Levisham Moor & Hole of Horcum

This is a circular loop of 5.2 miles (8.3 km), measured as the full circuit from the Hole of Horcum (Saltergate) car park on the A169. Allow about 3 hours at a normal walking pace with stops; strong walkers moving steadily will do it faster.

The sequence: you start almost immediately at the panorama over the Hole of Horcum, then follow the prominent track west across Levisham Moor past archaeological remains and Dundale Pond, drop into the rocky ravine of Dundale Griff, follow the valley back toward the Hole of Horcum, and climb out again to Saltergate. The viewpoint sits at both the start and the end, so you get a second look on the return.

Moderate. Nothing technical, but do not treat it as a stroll:

Boots, not trainers. The route profile drops from roughly 260 m on the moor edge to about 130 m in the valley before climbing back, so expect a sustained ascent to finish.

• The broad moor track is easy to follow but often muddy.
• Two small stream crossings, with a footbridge at the second.
• Dundale Griff is the real hazard: rocky, slippery underfoot, with a risk of falling rocks. Slow down and watch your footing.
• The final climb back up to Saltergate comes at the end of the loop, when legs are already tired.
• Open moorland means visibility can be poor in bad weather. If cloud is down, this is a map-and-compass day or a different day.

If you want more, there is a separate optional diversion out to Skelton Tower, which makes the day about 7 miles (11 km) and roughly 4 hours. It is a different choice, not part of the 5.2-mile loop described here.

• Start and finish at the Hole of Horcum (Saltergate) car park on the A169, about 7.8 miles north of Pickering. Parking charges apply.
• A bus service between Leeds and Whitby stops at the Hole of Horcum.
• The car park has two accessible portaloos. There are no toilets along the walk, so sort that before you set off.
• A short walk from the car park reaches an accessible viewing platform if someone in your group does not want the full loop.
• Dogs are allowed. From 1 March to 31 July keep them on a lead shorter than 2 metres because of ground-nesting birds. At other times keep them on a lead or to heel, and always on a lead near livestock.

Levisham Moor is rich in Bronze Age barrows, late Iron Age boundary dykes, enclosures and field systems, and the foundations of a medieval monastic sheep farm. Keep to the path so the remains are not damaged. Botanists should look for dwarf cornel, a rare plant here at its most southerly location in Britain.