Walk dates for 2025

Please mark your diary for 2025.

What3Words - we will be using this app to designate the start point of each walk. Find out more about this brilliant app here.

Sunday walks 
All the following are Sundays starting at 10am from the start point of the walk.

12 January

9 February

9 March

13 April

11 May

8 June

13 July

10 August

14 September

12 October

9 November

14 December - incl. annual Christmas dinner

Mid week walks
All the following are mid week walks starting at 10am from the start point of the walk.

Mid week walks are temporarily suspended.

Weekend walks

The following weekend walks have been organised:

tbc

The format of the weekend is generally and loosely as follows:

Friday: Arrive afternoon/evening and meet at a local pub around 7pm for drinks. Organise own meal.

Saturday: walk of 10-12 miles starting at 10am. After end of walk visit local cafe/pub for refreshments and then reconvene in local pub for drinks. Organise own meal.

Sunday: walk of 8 miles starting at 10am. After end of walk visit local cafe/pub and then head back to York.

Accommodation: simply book your own in one of the many local B&Bs, hotels, of camping/caravanning sites nearby.

Just let me know you are coming and I will ensure you are kept informed of meeting up times and dates. Email me here.

Challenge walks

The walks will be focussed on walking the Wainwrights in the Lake District.

5-8 May - Steve

Oddsocks Walk and Christmas Dinner - 8 December - Skipwith Common, 11am start

Start: 11am prompt from Skipwith Common. NOTE the later start time of 11:00, as many of us are booked in for the York Oddsocks Christmas dinner at Naburn Marina at 3:00.

Parking: Car park on King Rudding Lane side of Skipwith Common. King Rudding Lane is a left hand turn off the A19 near Riccall. The lane is single track with passing places. The car park is on the left hand side after Dunelm Farm, and opposite the Poultry farm

Leader: Bridie

Postcode for satnav:  YO19 6QL

What3words:  ///hopeless.socialite.pretty

(Extra Christmas bonus points for the first person to skillfully get the what 3 words into conversation at dinner)

Distance:  just under 8 miles

Time: Between 3 and 3.5 hours (with one stop for coffee / snacks, no lunch stop as we are eating later)

Level of difficulty: Easy

Refreshments and toilets: No cafes or public toilets at Skipwith Common. 

The walk: Circular walk (in a rough figure of 8) starting at Skipwith Common, heading towards North Duffield but diverting off onto minor roads, tracks and fields before returning to Skipwith Common, all easy walking, no hills.

Anyone who would like to walk but doesn't feel up to 8 miles is welcome to break the walk by diverting to the Drovers Arms in Skipwith when we get close to it and rejoining us when we get back to Skipwith Common, this would make a roughly 4 mile walk in total.

Sunday walk: Studley Roger - 10 November

Start: 10am prompt from Studley Roger village. Park at the end of the lane avoiding house verges.

Leader: Steve

Google Maps: View map

Postcode for satnav: HG4 3AY

What3Words: whizzed.excellent.vanilla

Distance: 8.5 miles

Difficulty: Easy to moderate - fairly flat 

Refreshments: Olive Tree cafe at F Tate and Sons on nearby Studley Road, heading towards Ripon.

Toilets: At Olive Tree cafe and entrance to Studley Royal.

A gentle walk in the countryside surrounding Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey. With a bit of luck we can experience the deer rut at the end of the walk as we walk through the deer park.

Optional extra: After the walk and visit to the cafe, there is an option to view the starling murmuration at the Ripon City Wetlands. The display occurs (if it occurs, its nature!) before and at dusk, so we would drive to the small car park on the Boroughbridge Road, past the entrance to Ripon City Wetlands on the right before the bridge of the river Ure - What3Words - and walk along the river for about half a mile until just outside the wetlands. There is the option to continue into the wetlands for a closer view. After dusk, walk back to car park and head home.

October walk: Lockton - Sunday 13th October 2024

Start: 10 am prompt

The walk starts from Lockton which is a village just to the East of the A169 Pickering - Whitby road approx 5 miles North of Pickering.

We are meeting on the road into Lockton. There is off-road parking on the Right opposite the cemetery. This is almost immediately (100m) after  you turn off the A169. If you are not sure about parking on the grassy area, there is plenty of roadside parking further into the village. We will start the walk by walking through Lockton.

Leader: Keith

What3words: https://w3w.co/dumpling.snake.yoga

SATNAV: The postcode of Lockton Tea Room is YO18 7QA

Distance: 9 miles

Toilets: Nothing formal, but plenty of bushes & trees.

Cafe: Lockton Tea Room & Gallery. (Closes & 3pm)

Lift sharing: use the WhatsApp group to request

This is a lovely walk initially heading down into Lockton Wood before tackling the climb out of Cross Dale, crossing the A169 at the Fox & Rabbit and walking across to Dalby Forest. It's a fairly strenuous walk  on mostly good paths & farm tracks. A lot of the walking is through woodland areas currently showing their full array of autumnal colours. 

I hope the walk will come in under 9 miles, though today's recce has forced a route change which extends my original walk but is easier walking.

September Walk: Nawton - 8th September

Start: 10am prompt

We are meeting on Station Road near the Calverts Carpets store. If you are travelling along the A190 from Helmsley then Station Road is a Right Hand turn near the end (eastern side) of the village. The store is approx 300m after the junction.

Walk leader: Clive

What3words:  https://w3w.co/approvals.abstracts.cubes

Satnav: The postcode of the Calverts Carpets store is YO62 7RG

Distance: 8 miles

Difficulty: moderate

Toilets: None

Cafe: Options available - to be decided

The walk starts in Beadlam / Nawton which is a village on the A190 midway between Helmsley & Kirbymoorside.

Sunday walk: Spofforth - 11 August 2024

Start: 10am prompt

Meet on the corner of Castle Street & Manor Garth in front of Spofforth Castle. (see the What3words link below)

Parking: There is free street parking in the area near the Castle, though there is no specific car park. I understand that you can park in the small Village Hall parking area. Please allow a little extra time to find a parking place. 

What3words: https://w3w.co/solar.price.robes

Walk Leader: Keith Emmerson

Length: 8.5 miles (approx)

Toilets: None

Cafe: The plan is to stop at Red Hill Farm as we return to Spofforth. (Approx 1/2 mile from the end) There is an outdoor van selling teas & coffees, cakes & scones, cold drinks & ice creams and a secluded garden in which to consume them.

Starting from Spofforth, we will head west to Kirby Overblow before returning through Sicklinghall and passing by the side of Stockel Park.

The walk is on farm tracks, public bridleways and quiet roads. There are no steep climbs. The only issue is a 1 mile stretch of one of the bridleways which is a little overgrown in places. It is quite passable, but the odd nettle, bramble & holly bush are encroaching onto the path and eager to interact with any bare flesh. (Shorts wearers beware!)

This is a pleasant walk through a mixture of woodland & farmland with the occasional view along the Wharf valley. Additional highlights were sights of a hare, a deer & red kite. There will be 1 scheduled stop for lunch after 5 miles, where a large fallen tree trunk should provide seating for all.

Sunday walk: Watton - 14 July 2024

Start: 10am prompt

Parking: Opposite side to Watton Lay-by on the A164. (See What3words below)

Leader: Clive

Postcode for satnav: YO25 9AP  will get you somewhere  close. (Beware, there are a number of "Watton"'s in the country)

What3words:  ///bandstand.grace.bothered

Distance: ~ 8.5 miles

Time: ~ Between 3.5 and 4 hours

Level of difficulty: This is a flat walk around Watton, Kilnwick & Hutton Cranswick

Refreshments and toilets: No toilets at start or en-route. Cafe afterwards at a farm-shop or garden centre.