Local - Hawnby Moor and Hazel Head

Hawnby Moor round from Hawnby Village

 

 

Distance - 8.3 miles. Elevation - total ascent approx. 1000ft, highest point approx. 900ft above sea level. Terrain - Undulating. Mixed pasture and open moor.

 

Starting point - on road parking in Hawnby village. (Make sure you're at the top of the village, near the pub or you'll have an extra climb!)

 

From the Inn at Hawnby (pub)leave the village heading west towards Arden Hall.

The road goes past Manor Farm, then ignore the junction on the left. You will cross the very pretty Church Bridge.

Almost immediately after crossing the bridge, take a bridleway on the left signposted 'The Inn Way - Arden Hall'. This sweeps around two fields, gradually gaining height as it skirts Carr Wood. At the very top, the path forks- take the left hand path.

This is the left hand path which leads into Nag's Head Wood.

An obvious path contours around Comb Hill as it passes through the wood. At the end of the woodland, the path turns sharply left and downhill to cross a field. Bear right across the field to meet a stone track and leave the field via a step-through gate. Follow the track down to meet the Arden Road (you may need to cross some vegetation here as we missed the proper track...) Turn right out onto the road, then after about 350m turn left onto a farm track. (Possibly signed 'Mount Pleasant Farm')

At the ford, about 200m down the track, go right and follow the track, sweeping uphill. Go through a gate near Mount Pleasant Farm and continue on the track past a little cottage at Harker Gates.

The track between the farm and Harker Gates is very easy to follow!

About 1/2 km after Harker Gates, after entering the plantation associated with Blueberry Wood, the track heads right at a field boundary, but our path carries straight on, on a green lane. This bends around the plantation boundary before crossing into a field and then dropping downhill to meet Eskerdale Beck. Turn right without crossing the beck, and follow it across pasture.

Shortly after crossing a field boundary, the path drops down to a ford. A dry crossing is available a few yards further on.

The track now sweeps up through the plantation to meet the road.

Turn left out onto the road. (This is where we had to re-route) The road crosses Blow Gill - check out the old lime kiln just after the bridge. After climbing from the gill, take a footpath on the right opposite Streetgate Farm.

The path crosses a small field before dropping down to the beck. Cross the beck on a wooden bridge then follow the intermittent path through the trees to reach the boundary between plantation and moor.

Over the stile and turn right to follow the boundary fence.

Once the fence ends, head out across the moor almost due east. Using the remains of former grouse butts as a guide and hitting the feint path across the heather.

So long as you keep heading east in a straight line, you'll hit the main gravelled track running north-south across Hawnby Moor. Turn right and follow the track heading south until it meets the road at the moor gate and foot of Hawnby Hill.

Cross the road at moor gate and take the lower track on grass which sweeps around the base of Hawnby Hill. After passing Hill End House, keep to the boundary following the good track until joining the road. Turn left, slightly uphill back into the village. Perhaps enjoy a pint in the Inn!