Yearsley Moor Wood (6) Greystone Rigg East, Higher fish pond, Elder Slack

This 5 miles walk takes 3½ hours without a stop. From Newton Hill follow Windygates Driveway to a gate on the right, then follow the NYCC path, cross the track to enter the west side of Gilling Moor, turning right on the central path to a stony track. Turn left towards Whinny Hill. Turn left down the eastern side of Greystone Rigg, on the right side of a ravine. The trail down to the higher fish pond is a gentle descent. Then along the southern edge of ‘The Wilderness’ to Shepherd’s Rigg. Partly ascend Elder Slack on a dirt track that can be slippery in the wet, to a 4-way junction, and then contour the hill, the follow the PROW along Windygates driveway to the top of Newton Hill.

There are three parking areas - two on the Yearsley side (1) on Windygates driveway off North Moor Lane on Newton Hill, and (2) along Well Lane on Whinny Cross Hill. One on the Gilling East side, off the B1363 at the end of Pottergate (3) on the Ampleforth Abbey Estate. The OS Explorer 300 – Howardian Hills and Malton (Yorkshire Wolds North) map covers the area.

Yearsley Moor Wood of 3,000 acres is owned by Ampleforth Abbey Estate, with Forestry England managing the mix woodland of Western red cedar, Scots pin, Norwegian spruce and various other fir trees. Many oak, sycamore, ash, beech and holly trees thrive and line many trails. A Howardian Hills gem and a must visit for lovers of peaceful woodlands with diverse habitats and varied interests. As summer ends flower aromas fade, ceding to autumn colour and an array of fungi. In winter dormancy, frost and snow decorate the trees for a soft romantic feel. When spring stirs, birds sing and squirrels bark as they flit between trees. Wildflowers fill paths as bees, butterflies and ladybirds feed. Some paths run by brooks emanating from springs adding to the woodlands sounds.

In medieval times a deer park existed in the north, now called Park Wood. Over the centuries much deforestation made way for agriculture. In the 18th Century, the Fairfax family notably remodelled the woodland into its current form, creating the area called ‘The Wilderness’ as a haven for wildlife and birds, and added the fish ponds where ducks, swans, cormorants and dragonflies can be found. When remodelling the bulk of native trees were replaced with coniferous trees.

There is a choice of route options. Start out along one feature and return by another - (1) Ruddmoor Rigg, (2) Shepherd's Rigg, (3) Elder Slack, (4) Newton Hill, (5) Calliger Rigg, (6) Greystone Rigg, (7) Middle Rigg and the west of Far Slack, or (8) the east of Far Slack down to Piper Hill. All the trails lead to one of the fish ponds, or to an area called 'The Wilderness'. Paths are not named, or numbered, not all junctions are waymarked.

Route - Turn by Turn
01. 0.00 miles, SE 583 752
Follow Windygate driveway track to a gated track ahead. Turn left on the dirt path. Descend Elder Slack to a 4-way junction.

02. 350 yards, SE 584 755
Follow the path ahead to continue down Elder Slack, follow the trail which can be rutted in places until it meets a stony track.

03. 0.35 of a mile, SE 586 757
Turn left for 130 yards, as the track bends to the left, turn right on the grassy-dirt path follow the path to a stony track.

04. 0.57 of a mile, SE 587 760
Turn right, the trail bends left, and then straightens, as it bends left again, on the bend is a grassy-dirt path on the right.

05. 0.88 of a mile, SE 588 763
Turn right, pass on the right side of a grand Douglas fir tree, at the fork bear right, descend to the end of the path.

06. 1.00 miles, SE 588 765
Turn right for 50 yards, pass the jetty, cross the causeway. Turn right for just short of ½ a mile to a grassy-dirt path on the right.

07. 1.59 miles, SE 591 760
Turn right, cross a log footbridge, after 60 yards at the central ‘Wilderness’ path. Turn left cross a fallen tree, follow the trail passed the pond and a bench to meet a stony track.

08. 1.90 miles, SE 595 758
Turn left, the stony track rises bending right, and follows a brook on the left. After ¼ of a mile a trail filters off right. Keep left following the trail ahead up Calliger Rigg to a T-junction.

09. 2.55 miles, SE 591 750
Turn right along the stony track, after ¼ of a mile the track bends right with a NYCC waymarked grassy path on the left for ¼ of a mile to a grassy path on the right at the top of the hill.

10. 2.78 miles, SE 588 752
Turn right down the central path of Gilling Moor. At the 4-way junction turn left along the west side of Gilling Moor.

11. 2.87 miles, SE 588 753
Cross over the stony track to enter the NYCC marked grassy path through the trees to a T-junction. Turn left then at the stony track, turn right, and follow the track to a gate at Windygates driveway and the start.