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Leaholm Moor & Scaling Dam

North York Moors Walk

Nat Park - North York Moors - North York Moors East

County/Area - North Yorkshire

Author - Andy Chaplin

Length - 9.8 miles / 15.8 km    Ascent - 800 feet / 242 metres

Time - 5 hours 40 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Leaholm Moor & Scaling Dam
Click image to see photo description.

This North York Moors walk covers the moorland between Scaling Reservoir and the Esk Valley. It gives good views southwards into the Esk Valley and northwards towards the coast. The start is the Northumbrian Water public car park (grid ref. NZ756128). After parking walk east along the A171. Turn right down the road that goes south to High Tranmire Farm. Continue along the track on the southern side of the farm. Then at the gate past the farm continue straight ahead and down to the stream at the bottom of the field. Cross the stream and turn right across the field, then up to the left where it narrows towards an exit from the field into Tranmire Grange (grid ref. NZ770117). Continue south of the Grange and pick up the short, gated road towards the public road that goes south to Low Whims, High Whims and then Redmire Farm.

A track behind Redmire Farm is signposted uphill and after a dog leg it comes to a gate where you turn left towards Fern Farm on a green lane that gets better defined as you continue along it. Come down to the road through Green Houses then take the sign-posted path up the hill towards Lealholm Rigg. The path gets less well defined as you continue up hill, but aim for the highest point and you will not go far wrong - and eventually meet the track that goes between Stonegate and Beacon Hill.

It is a long, gradual walk uphill to Beacon Hill. However there are good views across the Esk valley to Great and Little Fryup Dales to compensate for the effort. At Beacon Hill (grid ref. NZ736093) there is an orientation table and a signpost that seems to indicate that the track you have walked up is actually suitable for all traffic! 4x4's maybe?

Take the road northwest to the parking place which used to be the entrance into Beacon Hill radar station where a plaque marks the place where the 1st German plane was shot down by Group Captain Peter Townsend who was also renowned for his romance with Princess Margaret. You may be able to pick up the bridleway at this point, but it is not readily visible and carrying on along the road for another 0.25 mile takes you to the point where a path leads off (grid ref. NZ729100) back towards Scaling Reservoir.

The path is well defined to a point where there is a mini-quarry then it starts to disappear as you go over the highest point of Nean Howe Rigg. Clay Hall Farm remains visible all the way so if you lose the path then keep aiming at the farm until you come to Quarry Road (grid ref NX736122) - which is really just the fence boundary between the moorland and the farmland. Go east until you pick up the paths around the reservoir and the nature reserve that you have to skirt. The paths are not great but there are information boards about the wildlife around the reservoir and nature reserve.

Once back at the car park you may even have the benefit of a mobile tea van during popular visitor times.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1012 Glaisdale, Great Fryup Dale and Eskdalemoderate7.5 miles
Walk 1476 Boulby Mine to Whitby by the Cleveland Waymoderate12.5 miles
Walk 2090 Easington Beck & Staithes from Loftusmoderate11.5 miles
Walk 3532 Runswick Bay to Staitheseasy3.8 miles
Walk 1887 Runswick Bay & Kettlenessmoderate9.0 miles
Walk 1450 Little & Great Fryup Dalesmoderate8.3 miles
Walk 3737 Commondale & Esk Valleyeasy/mod8.2 miles
Walk 1841 Saltburn and Skelton from Skinningrovemoderate10.4 miles
Walk 2091 Kettleness and Mickleby from Lythemoderate9.7 miles
Walk 1675 The Esk Valley & Egton High Moor moderate10.5 miles

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Trail and Fell Running in the Yorkshire Dales

Trail and Fell Running in the Yorkshire DalesGuidebook to 40 of the best trail and fell runs in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Ranging from 5 to 24 miles, the graded runs start from bases such as Ribblehead, Dent, Sedbergh, Malham and Grassington and take in the region's diverse delights, from castles and waterfalls to iconic mountains such as Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen Y Ghent.
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