Parking
Start at the Hole of Horcum (Saltergate) car park on the A169, about 7.8 miles north of Pickering. Two accessible portaloos are in the car park.
Overview
About Hole of Horcum car park to the viewing platform
This is a short point-to-point accessible spur, listed as 0.2 miles (320 metres) one way, with verified route geometry closer to 266 metres. Most visitors walk back along the same path to the car park, which makes about 0.4 miles in total. The listing gives 5 minutes one way, though a realistic stop is 10 to 15 minutes once you have spent time at the view.
Why go
- Fully accessible path to a dramatic moorland viewpoint
- Two accessible portaloos at the start
Heads up
- Crosses the busy A169
- Too brief for a full hike
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the North York Moors map
Full mapElevation260–275 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 Hole of Horcum car park to the viewing platform, 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
Hole of Horcum0:00 / 0:35
“You're approaching the Hole of Horcum, a natural amphitheatre scooped roughly 400 feet deep and more than half a mile wide into the 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 Women Who Worked the Timber
- The Hole Geologists Still Debate
- The Rector's Moorland Tower
- The Valley the Ice Left
- 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 Hole of Horcum car park to the viewing platform
SequenceStart at the Hole of Horcum (Saltergate) car park on the A169, about 7.
- Start at the Hole of Horcum (Saltergate) car park on the A169, about 7.8 miles north of Pickering.
- Leave the car park on the gently sloping path and reach the signed crossing point on the A169.
- Cross the road, then follow the short access path to the viewing platform.
- Return by the same route.
Surface and gradientThe route is built to the Miles without Stiles "for all" standard, intended for people with…
The route is built to the Miles without Stiles "for all" standard, intended for people with limited mobility, pushchairs and people operating their own wheelchairs. Gradients are no steeper than 1:10 and the surface is tarmac or smooth compacted stone. The former steps leading out of the car park have been replaced with a gently sloping path, and the viewing platform itself is fully accessible. There are two accessible portaloos in the car park.
Crossing the A169The route crosses the A169, which can be busy.
The route crosses the A169, which can be busy. Use the signed crossing and take care, keeping children and dogs close as you cross.
The viewThe platform looks straight into the Hole of Horcum, a natural amphitheatre roughly 400 feet…
The platform looks straight into the Hole of Horcum, a natural amphitheatre roughly 400 feet deep and more than half a mile wide. It is a quick viewpoint visit rather than a substantial hike, and the payoff comes almost immediately once you are on the platform.
Heath and wildlifeThe surrounding heathland grows on poor, sandy soils that suit heather and bilberry.
The surrounding heathland grows on poor, sandy soils that suit heather and bilberry. The heather and rough grass support ground-nesting birds including curlew, lapwing and golden plover, so staying on the surfaced path matters here.
DogsOn moorland, dogs must stay on rights of way and be kept on a short lead or to heel.
On moorland, dogs must stay on rights of way and be kept on a short lead or to heel. This is particularly important near livestock and where ground-nesting birds are present.
If you want a longer walkFor a more substantial outing, choose the longer Levisham Moor and Hole of Horcum circuit,…
For a more substantial outing, choose the longer Levisham Moor and Hole of Horcum circuit, which starts from the same car park and is a separate route from this accessible spur.
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.
