Parking
Follow the signed route through Dalby Forest to High Staindale car park at the eastern end of Staindale Lake, the start of the loop. Two accessible bays are nearest the Lakeside Trail.
Overview
About Lakeside Trail at Dalby Forest
A circular loop of about 0.5 mile (0.8 km) around Staindale Lake, starting and finishing at High Staindale car park. Allow around 30 minutes at a gentle pace, longer if you stop to watch the water. Difficulty is easy, roughly 2/10.
Why go
- Very gentle terrain and firm accessible surfaces
- Good wildlife and lake views in a short loop
Heads up
- Short outing with limited distance
- Some 10% sections may need wheelchair assistance
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the North York Moors map
Full mapElevation145–174 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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 Lakeside Trail at Dalby Forest, 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
Staindale Lake0:00 / 0:25
“You're approaching Staindale Lake in Dalby Forest, where a short trail circles the water.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North York Moors Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bridestones
- Nissen Hut and Adderstone
- The Forest Eye
- The Cone Thief Overhead
- 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 Lakeside Trail at Dalby Forest
How the walk unfoldsFrom the car park at the eastern end of the lake, the path runs along the water on firm…
From the car park at the eastern end of the lake, the path runs along the water on firm surfacing and short boardwalk sections, then reaches the western dam, the best place to stop and look back along the full length of the lake with the forested slopes behind it. Continue round the far shore and the loop closes back at the car park, so you can walk it in either direction and turn back at any point.
Effort, surfaces and accessibilityCompacted tarmac and stone paths, with non-slip boardwalks over the wetter ground.
- Compacted tarmac and stone paths, with non-slip boardwalks over the wetter ground.
- Height along the route sits broadly between about 145 m and 175 m, felt as short gentle rises rather than climbs.
- Gradients are no steeper than 1 in 10 (10%), and the trail is designed for easy access, but manual wheelchair users may need assistance on the steeper pinches.
- Seats are spaced around the loop for a rest or a longer look at the lake.
Wildlife to look forLook out on the lake for mallard, tufted duck and Canada geese, and a heron sometimes works the…
Look out on the lake for mallard, tufted duck and Canada geese, and a heron sometimes works the margins. At the feeding station near the car park, woodland birds including coal tit, bullfinch and siskin are all possible, and a great spotted woodpecker occasionally shows up. The Dragonfly artwork is one of the features along the trail.
DogsDogs are welcome, but keep them on a short fixed lead at all times so the waterbirds and other…
Dogs are welcome, but keep them on a short fixed lead at all times so the waterbirds and other wildlife are not disturbed.
Parking and accessStart from High Staindale car park at the eastern end of the lake, reached by following the…
Start from High Staindale car park at the eastern end of the lake, reached by following the signed route through Dalby Forest. Two accessible bays sit closest to the Lakeside Trail.
If you want more distanceThe Ellerburn Trail is a longer accessible forest route in the same area, with 2.8 km and 4.
The Ellerburn Trail is a longer accessible forest route in the same area, with 2.8 km and 4.5 km options, and pairs well with this short lake circuit if half a mile is not enough.
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.
