Parking
Follow Dalby Forest Drive to High Staindale car park at the eastern end of Staindale Lake, the signed start of the loop. Forest entry and parking charges may apply.
Overview
About Lakeside Trail at Dalby Forest
Why go
- Short, gentle loop with seats and lake views
- Firm surfaces and boardwalk sections
Heads up
- Too short to be a standalone day hike
- Limited facilities at the lake
There are no refreshments or toilets at the lake. The nearest are at Low Dalby, roughly 2.5 miles (4 km) away, where you can also pick up trail maps. Because the loop is so short, treat it as a bolt-on rather than a day out.
Parkwolf’s verdictWorth knowing before you goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the North York Moors map
Full mapElevation147–154 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 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
The routeA circular loop of about 0.5 mile (0.
A circular loop of about 0.5 mile (0.8 km) that starts and finishes at High Staindale car park and goes right round Staindale Lake. Total ascent is only around 20 m, and most people take about half an hour at an easy, stop-and-look pace.
How it goesFrom the car park you pick up the lake edge and follow it west, crossing boardwalk sections…
From the car park you pick up the lake edge and follow it west, crossing boardwalk sections where the ground is wet. The payoff comes at the dam at the western end, where the water opens out for the best views across the lake. From there the path curves back along the south shore and rejoins the eastern approach to close the loop at the car park. Look out for the Dragonfly artwork by Peter Maris and Ann Sotheran on the way round.
Difficulty in practiceGraded easy, roughly 2/10.
Graded easy, roughly 2/10. The trail is waymarked and colour coded, mostly flat, with a maximum gradient of 1 in 10 (10%). It suits all skill levels and is a good short leg-stretch for families or anyone who wants water and woodland without a climb.
Surfaces and accessibilityCompact hard surfaces of tarmac or stone for most of the way, plus non-slip boardwalks
- Compact hard surfaces of tarmac or stone for most of the way, plus non-slip boardwalks
- Numerous seats around the loop, so you can break the walk up easily
- Two accessible parking bays at High Staindale, the closest parking to the start
- Manual wheelchairs can use the route, but some users may need assistance on the steeper 10% sections, so it is not a fully step-free-and-effortless circuit for everyone
WildlifeThe lake usually holds mallard, tufted ducks and Canada geese, herons turn up now and then, and…
The lake usually holds mallard, tufted ducks and Canada geese, herons turn up now and then, and woodland birds gather around the feeding station near the car park. Nothing is guaranteed, but early and quiet visits give you the best chance.
Getting there and dogsAccess is via the forest drive, so parking and forest drive charges may apply.
Access is via the forest drive, so parking and forest drive charges may apply. There is no direct public transport and the nearest bus stop is about a mile away, so this is really a drive-to walk. Dogs are welcome on a short fixed lead at all times to avoid disturbing the birds and other wildlife.
If you want moreFor a longer easy walk with a similar feel, the Ellerburn Trail starts from the visitor centre…
For a longer easy walk with a similar feel, the Ellerburn Trail starts from the visitor centre and offers a 2.8 km (1.7 mile) short route or a 4.5 km (2.8 mile) long route on forest tracks, mostly flat with a steady incline near the end.
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.
