North Yorkshire Moors Weekend - Pickering 

 21st – 23rd April 2023

Join the Chiltern Young Walkers for a weekend of hiking in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, the UK’s oldest National Park.

To sign up for the weekend trip you will need to be a member of the Ramblers. You can sign up by emailing the organiser at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

The North Yorkshire Moors are very much exposed to the vagaries of the North Sea and weather can be very changeable. Hence we recommend keeping a keen eye on the weather forecast and bringing along appropriate footwear and water-resistant jacket/leggings with you during the hikes.

Accommodation: The weekend will be based in and around the market town of Pickering.

People joining us for the weekend are asked to make their own accommodation arrangements. There is a wide range of accommodation options available in Pickering and also in the neighboring towns and villages including Kirby Moorside and Helmsley (which has a YHA youth hostel). The following hotels could be considered:

  • Premier Inn Pickering - Thornton Rd, Pickering YO18 7HZ
  • George and Dragon - Market Place, Kirkbymoorside, YO62 6AA
  • YHA Helmsley - Carlton Ln, Helmsley, York YO62 5HB

There are also a large number of smaller B&B’s in Pickering and the surrounding areas.

Transport: Pickering is circa 4 hours 15 minutes drive from the Chiltern / Amersham / Aylesbury area. The nearest rail station is Malton, however, a bus service also runs from York Station (route 840 coastliner). As both walks start from small Yorkshire Villages public transport options are very limited. Hence we suggest those attending the walks to arrange for car sharing etc. as required.

Breakfast: Refer to chosen accommodation, however most hotels in the area serve from circa 8 am at weekends.

Friday – 21st

We will meet for drinks and conversation at a pub in Pickering for those arriving Friday evening. We will confirm details once numbers and availability is known.  

If you arrive early, there are plenty of things to do around the Pickering area including the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Beck Isle Museum (to name a few).  Ideas can be found at https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/visiting

Saturday – 22nd Chop Gate and Surrounding Moors

IMG 482314.5 Miles Strenuous or 10 Miles Moderate

10:30 Chop Gate village hall - £2 for all-day parking. Public toilets are available at the car park.

Postcode TS9 7JZ

Grid ref SE558996.

Both hikes start together at 10:30 from the Chop Gate village hall car park, (40 minute drive from Pickering and circa 20 minute drive from Helmsley):

The 10 mile option is a moderate-difficulty hike whilst the 14.5 mile route is considered strenuous. The longer route will take circa 7 hours with the shorter route taking circa 5 ½ hours to complete. E.g. estimated finish times of 16:00 and 17:30 respectively. Please bring a packed lunch.

The hike takes in Cold Moor, the Wainstones,  Ingleby Incline and Round Hill. We will start the walk by heading northwest towards Cold Moor, ascending to meet the Cleveland Way (which forms part of the Coast-to-Coast Route). From there we head east passing the Wain Stones before crossing onto Urra Moor where we will stop for lunch. Following lunch there will be the option to continue on the longer hike via the historic Ingleby Incline or the shorter hike returning directly towards Chop Gate via Round Hill omitting the 1 mile 17% incline climb up Ingleby Incline back to the Moor top.  

Note: Should nobody wish to do the shorter route, we will all continue with the 14.5 mile hike.

At the completion of the hikes we will return to our accommodation. We will meet in Pickering for Dinner. Provisionally this will be at 19:30 but is dependent on numbers and availability and will be confirmed nearer the time.

Sunday – 21st Hutton-Le-Hole – Ana Cross, Spaunton Moor and Mary Magdalen Well.

IMG 48238 miles Moderate 

10:30 Hutton Le Hole - £4.60 for all-day parking (at time of Recce). Public toilets are available in the car park.

Postcode YO62 6UB

Grid ref  SE704901

Join us for a Sunday morning saunter to the summit from Hutton Le Hole. We will meet at the Hutton Le Hole national park car park (top end of the village off Moor Lane / Road to Lastingham) at 10:30. We will head North across Hutton Ridge before reaching the Ana Cross. The Ana Cross is one of many erected around the National Park and in clear weather affords views for many miles around. After that, we descend back down Spaunton Moor passing Mary Magdalen Well before returning to Hutton Le Hole. The hike will take circa 3 hours and hence we aim to get back to Hutton-Le-Hole by around 13:30. There are several nice bakeries/cake shops in the village where we can stop for a proper Yorkshire brew and cake before heading homeward bound.

Sign-up

We look forward to seeing you on the weekend :)

If you have questions, please contact Olan on 07827924245 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.