It used to be that people walked in to villages like Crayke from outlying farms - children to
the Primary school and their parents to the shops - but there are no shops today and the
children are taken to the school by car. So many of the existing rights of way are something
of an anachronism: straight lines in and out of villages, which don’t really serve a useful
purpose. What people want today is to be able to go out for a walk, maybe with a dog, for
anything between 20 minutes and an hour.

So, in 1998 Crayke Estate opened up a new walk, which linked up with some existing rights
of way and short sections of road. It could only do this with the co-operation of Ron
Moverley of Home Farm, Mike Dawson of Launds Farm, Geoff Dawson of Mount Pleasant
Farm, and Justin and Paula Kent of the Manor; and the Estate is grateful to them.

The walk basically does a circle round the north side of the village, passing through farmland
and woods, and it takes about an hour with various shorter options. It is well signposted with
arrows on stakes and along the way there are a number of delightful mosaics made by the
Crayke Rural Arts Group. 

Walkers are asked to observe the Country Code like closing gates and not dropping litter; and
while dogs are welcome, their owners are asked to keep them under control - especially to
keep them on a lead if there are stock or sheep around. The Estate has done a lot of work
through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme to encourage the regeneration of wildlife and
you can’t expect to see skylarks if you let your dog run around disturbing their nests. As a
guideline, no dog should be more than 50 metres away from you, and less during the nesting
season. Bicycles, motorbikes, ponies and horses are definite no-no’s.

It is a ‘permissive walk’, which means that it is not the intention of the Estate to create a new
permanent and statutory right of way, but only a temporary one at the discretion of the Estate.
For this reason it is closed every year for a week and notices about this are put out well in
advance.

The Estate hopes you enjoy the walk and the beautiful, peaceful countryside it passes through.
If you have any comments, do please phone 01347 822386.

Walk description: Going anti-clockwise, walk down the track from Ivy Farmhouse to the
sewage works (it gets better) and then follow the hedge north to cross the Launds Farm road.
Continue straight on to go through the wood - Hall’s Plantation, a lovely oak wood planted
in 1954 - followed by a new plantation of mixed broadleaf planted in 1997. Follow the side
of the Foss River to cross the Crayke-Brandsby road, and then up the Mucky Lane until you
see the sign to head left, back up towards the village. After crossing the little bridge over the
Eller Beck, follow the hedgeside round to the right up to the farm track known as Ron’s
motorway. Go along this to the right until you come to the Stocking Hall road, then left up it
to the wood called Donkey Paddock, where there is one of the best views in Crayke and a
chance for a rest on Tony Cliff’s seat. You might now want to head back up the main road to
Crayke, but if you want more, walk down Chesler-Pit Lane, turn left through fields to Mount
Pleasant Farm and onto the Easingwold road and so back to Crayke.