Parking
Use the smaller of the two car parks north of the reservoir, closest to the boundary fence and loop start. Approach from Osmotherley via North End for about 1.5 miles; postcode DL6 3AL.
Overview
About Cod Beck Reservoir Circular
Why go
- Wide, well surfaced path around most of the reservoir
- No steps or stiles; wider gates can help RADAR-key users
Heads up
- Short and mostly flat, with limited challenge
- Narrower sections outside the boundary fence
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the North York Moors map
Full mapElevation188–213 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active North York Moors alerts
- ClosureHawnby Bridleway 110 closurePublic Bridleway 25.122/110/1 in Hawnby is closed to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians because its bridge is unsafe. - The closure is between grid references SE 5309 9073 and SE 5335 9097.Official details
- ClosureWest Ayton Footpath 1 closurePublic Footpath 1 in West Ayton (Forge Valley) is temporarily closed because its boardwalk is unsafe. - The closure is between SE 9860 8494 and SE 9839 8712.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
North York Moors Tour Guide
Your drive to Cod Beck Reservoir Circular, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for North York Moors National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Cod Beck Reservoir and Sheep Wash0:00 / 0:31
“You're approaching the Sheep Wash access for Cod Beck Reservoir, a quiet lake edged by pines and open moor.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North York Moors Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Meal Through the Wall
- Mount Grace Priory
- The Butterfly That Vanishes in Flight
- The Lake That Escaped Scugdale
- 298 audio storiesacross North York Moors’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Eurasian Otter, Red Deer, Grey Seal, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 126 trails, 65 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Cod Beck Reservoir Circular
The route in shortThis is a closed loop around the reservoir, starting and finishing at the same point.
This is a closed loop around the reservoir, starting and finishing at the same point. The managing water company gives the visitor distance as 1.5 miles (2 km), and the mapped line comes out at 2.16 km (1.34 miles) once the full connected corridor is traced, which fits that rounded figure. Allow about 1 hour. Difficulty is rated easy, 1 out of 4.
How the walk unfoldsFrom the access at the northern end you follow the path running parallel to the road on the…
From the access at the northern end you follow the path running parallel to the road on the west side, beside Quarry Lane, and through a green gate. The water stays with you as you head south, then you turn onto the embankment for the crossing at the far end. Coming back up the east shore the reservoir sits on your left the whole way, and you finish over the woodland bridge and through a green gate to return to the car park. The payoff is simple and steady: water in view for nearly the entire circuit, with the embankment giving the long open view back up the reservoir.
Effort and surfaceNo steps and no stiles anywhere on the route.
- No steps and no stiles anywhere on the route.
- Inside the boundary fence the path is wide, well surfaced and mostly flat, with a gradual incline and matching decline near the end.
- Outside the boundary fence the path is narrower in places, so expect to walk single file on those sections.
- Gates can be opened wider with a RADAR key.
Getting there and parkingParking is north of the reservoir, postcode DL6 3AL, where there are two car parks.
Parking is north of the reservoir, postcode DL6 3AL, where there are two car parks. Use the smaller car park closest to the boundary fence, which is where the signed route begins and ends. The reservoir sits about a mile north of Osmotherley.
Dogs and on-site rulesDogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead throughout, and you need to clean up after them.
Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead throughout, and you need to clean up after them. Stick to the path, do not swim in the reservoir, and do not light fires or barbecues.
Be clear about what this isThis is a short, gentle circuit rather than a demanding hike.
This is a short, gentle circuit rather than a demanding hike. If you are after a proper leg stretch or hill work, an hour of flat lakeside walking will not deliver it, and you may want to pair it with something else.
Optional longer alternativeIf you want more distance, there is a separate five mile circular that starts in Osmotherley…
If you want more distance, there is a separate five mile circular that starts in Osmotherley village and adds moorland and woodland approach sections before reaching the water. That is a different, longer walk with its own start point, not an extension of this loop.
Wildlife
Wildlife in North York Moors
15 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
79 sightingsGrey SealMost seen around noonSighting map
26 sightingsWestern Barn OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
33 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around noonSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across North York Moors. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
