This is a circular walk and as such you can start from a variety of places on the way. However, starting from Rievaulx Abbey means that you can combine the walk with a visit to the ruins of the Abbey and Rievaulx Terrace.
English Heritage is currently (2020) running a booking system for entry to the abbey and parking is restricted to those with bookings, regardless of membership.
There is some limited parking on the road just before the abbey and a lay-by for four cars about a 150m after the abbey, which is where this walk starts from. (Other parking in the area will be highlighted in the description below.)
(S/E) From the lay-by follow the road South, for a short way there is a narrow path on the right beside the river but otherwise you will be on the road, take care to walk in single file. You will arrive at a T junction and a very scenic bridge on the right. (Rievaulx Bridge)
(1) Turn right and pass over Rievaulx Bridge. Immediately after the bridge, there is a delightful cottage, continue along the road to a triangular junction on the right.
(2) There is a space for 2 carefully parked cars on the right side on the triangular junction. Ignore the junction and continue along the road, passing Hagg Hall on the left to a track on the right.
(3) There is parking for 3 carefully parked cars at the junction. Turn right and follow the track through a gate, you will soon come to a series of ponds on the right. These were built by the monks and stocked as fish ponds to provide food. They are currently (2020) being excavated to remove silt and restore them and this will also serve as a catchment for water and help prevent flooding downstream in times of heavy rain. At the end of the lakes, the track splits.
(4) Turn right and cross the stream using some well made stepping stones. After these ignore the bridge on the right and instead go through a gate on the left into a field. On the far side is another bridge, cross this to gain the path running steadily up through Callister Wood, with a collapsed and overgrown dry stone wall on the left. At the top go through a gate and into a cultivated field. Follow the side of the field and pass into a second field, this will lead you to a farm track. Go straight over the track and a patch of grass and through a gate into some woods. Turn left and walk through the woods. The path passes over some bedding planes of the local limestone which is worn smooth by the passing of feet. It can be slippery and there are nettles so take care that an inadvertent slip does not send you into these. (In summer the nettles can be invasive so trousers rather than shorts will make your passage through this section more enjoyable.) The path will lead out of the wood and up to a road.
(5) Go through a gate and turn right onto the road. Walk in single file into the delightful village of Old Byland. Pass one turning on the left and then take the left bend in the road turning up past the village green. The entrance to the church is on the right, beside The Rectory. Take some time to view it; the church is Anglo Saxon with some later Norman additions. The carvings around the door and bell tower window are of particular note. (It would also be possible to park in Old Byland)
Return across the green and turn right to follow the road through the village, uphill again. At the T junction turn left and at the next T junction turn right. After a short distance arrive at a T junction where the road bends to the left; go straight ahead on the narrower road. After about 500m the road turns to the left and descends. Below and on the right you will see a house below you (Caydale Mill), look out for a gate on the right.
(6) Go through this gate and onto the bridle path above the mill which is now a private house. The bridle track passes across the moor and then through another gate and into woods. (The path through the woods can be muddy, even in dry spells so make sure you have suitable footwear) The path descends gently and then eventually passes through two more gates to bring you out on a farm track.
(7) Go straight ahead (ignore the turnings left to Tylas Farm and right up into a field and to Tylas Barn) and follow the track to a small stream and picnic bench, look to the left for a narrow path.
(8) Take the path on the left and through a gate to follow the path beside a field with the River Rye beyond that, A meander in the river will bring it towards the path where a well constructed wooden walkway makes this section passable in the wet. After this the path crosses beside a second field and up through a gate to a farm track. (An alternative is to continue along the track which leads up and then down to point (9) This might be useful if the River Rye is swollen)
(9) Turn left on the track and follow it to cross Bow Bridge, the track bends to the right and starts to ascend. Look out for a wooden signpost on the right.(Inn Way, Rievaulx)
(10) Follow the signpost, go through a gate into a field and cross this diagonally in the direction of the river, to cross a small stream into a second field, Follow the path beside the 'canal' and then pass through two more wooden gates, into and out of a farm yard, to gain the road running through Rievaulx.
(11) Turn right and walk past the abbey and back to your car.(S/E)
