"Explore a magnificent small market town, its river and the surrounding farmland"
Walk directions
From the end of the car park furthest from the entrance, follow signs to the Market Place. Bear right past the castle entrance and along a walled path overlooked by the castle keep. Turn left on a short street, then at a T-junction turn right on a street with a stream flowing down its left side. Follow it round left at the end (Buckingham Square) to the main road.
Cross with care, and turn right then left, just before the bridge, into Ryegate. Turn right into Sawmill Lane at an Ebor Way footpath sign. Walk through an industrial estate, then turn right at an Ebor Way sign. Bear right again at another Ebor Way sign to walk beside the timber yard, then through a gate into a field.
A track runs along the left side. As it curves alongside the embankment of the old railway, bear right to a waymark sign by the river, then turn left. Continue beside the river, crossing a couple of small gated footbridges, then go over a stile and past a water treatment works.
Keep following the river bank until you go through a gate where the trees peter out. Turn left to cut off a big bend in the river, then rejoin the bank and follow it round past pools on the left.
Bear left to a small gate, and go through more gates to pass under the old railway. Turn left immediately and walk through fields alongside the railway embankment. This diminishes in height and eventually the path runs along the course of the railway itself. At a wide gate continue ahead. At the next gate, do not go through but rather turn right, signed 'Ebor Way'.
Follow the field-edge, staying with it as it turns left, to a gate. Bear half-right to another gate, which leads onto a track. Follow this to a waymarked gate on the right. Follow the narrow footpath, go through a gate, then cross a footbridge and emerge onto a road.
Turn left, then go straight ahead through another gate on a path through the site of Helmsley Station. Walk along the platform until the way ahead is blocked, then turn right and emerge onto a road near the fire station. Go straight ahead, then take the third right turn onto Pottergate.
After 100yds (91m) turn left down a lane, then bend right into a car park. Bend right and left around Helmsley Arts Centre, then walk across its front to a row of shops, including the toy shop. Go under an arch to the main road, turn right, and cross into the Market Place. Walk down the road right of the Royal Oak to meet the outward route.
Terrain
- Pavement, riverside footpaths and fields
Landscape
- Attractive small town, riverside and open farmland
Dog friendliness
- Lead required for street walking and on grazing land
Parking
- Long stay car park (pay-and-display), well signed from town centre
Toilets en route
- At car park
About the walk
Helmsley is one of the finest small towns in Yorkshire. Its strategic position between the uplands of the North York Moors and the fertile Vale of Pickering is still appreciated by modern visitors, and this walk explores both the town and the beginning of the valley. Helmsley still has an... impressive number of independent shops, including a famous toy shop. This is dedicated entirely to old-fashioned toys, with not a computer game in sight. Historic buildings Helmsley Castle was begun around 1120. For several centuries it was held by the de Roos family, later passing to the Manners family. In the Tudor period part of the castle was converted into a mansion house. During the Civil War the castle resisted a Parliamentary siege for three months before capitulating. It was ordered that the castle be ‘slighted’, meaning that the fortifications were dismantled to prevent any further resistance. However, the Tudor mansion was left intact. In 1687 the castle was sold to Charles Duncombe, but the Duncombe family soon moved to a grand new house at nearby Duncombe Park. Today the house is private, but the gardens are usually open from around Easter to the end of August, and there is a bird of prey centre to explore. Nearby Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1134, under the protection of Helsmley’s lord, Walter Espec. There was another abbey nearby at the place now called Old Byland, but after some dispute Byland Abbey relocated to its present site about 5 miles (8km) southwest of Helmsley. Both abbeys now form imposing ruins. Also close to Helmsley is Ampleforth Abbey, a Benedictine house founded in 1802. It is attached to Ampleforth College, a leading co-educational Catholic boarding school. Walking the Ebor Way Helmsley is important to walkers as it marks one end of the Cleveland Way – the other is at Filey. It’s also a terminus of the Ebor Way, which this walk partly follows. The Ebor Way is a 70-mile (113km) route which passes through York (Roman name: Eboracum); its other terminus is at Ilkley, where it links with the Dales Way.
"Explore a magnificent small market town, its river and the surrounding farmland"
Walk details
1hr 15min
Difficulty:
Easy
Gradient:
Flat
Distance:
3.5 miles (5.7kms)
Ascent:
0ft (0m)
Walk directions
From the end of the car park furthest from the entrance, follow signs to the Market Place. Bear right past the castle entrance and along a walled path overlooked by the castle keep. Turn left on a short street, then at a T-junction turn right on a street with a stream flowing down its left side. Follow it round left at the end (Buckingham Square) to the main road.
1 of 8
Cross with care, and turn right then left, just before the bridge, into Ryegate. Turn right into Sawmill Lane at an Ebor Way footpath sign. Walk through an industrial estate, then turn right at an Ebor Way sign. Bear right again at another Ebor Way sign to walk beside the timber yard, then through a gate into a field.
2 of 8
A track runs along the left side. As it curves alongside the embankment of the old railway, bear right to a waymark sign by the river, then turn left. Continue beside the river, crossing a couple of small gated footbridges, then go over a stile and past a water treatment works.
3 of 8
Keep following the river bank until you go through a gate where the trees peter out. Turn left to cut off a big bend in the river, then rejoin the bank and follow it round past pools on the left.
4 of 8
Bear left to a small gate, and go through more gates to pass under the old railway. Turn left immediately and walk through fields alongside the railway embankment. This diminishes in height and eventually the path runs along the course of the railway itself. At a wide gate continue ahead. At the next gate, do not go through but rather turn right, signed 'Ebor Way'.
5 of 8
Follow the field-edge, staying with it as it turns left, to a gate. Bear half-right to another gate, which leads onto a track. Follow this to a waymarked gate on the right. Follow the narrow footpath, go through a gate, then cross a footbridge and emerge onto a road.
6 of 8
Turn left, then go straight ahead through another gate on a path through the site of Helmsley Station. Walk along the platform until the way ahead is blocked, then turn right and emerge onto a road near the fire station. Go straight ahead, then take the third right turn onto Pottergate.
7 of 8
After 100yds (91m) turn left down a lane, then bend right into a car park. Bend right and left around Helmsley Arts Centre, then walk across its front to a row of shops, including the toy shop. Go under an arch to the main road, turn right, and cross into the Market Place. Walk down the road right of the Royal Oak to meet the outward route.
Terrain
- Pavement, riverside footpaths and fields
Landscape
- Attractive small town, riverside and open farmland
Dog friendliness
- Lead required for street walking and on grazing land
Parking
- Long stay car park (pay-and-display), well signed from town centre
Toilets en route
- At car park
About the walk
Helmsley is one of the finest small towns in Yorkshire. Its strategic position between the uplands of the North York Moors and the fertile Vale of Pickering is still appreciated by modern visitors, and this walk explores both the town and the beginning of the valley. Helmsley still has an... impressive number of independent shops, including a famous toy shop. This is dedicated entirely to old-fashioned toys, with not a computer game in sight. Historic buildings Helmsley Castle was begun around 1120. For several centuries it was held by the de Roos family, later passing to the Manners family. In the Tudor period part of the castle was converted into a mansion house. During the Civil War the castle resisted a Parliamentary siege for three months before capitulating. It was ordered that the castle be ‘slighted’, meaning that the fortifications were dismantled to prevent any further resistance. However, the Tudor mansion was left intact. In 1687 the castle was sold to Charles Duncombe, but the Duncombe family soon moved to a grand new house at nearby Duncombe Park. Today the house is private, but the gardens are usually open from around Easter to the end of August, and there is a bird of prey centre to explore. Nearby Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1134, under the protection of Helsmley’s lord, Walter Espec. There was another abbey nearby at the place now called Old Byland, but after some dispute Byland Abbey relocated to its present site about 5 miles (8km) southwest of Helmsley. Both abbeys now form imposing ruins. Also close to Helmsley is Ampleforth Abbey, a Benedictine house founded in 1802. It is attached to Ampleforth College, a leading co-educational Catholic boarding school. Walking the Ebor Way Helmsley is important to walkers as it marks one end of the Cleveland Way – the other is at Filey. It’s also a terminus of the Ebor Way, which this walk partly follows. The Ebor Way is a 70-mile (113km) route which passes through York (Roman name: Eboracum); its other terminus is at Ilkley, where it links with the Dales Way.
