Appleton-le-Moors Circular Walk to Hutton-le-Hole and Lastingham

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: Appleton-le-Moors – On street free car parking (SE 735879)		Ordnance Survey Maps OL26 N Y Moors - Western area & OL27 N Y Moors Eastern area. Buy these maps from List of OS Maps Commission from map sales is used to fund the website, so keeping it free to use.
Distance: 9 Miles
Traffic light rating:   (For explanation see My Walks page)
For advice on .gpx files see         My Walks page	Click the PDF logo above to give a printable version of this walk without the photos.

To view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click here.

Introduction: This North York Moors walk from Appleton-le-Moors follows a circular route taking in the picturesque villages of Hutton-le-Hole and Lastingham. Appleton-le-Moors escapes the tourism which sometimes overwhelms Hutton-le-Hole and as a result is a peaceful and tranquil place, unchanged for centuries and which is recorded in the Doomsday Book. The Moors Inn awaits you there, at the end of your walk! Its unassuming exterior belies the cosy atmosphere inside.

There are teashops and pubs in Hutton-le-Hole and Lastingham for sustenance en-route or the bench on the village green in Lastingham makes a good picnic spot. There are public toilets on the car park at Hutton-le-Hole.

Very interesting visits along the way are the Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole and the spectacular St. Mary’s Church in Lastingham.

This church could fill a website by itself! Suffice to say it has a reputation for “Earth Mysteries”, being supposedly on a “Ley” Line and with its unusual crypt haunted by good and evil spirits. My cosy blanket of cynicism seemed to protect me! It does however have very ancient parts, being founded by St Cedd in 654AD. The crypt dates from 1078 AD and is built over his grave. St. Cedd’s well in the village is one of several holy wells hereabouts and probably the best preserved. You will pass it on the walk.

Rather annoyingly, if you do not have one (or both) already, this walk spans two maps. Having both will stand you in good stead for many other walks but if I had to choose only one for economy, for this walk, I would pick OL 26 as the walls/tracks used in the directions for the latter part of the walk are pretty obvious.

There is some road walking, notably about a mile into Lastingham but the roads are quiet.

The walk starts in Appleton-le-Moors which has a wide street with plenty of room for parking. To get there, turn north off the A170, about half way between Kirkbymoorside and Pickering (signposted).

Start: From Appleton-le-Moors (SE 735879), walk north on the main street passing the Moors Inn on the left and Christ’s Church on the right. As you leave the village, note the stump remains of medieval Low Cross on the right at the road junction signposted to Cropton. Your return journey brings you back to this junction. Keep straight ahead now.

Further along the road, you come to the remains of High Cross on the left and shortly after this, turn left over a stile indicated by an old metal public footpath post (SE 733886). Follow the left hand boundary of the field until you get near its end then work your way right to the gap in the hedge about ^2/₃ of the way along the far boundary where there is another stile. Cross this and follow the right hand boundary of the next 2 fields.

On reaching a broad track, turn left then immediately right following the public bridleway sign. This lane leads to a gate where you keep straight ahead following a blue bridleway arrow.

Almost at the end of the next field, turn right through a 5 bar gate (SE 717883), again following the blue bridleway arrow, through the trees. The track follows the edge of the woodland eventually bending left. Ignore a right turn and at a three-way fingerpost, keep straight ahead on the bridleway.

On meeting a broad stony track, turn right (SE 714887). Continue following the blue bridleway arrows, ignoring a track off to the left.

The track becomes hedged on both sides and when the left hand hedge goes left, follow the track round with it.

Stay on the track as it bends right, ignoring a track to the left. It now starts to descend. It emerges on to a tarmac lane. Turn right to follow the direction for Gillamoor. Turn right at the main road.

You come into the pretty village of Hutton-le-Hole, with the stream running down its centre. It can get quite busy with traffic through the village so to avoid this and to get the best views of the stream, follow the road to the left of the stream, before turning right across the little footbridge.

Note the Ryedale Folk Museum, to the left which is well worth a visit if you have time.

After crossing the footbridge, turn right on the road and walk down past the little church on the left. Opposite the village hall, turn left on to the public footpath indicated by a fingerpost (SE 706899).

Follow the left hand field boundary before crossing a footbridge into the woods. The route is obvious and on reaching the road, turn right (SE 714904). Follow the road for half a mile to a road junction and turn left for Lastingham – about another half a mile.

As you arrive in Lastingham, the church is on the right and a “must see”. Turn right just past it. The entrance to the church grounds is on the right after 100 yards or so – it turns back at a sharp angle.

After visiting the church, return to the corner and follow the road sign for Cropton. You pass to the right of the small village green where there is a handy bench for a picnic.

Further along this road you pass St Cedd’s Well on the left, just after the bridge. There are other wells in the village if you want to hunt them out but this is the best preserved and most obvious.

You could now follow the road to the point marked # below but it would be a shame not to visit the moor proper, especially if the heather is out. This only adds about three quarters of a mile overall. So, take the next (no through road) on the left indicated for Lastingham Grange Hotel (SE 729904). This is High Street. At the end of the road, you enter the moor and follow the track which bends right to follow the wall. Only the first section is shown as a public footpath on the map and thereafter it is shown as a dotted track but it is plain enough on the ground.

Stay on this route following the wall/fences for three quarters of a mile at which point it drops down to a stream (SE 740907). There are a few rocks to help you across. The path then rises and you need to head for the left hand corner of a walled wood above you. Ignore the stile on the right.

Follow this wall round and at another corner (SE 743908) head down to the cattle grid (slightly left). Cross the cattle grid and follow the lane down to the road, then turn left.

At the next road junction on the bend (#), turn right for Appleton-le-Moor.

Cross the bridge then go left over a wooden stile (SE 744897). Follow the left hand boundary of the next two fields until you enter the trees via a walkers’ gate.

Follow the obvious path to Appleton Mill Farm then turn right along the farm drive (SE 746880).

If you need to buy any hiking equipment/clothing before your trip see the Hiking Store

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