Swinton with Warthermarske Round, including Hackfall Woods

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: Hackfall Woods car park (SE 231775)		Ordnance Survey Map OS Explorer 298 - Nidderdale Buy this map from List of OS Maps     Note: If you use OS Maps on-line, you can download this route via this link.
Distance: 7.4 miles	Date of Walk: 23 April 2025
Ascent: Descent: See Walking Time Calculator	941ft (287m) 941 ft (287m)
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: I have given this walk its somewhat tongue-twister name because it circles the Swinton with Warthermarske Civil Parish named on the OS map.

It is an easy, pleasant rural stroll through nice countryside, woodland and a riverside walk. This latter section follows part of the Ripon Rowel Way. The walk includes part of Hackfall Woods, a well known beauty spot which I also visited during my Hackfall to Galphay walk. My reasons for a repeat visit to these woods were threefold. Firstly I had heard that it has a marvellous display of bluebells, secondly I hoped to see the fountain working and thirdly, I wanted a closer look at one of the follies there, Mowbray Castle which I only saw from afar on the previous walk.

Bluebells – a disappointment to be honest. Yes there were some but rather scattered and I have done other walks which had much better displays. The problem is having visited Middleton Woods in Ilkley, almost any other bluebell display is unlikely to impress!

Fountain – another disappointment. There is a hand pump which is supposed to activate it but someone has broken the ‘T’ piece so you cannot use it to pull up the shaft. I did manage to pull it up several times by gripping the shaft and use the broken ‘T’ piece to push it down again but I could not make it work.

Mowbray Castle – this is an impressive structure perched on one of the higher parts of the woods with good long distance views.

I will repeat a little of the same background about Hackfall Woods from my other walk there but if you want the full story, Google their website. The woods, now managed by the Woodland Trust, were acquired by the Aislabie family in 1731 and between about 1750 and 1767, work was undertaken to transform them into an ornamental landscape with the construction of various “follies” and strategic felling of trees. Hackfall is Grade I listed on the English Heritage “Register of Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest”. You could spend a considerable time meandering around these woods to look at all the “follies” created but that was not the intention of this walk.

There are a number of follies and you could spend hours wandering the woods finding them all. The website has a map and it is worth printing off and taking with you in case there are no leaflets at the car park.

As with many woodland walks, there are paths everywhere so following a particular route can be challenging!

My walk then skirts the outskirts of Grewelthorpe village. It is a pleasant place with duck pond if you wanted to spend time looking round it.

On then through the woods at Nutwith Common before a road section of about one mile. This is a quiet lane and pleasantly downhill to the river where a clear riverside path returns you to Hackfall Woods.

Overall it is an easy walk, the only significant hard work being the short climb to Mowbray Castle. If there has been recent wet weather, the woodland sections might be quite muddy.

The walk starts at the car park for Hackfall. This is situated on the right, just over half a mile north of the village of Grewelthorpe, on the road to Masham. Cross country routes can be quite tortuous so unless you know the area (or have sat. nav.). The easiest way to find it would be to take the A6108 from Ripon to Masham. After crossing the river bridge, take the first left, which leads to the market square. Turn right, avoiding the square itself then follow the Grewelthorpe signs. The parking area will then be on the right 2.3 miles from the market square.

Start: Leave the car park (SE 231775) by the walkers’ gate at the rear and after a few yards, turn left.

At another gate, turn right following the sign for the shorter walk.

At a junction of paths, turn left following the sign for “The Pond”.

At the next junction, turn right and after a few yards at the next one, turn right again.

Follow the path downhill to and past the pond, keeping straight ahead at the next junction.

You come to a small stream which you cross and then follow the path as it bends left (not the left fork).

At the next junction, fork left for Alum Spring. On reaching the stream, turn right for a few yards then cross the stream via stepping stones, the direction indicated by the adjacent sign for “Mowbray Castle”. As you climb, notice the path off to the right signposted for Grewelthorpe which is the onward route after Mowbray Castle.

The way to the ‘castle’ is obvious. Return the same way and head for Grewelthorpe. You will reach a junction of paths where there is an information panel. Turn right, crossing a footbridge by what I believe is the ‘Top Pond’.

At the road, turn left.

Continue along the road if you want to see Grewelthorpe village otherwise, a few yards past the 30mph signs, turn right. Follow the road as it bends right in the direction of the road sign for Kirkby Malzeard and Ilton.

You soon come to another junction. Fork right following the signs for Ilton, Swinton and High Bramley.

A quarter of a mile beyond the junction, look out for a slit stile on the right, next to the drive to Hedgehog House (SE 226768).

Go through the stile and head for the diagonally opposite corner of the field where there is another stile. Cross and bear slightly right in the direction of the yellow arrow. Aim for about two thirds of the way up the far side of the field, just to the left of the row of power poles.

Cross another stile and at diagonally opposite corner of that field, cross yet another  and turn immediately right along the short distance to the end of the field where the footpath curves left then into the woods, through a gate (SE 225775).

In the woods, the path quickly forks. Take the left fork.

As is so often in the case of woods, the paths do not always follow exactly what is on the map. In this case, it climbs beyond where it is shown on the map. When the path forks, keep left on the narrower path. Continue along the path and keep more or less parallel with the boundary of the woods which you can see.

Continue until you reach the road, where there is an information board but do not exit into the road. Instead, turn right on another path (SE 210778).

Exit the woods in the far left hand corner (SE 210781). And follow the obvious path along by the wall then fence, until you reach a gate about half way along the field. Follow the route indicated by a yellow arrow which indicates going through the gate and turning immediately left along the edge of the adjacent field.

At the bottom of the field, cross a stile and turn right. The path becomes a wide rough track, curving left to Gill Head farm. On the way, you pass a semi buried building (SE 207785). I have seen this listed as a well but I wonder if it could be an old ice house.  Join the road at the farm here and turn right along it.

You now have a gentle downhill walk along the road for just over a mile, passing a minor lane on the right and keeping right at the junction by the entrance to Swinton Hall.

Just before the bridge over the River Burn (a tributary of the River Ure which runs through Wensleydale), look out for a stile on the right, just past the entry to the golf course. Cross and keep to the left hand boundary, keeping a watch for errant golf balls!

You now follow the river for just over a mile and a half, crossing a road at Low Burn Bridge. On the way, you will see various signs erected by the Swinton Estate, naming various sections of the river. The one to look out for is one which indicates “Bottom Pool” (SE 235779), after which the path rises quite steeply.

About two hundred yards after the sign, go through a walkers’ gate with a sign indicating “Hackfall Woods”. Go through and turn immediately right. The path begins in the woods, then leaves them for a while before entering them again. Continue to follow this path which will return you to the car park.

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

All information on this site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.