Rudland Rigg, Cockayne, Bilsdale East Moor and Bransdale

From the southern end of the unmade Rudland Rigg track, the walk climbs steadily along the old Rudland Rigg / Waingate drove road to the Golden Heights trig-point and its historic waypost, with heather moor either side and broad views toward Bransdale and Farndale. The route then drops over open moor and enclosure fields past Cow Syke into Cockayne, a small secluded hamlet at the head of Bransdale, where St Nicholas Church and its benches make a natural halfway pause.

From there the climb out toward Bilsdale East Moor is the more demanding half. The route follows the Helmsley to Cockayne road, descends to the old buildings at Stork House and Low Lidmoor, crosses Hodge Beck by a footbridge and then Shaw Beck, climbs to Moor House Farm, crosses the moor to Ousegill Bridge and returns along Bransdale Road to the start.

Expect a genuine mix: gravelly unmade track on the rigg, moorland paths, field edges, farm tracks, one footbridge, and sections of quiet but narrow road where you should walk defensively and be ready to step aside for vehicles. The ridge and moor sections have little shelter, so wind and rain are felt fully. Carry all the water and food you need, and wear boots that cope with rough, sometimes wet ground.

Visibility on the open moor can disappear quickly in low cloud, and route-finding away from the main track is consequential. Take a map and compass or a reliable GPS track and know how to use them, and be honest about turning back if the cloud comes down early in the day. Clear conditions are what make the ridge and valley views worth the effort, and late-summer heather is a reliable seasonal highlight.

The start is the southern end of the unmade Rudland Rigg track off Bransdale Road, grid reference SE659926, with a mapped roadside parking area about 22 metres away. This is informal, limited roadside space rather than a visitor-centre car park, so arrive early, park considerately and do not block gates or narrow the road for farm and local traffic. There are no toilets, food, water or other facilities at the start or on the route.

Dogs may use public rights of way, but they are not allowed on most moorland open-access land here and must stay on rights of way across it. Keep dogs on a short lead of under 2 metres on moorland, near livestock and wherever signs ask for it, and always between 1 March and 31 July. This loop crosses both farmland and open moor, so plan for lead-on walking for much of the day.

If the ridge views are the main draw and the full day is too much, a shorter out-and-back from Ousegill Bridge along the rigg gives you the same open moorland scenery without the valley descents and climbs. That is a different, easier walk, not this loop.