Yearsley Moor Wood (1) Piper Hill, Park Wood, Shepherds Rigg

This moderate 5½ miles walk along trails encircling Yearsley Moor Wood and Park Wood, taking about 3 hours without any stops. 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 for 1 mile to a Nissen Hut a great picnic area. Turn left at the junction to follow the track up to Park Wood. At the end of the wood, the track follows a tarmac road back to Yearsley Moor Wood and the lower fish pond, then follows the trail up Ruddmoor Rigg and Shepherd's Rigg and back to Windygates Driveway.

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. Popular with dog walkers, hikers, cyclists, horseback riders and joggers, so respect other users and the habitats. It is an ideal family day out with lots to amuse those with little legs. 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'.

Route - Turn by Turn
01. 0.00 miles, SE 583 752
From Windygates driveway track turn right though the gate for 250 yards to a NYCC waymarked trail on the left. After 230 yards turn right on the NYCC waymarked path to a stony track.

02. 630 yards, SE 588 753
Enter the path directly ahead that runs along the west side of Gilling Moor to a 4-way junction. Turn right along the central Gilling Moor path that leads to a stony track.

03. 0.66 of a mile, SE 588 652
Turn left for about 1 mile passed to a Nissen hut and a T-junction.

03. 1.81 miles, SE 601 755
Turn left at the T-junction and follow the track. Where a trail branches left towards the ponds, continue ahead up the hill to the entrance gate to Park Wood.

04. 2.28 miles, SE 599 761
Pass through the gate to a junction, turn left and follow the trail for 50 yards to a white arrow waymarked fork with a wooded reproduced Recamier couch.

05. 2.31 miles, SE 598 761
The left fork follows a sheltered path through the woodland. This route takes the right fork to follow the path above North Side, along North Walk to a multi-track junction.

06. 3.18 miles, SE 602 767
Turn left at the junction, descend North Side to a tarmac road at Park House, turn left to follow the road to a gate.

07. 3.92 miles, SE 591 766
The road bends to the right, continue ahead through the gate to enter Yearsley Moor Wood and follow the path across the causeway and a footbridge.

08. 4.09 miles, SE 589 766
Follow the path to the left, pass the jetty on the left. The trail bends right for 50 yards to a path on the left. Turn left, follow the woodland path, after stepping over a couple of fallen trees and passing a large Douglas Fir, the path meets a stony track.

09. 4.31 miles, SE 588 763
Turn right for 40 yards then turn left on the trail that ascends Ruddmoor Rigg to a 4-way junction.

10. 4.76 miles, SE 584 759
Turn right and continue along the trail up Shepherd’s Rigg the gradient increases for a short distance. Follow the track to the gate at Windygates driveway track and back to the start.