolds, with its fine rolling countryside.  Along the way, take a chance to rest at the numerous gates and contemplate the tranquil scenery all around you.

• Distance:  5.2 miles (8.4km)
• Duration:  allow 3 to 3 1/2 hours including breaks
• Difficulty:  this is a moderate walk with a few ups and downs along the way

This circular walk is a wonderful journey through an intriguing landscape of dry chalkland valleys, across green meadows linked by quiet country lanes.  There are many wildlife discoveries to be made and an outstanding artwork to visit on route. Thixendale itself is a walkers favourite, nestling within a number of interconnecting dry valleys.  Nearby is the gallery of the famous wildlife artist Robert Fuller.  At point 14 on the map you will now see the stunning artwork "Waves and Time", a spiral earthwork created by the artist Chris Dury as part of the WANDER - art along the Yorkshire Wolds Way Project.

• Distance:  8.1 miles (13km)
• Duration:  allow 5 to 6 hours including breaks
• Difficulty:  This is a moderate circular walk with a number of climbs

As well as being a great Heritage Trail in it's own right, the Pilgrimage of Grace route is a great way of linking in to the Yorkshire Wolds Way on foot from either Pocklington or Warter.  The trail is an 8 1/2 mile linear route following part of the National Trail.  It is associated with the historic Pilgrimage of Grace, which was East Yorkshire's great rebellion of 1536 against the hardships brought against them by Henry VIII. The route is fully described, with a downladable map on the Top Ten Trails Website