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Roulston Scar and the White Horse at Kilburn
Roulston Scar and the White Horse at Kilburn
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"A simple woodland walk leads to the unusual combination of gliders and a massive horse."
Walk directions
From the car park walk down the road for a few paces, then turn right on a tarmac track signed as a bridleway. When the tarmac bends left continue ahead on a narrower, rougher track. This runs level at first, with fields on the left, then turns into woodland and climbs to a metal barrier.
Just above this, meet a forest track and turn left. Keep straight on where another track branches right, then in another 50yds (46m), just past a small pool, turn right onto a rougher path with a bridleway waymark.
Follow this path, climbing gently, and keep straight on across a grassy forest track by another bridleway signpost. The track soon bends right and climbs more steeply before meeting another track which runs fairly level across the slope. Turn right on this track for a few paces, then go left to join another, narrower, path which slants up the slope.
The path starts to climb more steeply. It becomes quite rocky, but not difficult, and there are handrails on the left for much of the way. The path slants across a steep slope with some outcrops of rock before emerging on the level cliff top.
Turn right on a gravelled path skirting the glider field. Follow the path above Roulston Scar and Ivy Scar to reach the head of the White Horse. Follow railings skirting just above the horse’s back, then go down 151 steep steps by its back legs to reach the main White Horse car park.
From the car park entrance turn right for a few paces, then go across the road to a narrow path through the trees. Just a few paces in is a path which runs downhill, keeping parallel to the road. This leads back to the bottom of the hill and the start.
Terrain
- Good tracks and paths through forest and along cliff top; lots of steps to descend
Landscape
- Dramatic escarpment with forest below
Dog friendliness
- Can run free in the woods, but keep under close control on the cliff edge, especially when gliders are launching
Parking
- White Horse Bank car park at the bottom of the hill
Toilets en route
- None on route
About the walk
Kilburn’s White Horse is notable for several reasons. It’s the most northerly such figure in Britain and is reckoned to be the largest by surface area. It measures approximately 318ft (97m) long and 220 ft (67m) high. It’s relatively recent (dating from 1857), and is also unusual for another... reason. Most of England's white horses and other hill figures were made by stripping off overlying turf to reveal chalk underneath, but as you will notice early in the walk, the bedrock here is not chalk at all but older, harder and darker. The Kilburn White Horse was originally whitewashed with lime to make it show up. It is now covered with millions of pebbles, held in place by whitewashed baulks of timber. The horse requires regular maintenance which is organised by local volunteers, supported solely by donations. The walk brings you first to its head, with ears and eye easily recognised, while from the bottom of the steps you see body and legs but no head. The White Horse is designed to be viewed from a distance. The ideal viewing spot is reckoned to be the two benches just inside the village boundary on the Balk road, but it is visible from much further. The horse was covered over during World War II as it was thought it might make a good landmark for enemy aircraft. Aerial perspective The Yorkshire Gliding Club, formed in 1934, is one of the leading clubs in the country. Its location above a steep slope, facing the prevailing wind, is ideal, as this regularly creates the upward air movement or ‘lift’ that gliders require. The maximum altitude recorded on a flight from Sutton Bank is over 33,000ft (10,000m). Gliders require a winch or tow to give them the initial forward speed for takeoff. In the early days the club used a converted Rolls Royce Silver Ghost car as a winch. Static winches are still used, but today most launches take place behind one of three powered aircraft belonging to the club. Winch launches reach a maximum height of around 700ft (213m), while powered launches can climb to 2,000ft (610m). If you’re walking past on a day suitable for flying there’s every chance you’ll have a close-up view of one or more of these launches. The club also has its own fleet of twin- and single-seat gliders available to members and qualified visiting pilots, and trial lessons are available, subject to a maximum weight limit of 16.5 stones (104kg) and height limit of 6ft 2in (1.9m).
"A simple woodland walk leads to the unusual combination of gliders and a massive horse."
Walk details
1hr
Difficulty:
Hard
Gradient:
Challenging
Distance:
2.5 miles (4kms)
Ascent:
540ft (165m)
Walk directions
From the car park walk down the road for a few paces, then turn right on a tarmac track signed as a bridleway. When the tarmac bends left continue ahead on a narrower, rougher track. This runs level at first, with fields on the left, then turns into woodland and climbs to a metal barrier.
1 of 6
Just above this, meet a forest track and turn left. Keep straight on where another track branches right, then in another 50yds (46m), just past a small pool, turn right onto a rougher path with a bridleway waymark.
2 of 6
Follow this path, climbing gently, and keep straight on across a grassy forest track by another bridleway signpost. The track soon bends right and climbs more steeply before meeting another track which runs fairly level across the slope. Turn right on this track for a few paces, then go left to join another, narrower, path which slants up the slope.
3 of 6
The path starts to climb more steeply. It becomes quite rocky, but not difficult, and there are handrails on the left for much of the way. The path slants across a steep slope with some outcrops of rock before emerging on the level cliff top.
4 of 6
Turn right on a gravelled path skirting the glider field. Follow the path above Roulston Scar and Ivy Scar to reach the head of the White Horse. Follow railings skirting just above the horse’s back, then go down 151 steep steps by its back legs to reach the main White Horse car park.
5 of 6
From the car park entrance turn right for a few paces, then go across the road to a narrow path through the trees. Just a few paces in is a path which runs downhill, keeping parallel to the road. This leads back to the bottom of the hill and the start.
Terrain
- Good tracks and paths through forest and along cliff top; lots of steps to descend
Landscape
- Dramatic escarpment with forest below
Dog friendliness
- Can run free in the woods, but keep under close control on the cliff edge, especially when gliders are launching
Parking
- White Horse Bank car park at the bottom of the hill
Toilets en route
- None on route
About the walk
Kilburn’s White Horse is notable for several reasons. It’s the most northerly such figure in Britain and is reckoned to be the largest by surface area. It measures approximately 318ft (97m) long and 220 ft (67m) high. It’s relatively recent (dating from 1857), and is also unusual for another... reason. Most of England's white horses and other hill figures were made by stripping off overlying turf to reveal chalk underneath, but as you will notice early in the walk, the bedrock here is not chalk at all but older, harder and darker. The Kilburn White Horse was originally whitewashed with lime to make it show up. It is now covered with millions of pebbles, held in place by whitewashed baulks of timber. The horse requires regular maintenance which is organised by local volunteers, supported solely by donations. The walk brings you first to its head, with ears and eye easily recognised, while from the bottom of the steps you see body and legs but no head. The White Horse is designed to be viewed from a distance. The ideal viewing spot is reckoned to be the two benches just inside the village boundary on the Balk road, but it is visible from much further. The horse was covered over during World War II as it was thought it might make a good landmark for enemy aircraft. Aerial perspective The Yorkshire Gliding Club, formed in 1934, is one of the leading clubs in the country. Its location above a steep slope, facing the prevailing wind, is ideal, as this regularly creates the upward air movement or ‘lift’ that gliders require. The maximum altitude recorded on a flight from Sutton Bank is over 33,000ft (10,000m). Gliders require a winch or tow to give them the initial forward speed for takeoff. In the early days the club used a converted Rolls Royce Silver Ghost car as a winch. Static winches are still used, but today most launches take place behind one of three powered aircraft belonging to the club. Winch launches reach a maximum height of around 700ft (213m), while powered launches can climb to 2,000ft (610m). If you’re walking past on a day suitable for flying there’s every chance you’ll have a close-up view of one or more of these launches. The club also has its own fleet of twin- and single-seat gliders available to members and qualified visiting pilots, and trial lessons are available, subject to a maximum weight limit of 16.5 stones (104kg) and height limit of 6ft 2in (1.9m).
