There is limited parking at Rosedale Abbey, opposite the shop.
(S) Take to the road towards the main street which cuts through the village. Cross over and continue on the path beside Heygate Bank (road) with The Milburn Arms Hotel on your left.
(1) Immediately after the hotel, turn left and follow the path over fields, passing through gates as needed. The path is obvious and has the Northdale Beck meandering on your left as you walk. Another path will come down from your right and will join your path at a footbridge over the beck.
(2) Cross the bridge and continue to a narrow road. Cross the road and ascend more steeply to come out at a small converted barn with a great view over the dale. Just after the barn joins a track and turns left. This will bring you to a junction with the road.
(3) Cross the road, turn right and walk a short distance to an obvious turning into the woodland on your left. Go into the woods and follow the good track, which is an old tramway from the iron ore mines.
(4) After crossing a stream, there is a junction with another path on the right and your path curves left and starts to descend. (When we did the walk there had been some forestry work and the path was not obvious at first, this should improve as the work finishes and the path is used more often) Walk down through the woods to come out beside a farm and a lovely view. Take the track past the building to a junction with a road.
(5) Turn right at the junction and walk up to another set of farm buildings. Just past the buildings, the path splits.
(6) Take the left-hand track, which is once again the route taken by the old iron ore trams (Rosedale Railway). The track curves to the right and heads north passing spoil heaps, the remains of mine buildings and some information boards. It goes all the way to the head of the dale where are curves left above some woodland. At the head of the dale, the path splits into four.
(7) At the split, turn left onto a narrower path which descends beside the woodland to Dale Head Farm. This is a great place to stop and have tea and sample their delicious home baking.
(8) From the farm take the farm road south, as it bends look out for a path on the right which crosses fields and the stream before ascending again over another field to Hollin Bush Farm. Turn left on the farm track and walk to Moorlands Farm. Pass through the farm and just as you start to leave the farm look out for a path beside the gable end of a building.
(9) Turn right off the farm track onto the path, walk past a few small buildings and then cross fields. The path is obvious and it will start to descend just after some light woodland on the left it joins another path.
(10) Turn right and take the path/track passing through more fields. After the turning for High House Farm, it becomes a farm road. Follow this to pass High Thorgill Farm. Look out for a path on your left.
(11) Take the path on the left to cross a field downhill and beside a small wood. After the corner of the wood, it is not that obvious but heads diagonally downhill towards some more trees. At the bottom it becomes obvious again; cross a small stream, walk past Low Thorgill Farm, cross a second stream and continue a short distance to join a better track.
(12) The better track bends sharply left but you go straight ahead to cross fields and through a small wood. The path is obvious and soon you will see a caravan site on your left. Walk past to caravan site look out for a path on your left.
(13) Turn left and take the path which cuts over some grass and into Rosedale Abbey. Follow the road around and back to the parking.
