Cawthorn Roman Camps Circular

Start at the information panel beside the disabled bay, where the firm aggregate path leads into the woodland. Follow the carved Roman-soldier marker posts, which guide the loop around the earthworks left by fortifications built here nearly 2,000 years ago. Partway round, a short spur runs out to the viewing platform, with seats and a broad outlook across the surrounding country. Return to the spur junction and complete the loop back to the car park.

This is an easy walk with no steps or stiles. Most of it runs on hard, compacted crushed aggregate and is broadly level with gentle gradients; the route elevation range is about 171 m to 197 m, and only about 1 m of ascent is reported. One short undulating section crosses grass, and that stretch is the weak link for accessibility, particularly after rain when it can be soft or wet. The marked alternative to the viewing platform can avoid the short grass section, although wet conditions can still affect accessibility.

The site sits high and open, so the viewing platform and the more exposed parts of the loop are often windy and can feel chilly even when conditions elsewhere are mild. A windproof layer is worth carrying whatever the season, and the walk is short enough that most visitors will not need more than that.

Dogs are welcome under control and preferably on a short fixed lead. The camps are a protected monument, so keep to the marked path throughout and avoid walking on or scrambling over the banks and ditches, which are the whole point of the visit and are easily damaged.

The car park is reached from the A170 by way of Middleton Road and Swainsea Lane, then a turn onto an unsealed track signed for Cawthorn Roman Camps. Around 20 spaces are reported, including a disabled bay, and parking charges apply. There are no toilets or refreshments at the site: the nearest toilets and the widest choice of refreshments are in Pickering, with closer options at Cropton and Newton upon Rawcliffe.

This loop is a short heritage and viewpoint walk rather than a workout. Longer routes of roughly 10 to 13 miles in Cropton Forest and the Tabular Hills also pass the camps, but they are a separate undertaking with their own navigation and surfaces. Choose one of those deliberately rather than trying to extend this loop on the ground.