Parking
Two crushed-aggregate car parks at Blakey Junction have space for 20+ vehicles on firm, reasonably level surfaces. Parking is free; spaces are not marked for Blue Badge holders. A seasonal Moorsbus service stops at Blakey Junction.
Overview
About Miles without Stiles (For some) - Rosedale Railway and Kilns
Why go
- Level former railway surface
- Industrial kilns and wide moor views
- No steps or stiles
Heads up
- Long return distance
- Two awkward vehicle barriers for some mobility aids
The payoff is a long, genuinely accessible railway walk with broad views over Rosedale and out across heather moor, ending at the striking 16-arch line of kilns. Information panels at Blakey Junction and at the kilns explain the line and the ironstone industry: the railway opened in 1861, moved more than 10 million tonnes of stone, and closed in 1929. Clear weather makes the valley views much better. Look and listen for red grouse and kestrels along the way.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy GoMap & elevation
The route
Loading the North York Moors map
Full mapElevation248–371 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 Miles without Stiles (For some) - Rosedale Railway and Kilns, 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
Blakey Junction and the Rosedale Railway0:00 / 0:30
“You're approaching Blakey Junction, the start of a mostly level walk on the old Rosedale Railway.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North York Moors Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge
- The Merlin's Low Chase
- Song from an Empty Sky
- The Oak Boats of Loose Howe
- 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 Miles without Stiles (For some) - Rosedale Railway and Kilns
The WalkAn out-and-back route of 9.1 miles (14.6 km) in total, counting the return leg, not one way.
An out-and-back route of 9.1 miles (14.6 km) in total, counting the return leg, not one way. Allow around 4 hours. From Blakey Junction car park a short access path drops onto the bed of the former Rosedale Railway, which then curves around the head of Rosedale through cuttings and along embankments to the Stone and Iron Kilns. You return by the same track.
DifficultyPractical difficulty is moderate, about 5 out of 10.
Practical difficulty is moderate, about 5 out of 10. Gradients are gentle and the surface is firm, but the distance is long for an accessible route and there is no shortcut back once you are around the valley. Turning back early is easy, since the route retraces itself.
Accessibility, Surfaces and BarriersGraded Miles Without Stiles, For Some.
Graded Miles Without Stiles, For Some. The track is a level, even stone-and-cinder railway formation roughly 2.1 m wide for most of its length, with no steps and no stiles, and it is suitable for all-terrain wheelchairs, off-road mobility scooters and Trampers.
- The access path from the car park is around 1:15.
- Most gradients run about 1:50 or 1:30, with a few short pitches at 1:10 and very short 1 m sections at 1:6.
- Some aggregate stones are larger than 4 cm, which is the main reason for the For Some grading.
- Two vehicle barriers: the first has 1 m or more of side access; the second is tighter, with a 0.7 m level space followed by a slight drop and cross-slope.
Parking and ToiletsTwo crushed-aggregate car parks at Blakey Junction give space for 20 or more vehicles, on firm…
Two crushed-aggregate car parks at Blakey Junction give space for 20 or more vehicles, on firm and reasonably level ground, with no parking charge and no marked Blue Badge bays. There are no toilets at the trailhead; the nearest, including RADAR-key accessible toilets, are at Rosedale Abbey and Hutton-le-Hole car park. A seasonal Moorsbus service stops at Blakey Junction.
Dogs and Looking After the SiteDogs are welcome on this route, but keep them on short leads at all times to protect nesting…
Dogs are welcome on this route, but keep them on short leads at all times to protect nesting birds, other wildlife and sheep; short leads are required on moorland through the nesting season in any case. The kilns and other industrial remains are fragile, so stay on the track and keep off the walls and structures.
Shorter OptionIf 9.
If 9.1 miles is more than you want, the separate Rosedale Bank Top walk offers a much shorter taste of the same railway and ironstone landscape.
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.
