Walk: Cropton Forest

An exhilarating hike into Cropton Forest, in the North York Moors.

The Route

• what3words for start point: ///drooling.napped.narrow
• Start Point: Off road parking along Rawcliff Road, Newton-on-Rawcliffe, YO18 8QA
• Finish Point: Rawcliff Road, Newton-on-Rawcliffe
• Distance: 6 Miles

GPX Route Map

Walk Description

From where you have parked, walk towards the north end of Newton-on-Rawcliffe. Just after the National Speed Limit signs, take the track leaving the road to the right, and then the track immediately to the right. After you’ve walked past a field on the left, take the footpath on the left, to walk between two distinct woods. Once through the line of trees, turn left and follow the clear path on the ground, through some trees and into the forest. Cross Green Raygate Spring and follow the path as it becomes a track and meets up with Newtondale Forest Drive.

Turn left, and follow the Forest Drive. Walk past a building on the right, then the road turns right. After the next building on the left, turn left. Just after this road has turned to the right, find the footpath on the right, and head through the wood and out into a clearing. Walk to the right of the houses, and join the track – turning right to follow it into the forest again.

Once in the forest, turn right at the next junction of tracks, climbing steadily as you go. The track turns to the left, but the walk continues on the footpath straight ahead. Keep on this long straight path until you reach another track. Turn right here, crossing over Scarfhill Beck straight away. Ignore the track immediately to the right, and turn left, to have open fields on both sides for a short while.

At Heads Road, turn right and walk along the road, taking care, following it as it turns left then right again. Take the footpath on your right, just opposite a track on the left. This heads through the forest and emerges into a clearing. Follow the line on the ground to enter the forest again, crossing Sole Beck. The path hairpins to the right and then meets up with Newtondale Forest Drive, which itself hairpins around Raper’s Farm. Continue on the Forest Drive, past Oak Tree Cottage, and turn left to follow the footpath sign into the trees. Cross the track, go between two building and follow the path into the forest, eventually meeting up with Newtondale Forest Drive again.

Turn left, and continue along the Forest Drive, past the point where you turned left earlier. Continue, and after passing the cottage on the left, look for the track on the right where you emerged from the forest towards the start of the walk. Take this track, and retrace your steps back to Newton-on-Rawcliffe and to where you parked.

Make a stay of it: