A walk into North Dale walking and hiking route

Walk Instructions

Start Point

1.From the entrance to Bell End car park turn left, then right at the road junction. Follow the road for about 400 yards, then at the next junction bear left and follow a minor road downhill (not public footpath to farm) then uphill past a row of stone cottages (School Row) which you pass on your right at (Grid Ref 713 975 at Reading Room Building on the left).

2. Continue on up the road - you’ll soon reach another couple of rows of houses (Hill Cottages). Opposite the last house of the left hand terrace look to the right for a seat (GR 708 976 - go through the gate next to it and follow the wide track leading gently uphill. One mile from start).

3. Just before reaching the white farmhouse up ahead, look for a footpath sign at a gate on the right (GR 708 978). Go through the gate and follow the access track towards Clough House passing through a gate on the way.

4. Walk to the right of the Clough House farm buildings again going through gates some with Yellow path arrows then look for a couple of stiles on the left (at Grid Ref 711980) leading into the plantation - enter the woods and follow the path bearing right and gently uphill between the trees. The path becomes indistinct at times when into the woods, often with fallen branches, but generally choose to go up and left (not down and right where there is a stile with a yellow arrow but you do not go that way).

5. Cross a couple of very small streams untill you come to a post with two yellow arrows. There is a path going up to the left and one going straight on. Go straight on until you meet a more substantial stream with crossing stones; bear right and follow the flat wider track which can get muddy! (During the early years of the local ironstone mining industry, a tramway ran along here to an outcrop near Bell Top, just south east of this wood. It was a narrow gauge track (3ft) and two 0-4-0 ST locos, ‘Rosedale’ and ‘Emily, were used to draw the wagons).

6. Eventually, after changing to a stonier surface the track emerges going up left to a small metal gate beside a gate onto Knott Road, which runs down from Blakey Ridge to Rosedale Abbey. Turn right proceeding about 30 metres down the road and cross over the road and go through the gate, then continue left down the access track through gates leading down to West Northdale Farm.

7. Just before the farmhouse gate there is a fingerpost footpath sign. Follow this sign through a gate into a field on the right. Turn left into the field then follow the fence to a gate. Go through the gate and see the three finger post where you turn right down to the right hand corner of the field where a bridge takes you over the beck at the bottom. (Northdale Beck). Cross the bridge and climb steeply up the field opposite, go through the gate at the top and turn right.

8. Follow the road along past Northdale Farm (above) then continue along it for about a further mile before eventually arriving back at Bell End Farm.

Disclaimer: This route was correct at time of writing. However, alterations can happen if development or boundary changes occur, and there is no guarantee of permanent access. These walks have been published for use by site visitors on the understanding that neither HPB Management Limited nor any other person connected with Holiday Property Bond is responsible for the safety or wellbeing of those following the routes as described. It is walkers' own responsibility to be adequately prepared and equipped for the ‎level of walk and the weather conditions and to assess the safety and accessibility of the walk.