The potential for walking and cycling across the North York Moors is almost limitless. Of course, there are clear guidelines about how we should respect the National Park, but there are neither entry fees nor permits required for any walking or cycling and, within reason, we are free to wander almost anywhere that our imagination might take us.

Of course, we are all entirely at liberty to organise our own routes. Indeed, we have included a number of walking and cycling guide books, and maps, in The Briary library to support you in selecting your own days out.

If, however, you would like to engage us, as your hosts, to act as a local walking guide, we would be delighted to accompany you, subject to our availability. Please do contact us for a discussion about your requirements so that we can tailor your walks appropriately. Our charges for your house group are: £175 if for one day only (or part day); £125 per day if for two or more days (or part days).

There follow a few suggestions which we hope will help inspire your thinking although they are no more than a starting point for our discussion with you. You might even wish to combine more than one of these walks within the same day. Some will require your own vehicle to reach the walk’s starting point, while others will begin directly from the very front (or back) door of The Briary.

ACROSS HOGRAH MOOR

While this walk presents no steep climbing with nothing more demanding than gently undulating terrain, this walk takes us across some of the National Park’s most glorious, open heather moorland. Starting and finishing in the quiet and unfrequented village of Westerdale, our path takes us steadily upwards to gain wonderful views, not only across the moors themselves, but also down into the little-known valley of Baysdale.

(6.5 miles)

DANBY BEACON & CLITHER BECK

Setting out from the front door of The Briary, we stroll gently down to the Moors Centre and take time to explore its grounds if you so wish. We continue along pleasant Esk Valley lanes and pastures before climbing up the heathery slopes of Lealholm Moor to arrive at the renowned Danby Beacon, which offers one of the finest viewpoints in the National Park. We descend again, detouring around the small, tree-lined valley of Clither Beck, all the while enjoying the sound of the babbling of the stream’s waters before we head back to The Briary.

(8 miles)

GREAT FRYUP HEAD

Starting and finishing just outside Lealholm, this walk takes us over some of the steepest slopes, under some of the most precipitous crags, and past some of the most impressive waterfalls and cascading streams in the National Park. Despite this, apart from the initial short, steep climb out of the valley, the path is surprisingly easy, incorporating mostly gentle strolls along field paths, lanes and moorland tracks. We are then rewarded with some exceptionally beautiful views back down into Fryup Dale and even over into Glaisdale.

(5.25 miles)

LOWER GLAISEDALE

We start from the beautiful, historic stone Beggar’s Bridge. This walk incorporates not only stretches of Lower Glaisedale, passing through a number of picturesque farms, but also the small, neighbouring valley of Butter Beck. This enables us to take a quite delightful walk along ‘Packman’s Trod’, an historic stone path, through some of the most beautiful ancient woodland in the National Park, all the while looking down into one of the Esk Valley’s most spectacular gorges.

(7 miles)

’60 MINUTES’

A short walk to introduce you to some of the treasures in the area immediately surrounding The Briary.

(Short walk)

CLITHER BECK FARM

A short walk from the back door of The Briary through the enchanting, wooded Clither Beck to find Clither Beck Farm, returning to The Briary along the far bank of the beck.

(Short walk)

LOWER LITTLE FRYUP DALE

A short, gentle walk around one of the most idyllic dales in the area.

(Short walk)

COASTAL WALKS

And, of course, if you feel you’d like an alternative to the moors, we can offer any number of stunning walks, of any length and duration, along Yorkshire’s spectacular Jurassic coast.