Rosedale Abbey to Lastingham - 8.5 miles

Second run-out for this walk. A more challenging decent length walk, given it has two significant climbs and one major descent. Its not a strenuous walk but you do need to be perfectly comfortable with ascent and, although the descent is down a road, it is particularly steep. A lot of the walk is across open moorland so the weather can be a bit unpredictable and ‘different’ from our start point; moorlands are of course exposed to the elements.

Rosedale Abbey is 10 miles from Pickering off the A170.

We start from the village green in Rosedale Abbey and immediately have a climb up a metalled road to White Horse Farm Inn (just passing!) and after following a track for a while, we have our second extended climb up onto the moorland. Just before reaching the top and having taken in some marvellous views, our route changes direction and we have a straightforward stretch before a gentle descent/ascent through a little valley, although we do have to cross a small, rocky stream, then across a series of fields into Lastingham village.

After our lunch stop, we have an ‘as the crow flies’ route back to base across moorland, passing the impressive Ana Cross en route before our sharp descent down the infamous metalled road at Chimney Bank. You will need to put your legs into ‘low gear’, brake pads advisable on your boots and anyone with dodgy knees……!!!

(If our boots are clean, we conveniently arrive back at the afore-mentioned White Horse Farm Inn on our descent back to the cars, so this will provide us with our well-earned after-walk refreshment. If we’re muddy, we’ll go back to the cars and then drive the short distance back up to the pub).

The walk will be led at a steady pace: not too fast, not too slow. Please be ready to start walking at the advertised time.

Walk fee: £3. No dogs please. Bring packed lunch/drink/snacks with you.

Parking/Toilets: as you approach the village green on your lhs, pass this and immediately after a sideroad on your rhs, there is a small car park which is available for public use most of the time. However, please look out for any signs that don’t allow us to park there, which does happen on occasions. Alternatively, there is roadside parking on the roads near to the village green. Toilets are a short walk past the car park. Postcode (of the village green tearoom) is YO18 8SA.

I have no formal walk leader or first-aid qualifications and the Group does not have insurance. When you RSVP for any walk, you accept that you remain responsible for your own safety at all times. You are required to respect the walk leader and be mindful of the safety of others. Please keep to the pace of the group and don’t go off ahead even if you think you know the route.