North York Moors Walking Weekend - Helmsley

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

With the log burner on we look forward to welcoming you to this stunning part of Yorkshire. The Large Outdoors host will be there to meet you and introduce you to the group, Friday night is a relaxed and social affair with the host cooking a group meal in the hostel. There are of course a great selection of cosy country pubs to pop into as well.

After dinner, we'll go over the plans for the next day, including outlining the walk options. We're also happy to talk about kit, food and weather, but after this most people sit around enjoying the fire and thinking about the days to come!

Day 2

Today we will aim to offer at least two walks, a harder longer walk and a much more relaxed gentle walk.

Possible walks include:

Cringle Moor - Where the northern moors drop down several hundred metres towards the River Leven, there is an excellent opportunity to walk along this scarp edge and admire the fantastic views in all directions. The moor at this point is undulating, so we'll climb several hills as we follow the Cleveland Way from east to west, and we can include a visit to the dramatic rocky outcrop of Wain Stones. This is known to be one of the most spectacular places in the North York Moors, and once we've visited both Hasty Bank and Cringle Moor, we'll drop down to a lower level and take a straight line back to the start, finishing with a short ascent through woodland.

Rievaulx Abbey - For those wanting a short walk, we'll head straight from Helmsley along the Cleveland way west of the town, through woodland towards Rievaulx Abbey. This colossal set of ruins dates from the 12th century and is easily visible from the surrounding paths. From the abbey, we'll complete a short circuit around this beautiful part of Rye Dale and climb a small neighbouring hill before heading back to Helmsley. Besides woodland there is an extensive view over Scawton Moor, and the tempting chance to sample the Rievaulx tearoom.

Arden Great Moor - Lying west of Helmsley, Arden Great Moor is a wide expanse of heathland just before the moor drops off towards the Vale of York. We'll start in the village of Hawnby and head up onto the moor via woodland paths, before following tracks over the moor-top to the western edge and returning back into the valley bottom via Thorodale and North Moor Wood. This walk is intermediate, and though it is a longer option, there is only one major ascent, and the traverse of the moor-top is flat. The views west are incredible and the combination of high moor plus plenty of woodland makes this a great walk.

Other options - The wooded valleys surrounding Helmsley have plenty of opportunities for shorter walks, or groups could drive further east towards the coast. For those wanting to stay in Helmsley, the castle and walled gardens are available to explore, and the town itself has plenty of independent shops, pubs and tearooms to make your way around.

Late afternoon onwards

When everyone is back from the walks, exhilarated by their day in the Moors, you're free to make the evening your own. Many choose to sample the local pubs, have a drink at the hostel, discuss the day's adventures or just lie back with a cup of tea. Our hosts will be cooking tonight for a fun social meal in the hostel.

Day 3

After breakfast, it's time to pack up the hostel and head out on another day walk.

Walk options include:

Sutton Bank - To the west of Helmsley lies Sutton Bank, where the moor ends in steep woodlands and views over the valleys and rivers below. We'll walk along the top of the bank for as long as we like, taking in the moor on three sides and the woods on the other. We'll return by dropping into the woods and walking amongst the trees, taking us back to the starting point. This will be the longer walk of the day, and there's a chance to visit the nature reserve of Gormire Lake and the craggy edge of Boltby Scar.

Ash Dale - Just north of Helmsley are several deep wooded valleys that can be linked up to make excellent short circular walks. We'll head up Ash Dale before crossing fields and returning via Beck Dale. Both these valleys are narrow, but despite this give an excellent impression of being away from it all and far from the outside world. This 'other-worldly' impression means you'll feel you've been on quite an adventure when we finally emerge back in Helmsley.

Midday onwards

We aim to have everyone back in Helmsley for around 2pm, where we meet up for Sunday lunch before the weekend finishes at 3pm and people begin heading off. Feel free to stay and wander round town if you want, and there's always the option to linger in the cafés for afternoon tea with your new walking friends!

About the location - The North York Moors

Stretched between the Vale of York and the North Sea, the North York Moors are an upland plateau famous by the blanket covering of heather, which flowers in late summer and turns the whole moor purple. Alongside the moors themselves, the plateau is cut by streams and valleys hidden away from the world and filled with woodland, home to native wildlife and untouched for hundreds of years. In the east, the coast is a long and wild stretch of cliffs and coves. The long distance trail of the Cleveland Way circuits the moors, and there are many other tracks and paths for walkers to explore.

The northern edge of the moors drops straight down to the lowlands, but to the south, wide ridges lead from the main moor, interspersed with long valleys. The most westerly of these moorland ridges form the Hambleton Hills, with their steep sides and flat tops.

Good to know:

Our accommodation:

Helmsley YHA is a comfortable hostel a short walk from the town centre. There's plenty of room for everyone to sit around, comfortable sofas, and a wood fuel stove. We rent the hostel exclusively for the weekend so it's all yours.