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Walk 3534 - printer friendly version

Dundale Pond & Hole of Horcum from Saltergate Walk

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 5.2 miles / 8.5 km

Ascent - 750 feet / 227 metres

Grade - easy/mod

Start - OS grid reference SE852936
Lat 54.3308640 + Long -0.6913146
Postcode YO18 7NS (approx. location only)

This North York Moors walk explores the Hole of Horcum, a deep valley cut into the surrounding moors and located on the west side of the A169 Whitby to Pickering Road. This area is popular with walkers and this walk offers varied scenery typical of the North York Moors National Park. The start is the Saltergate pay and display car park alongside the A169 (grid ref. SE852936). During the season there is a National Park information centre.

To start the walk, cross the A169 with care and drop down onto the path that runs parallel to the road. Immediately you get a great view of the Hole of Horcum and the surrounding moors. Turn north along the path and continue for about 600 metres to reach a path junction and a gate (grid ref. SE849940). Ignore the path going left into the Hole of Horcum and continue through the gate to join a clear path initially heading south-west across the moor signed to Dundale Pond. Immediately you get fine views down into the Hole of Horcum and across the moors.

Stay on this clear path (the Tabular Hills Walk) soon reaching Seavy Pond, which is often dry. The path bears south and continues across Levisham Moor to reach Dundale Pond in a grassy valley. Again, the pond may have little water but is easily recognised by the five-way fingerpost located close to its shore (grid ref. SE828918).

Turn left here descending Dundale Griff, a pretty tree lined valley. Continue down this path for just over half a mile until you reach a T-junction at the bottom of the Griff (grid ref. SE838917). Turn left and head up the valley. Initially the path passes through light woodland but soon enters open pastures. The way ahead is never in doubt and you soon reach the deserted farm of Low Horcum (grid ref. SE843932). You are now in the vast steep sided bowl that makes up the Hole of Horcum.

The path continues in a northerly direction passing to the left of Low Horcum and is easy to follow. A short section of downhill to cross the infant Levisham Beck is followed by a steep climb out of the valley to the gate mentioned at the start of the walk (grid ref. SE849940). Turn right along the path and return to the car park.

Note You can follow the route in the reverse direction dropping down into the Hole of Horcum from the gate. This avoids the steep climb at the end of the walk. However, when following this option, it is important that after passing Low Horcum you take the lower paths at two junctions. Reaching Dundale Pond, the route is clearly signed back to Saltergate.

Walk 3534 Route Map

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