The White Horse and Cold Kirby
Start and Finish: Sutton Bank Visitor Centre
Approximate time for the walk: 4 and a half hours
Distance: 9 miles
Landscape: Moorland, arable and farm tracks, and forests
Map: O/S Outdoor Leisure 26 North York Moors Western area
Description of the walk:
This walk starts at the Sutton Bank Visitor Centre. Make your way to the top of Sutton Bank and immediately turn left along the Hambleton Escarpment to pass a signpost for the White Horse and Gliding Club. At this point, the path splits in two directions, left and right. Take left branch and follow the path straight down the path along the cliff of Sutton Bank.
1. After about a mile, the path goes past Yorkshire Gliding Club, to top of the White Horse and then descends to a car park and a road. Turn left up the road and continue along the road for three quarters of a mile which leads back to the A170.
2. Carefully cross over road(very busy road) and turn right up the path for about 200 yards to reach the Hambleton Inn. At Hambleton Inn, turn left on a minor lane which has a signpost for the Cleveland Way. Continue straight ahead up this road for a couple of hundred yards to meet a signpost. Keep straight ahead for a short distance, to find a sign post for the Cleveland Way and Cold Kirby. At this point, turn right on this path by going over a stile and follow this path past the Hambleton House Horse establishment. Continue straight-ahead, passing over another stile as the path now sweeps left of the trees and continues between widely-spaced walls. Continue straight ahead on this path to reach a road at the edge of the village of Cold Kirby.
3. At the road, turns left for a few paces and then turn right immediately, crossing the road carefully, to go up a minor road opposite. Continue straight ahead up this minor road opposite for half a mile until you reach right-hand bend. Carry straight-ahead on the road for a further 500 yards. After about 500 yards, you will met a medal bridleway sign on your left. Turn left here and head straight ahead on this passing a five barred gate and carry straight ahead on this path to reach a road. At the road, turn left and continue down the road for a mile to reach another road.
4. Turn left along this road for 350 yards and turn right by a bridleway sign and up a vehicle track, with the fence on your left. Follow this path as makes left and right turn to arrive at a rider’s gate and stile. Cross the stile and follow the path along the field edge to arrive at the edge of Hambleton Escarpement. Turn left here along Hambleton Escarpement and follow this path along the field edge. Continue straight along this path for about three-quarters of a mile to return to the top of Sutton Bank and the road. From the road, turn left back into the car park at Sutton Bank Visitor Centre. It here where the walk finishes and concludes.