The North York Moors. Paddy Dillon

steam-hauled trains through the heathery heart of the North York Moors National Park. The station lies deep in the dale, well below the village of Levisham, and even less conveniently at the foot of a steep slope from the village of Newton-on-Rawcliffe. This short circular walk climbs from Levisham Station to Levisham, then runs down a wooded valley to Farwath. After climbing to Newton-on-Rawcliffe, the route drops steeply back to the station.

      Houses in the village of Levisham face on to a sloping green

      Leave Levisham Railway Station by following the road as if for Levisham village, but only to pass Grove Lodge. Just as the road begins to steepen, head off to the right through a small gate and follow a path up a wooded slope. Walk up a field to go through a gate at the top, then turn right. Almost immediately, fork left up a grassy path on a slope of gorse bushes. Turn around the top of a small, steep-sided wooded valley, then walk alongside a couple of big fields, at around 190m (625ft). Follow a narrow road into Levisham to reach the Horseshoe Inn at the top end of the village.

      Walk down the road through a spacious green surrounded by stone farms and cottages. Walk to the bottom end of the village and follow a path straight downhill, cutting out a sweeping bend to land on the road at a lower level. Turn left down the road, then right along a track signposted as the Tabular Hills Walk, approaching a ruined church.

      LEVISHAM CHURCH

      St Mary’s Church stands on an 11th-century foundation and is tucked deep in a steep-sided valley. It seems rather remote from Levisham village. According to legend it was supposed to be built in the village, but each night the devil carried all the building materials down into the valley! The church was virtually abandoned before the tower was added, and a new church was built in 1884 at a more convenient location in the village.

      The route varies from a muddy woodland track to a grassy path, passing through a succession of gates and eventually reaching a three-way signpost in a field. Turn left and pass through two gates to cross two footbridges: the first one crosses a drain; the second crosses Levisham Beck. The marshy grassland near the beck is the Hagg Wood Marsh Nature Reserve, where alkaline waters allow an interesting assemblage of plants to flourish. Turn right to walk through a farmyard at Farwath, crossing the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at a level crossing.

      Cross another footbridge, or culvert bridge, over Pickering Beck and follow the clear farm access road of Farwath Road up across a wooded slope. It emerges at a junction of farm access roads where a right turn leads past Howlgate Farm and Howlgate Nab. Keep to the farm access road to pass East Brow House. Eventually a public footpath sign points left. Turn left and walk through a field and along a path leading to St John’s Church. Turn right to follow a road through Newton-on-Rawcliffe, where the Mucky Duck pub faces a duck pond.

      The Mucky Duck pub and the little village duckpond at Newton-on-Rawcliffe

      Follow the road to the top of the village and keep to a grassy track just to the right of a stone seat, as signposted for Cropton. Cross a rise at 190m (625ft) and drop down past a building, descending a steep hollow-way on a wooded slope. Watch for a stile on the right, cross it and head off to the right, descending very gradually across the slope into Newtondale, looking out for a gate. Go through the gate and veer left, looking into the valley to spot Levisham Railway Station, then take the path that leads off the grassy slope and steeply down a wooded slope, which can be muddy when wet. Cross a footbridge to return to the station.

      NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY

      This scenic railway runs between Pickering and Grosmont, a distance of 29km (18 miles), and is famous for its steam-hauled services, although when it first opened in 1836 the carriages were pulled by horses between Pickering and Whitby. George Stephenson engineered the line, but it had to be improved considerably by George Hudson before steam trains could use it. The line was closed in 1964, then reopened by dedicated railway enthusiasts, and is now an immensely popular tourist attraction. Scenes from the line have featured regularly in films and television, including the Heartbeat TV series and Harry Potter films.

WALK 6

      Hutton-le-Hole, Lastingham, Cropton and Appleton-le-Moors

Start/finish	Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton-le-Hole, SE 705 900
Distance	15km (9½ miles)
Total ascent/descent	260m (855ft)
Time	5hrs
Terrain	Easy walking along low-level paths, tracks and roads, brushing moorland slopes first, then returning through fields later
Maps	OS Landranger 94 or 100; OS Explorers OL26 and 27 South
Refreshments	Pub and tearooms at Hutton-le-Hole, pubs at Lastingham, Cropton and Appleton-le-Moors
Transport	Summer weekend Moorsbus services to Hutton-le-Hole from Pickering and Danby; Monday, Wednesday and Saturday Ryecat buses serve Hutton-le-Hole, Lastingham, Cropton and Appleton-le-Moors from Pickering

      The three little villages of Hutton-le-Hole, Lastingham and Cropton sit where the Tabular Hills give way to the High Moors. True to form the Tabular Hills display a series of high nabs before the higher moors stretch their uniform heather slopes northwards. This walk links all three villages, then uses the course of the waymarked Tabular Hills Walk to take in a fourth village, Appleton-le-Moors, on the way back to Hutton-le-Hole. Each village has at least a pub offering food and drink, so this is an ideal walk for those who like to be pampered.

      Leave the Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole and walk down the road a short way to the village hall. Across the road from the hall is a public footpath sign beside a small gate. Follow this path across fields as marked, then cross a footbridge over Loskey Beck and follow a woodland path up through a gate, continuing along a grassy track to reach a road. Turn right along the road – but well before reaching a road junction, watch for a public footpath sign pointing left along a grassy track. Follow the track through a gate, noting that some stretches are wet and muddy, then swing right and continue alongside a fence. Cut across a grassy slope as marked, well above Camomile Farm. Drop down into a valley where the ground is wet enough to support bog myrtle. Climb up the other side to reach a clear track above the village of Lastingham, beside its Millennium Stone and a signpost.

      The Millennium Stone above the village of Lastingham

      The little village of Lastingham is huddled between the Tabular Hills and High Moors and can easily be explored by making a detour from the route. Of particular interest is St Mary’s Church, with its Norman crypt and Shrine of St Cedd, originally built in 1078 on the site of an ancient Celtic monastery. Food and drink are available from the Lastingham Grange Hotel and Blacksmith’s Arms.

      Walk past the Millennium Stone and follow a track signposted for Hartoft. This quickly becomes a broad, grassy track running alongside a drystone wall. The track rises gently, then runs downhill, with moorland to the left and fields to the right, eventually fording Tranmire Beck. Head straight uphill to a corner of a wall and follow the wall onwards, using a narrow grassy path to reach a clear farm access road near High Askew. Turn right to walk down the road, which eventually reaches a road junction.

      Turn