Parking
Sutton Bank National Park Centre car park off the A170; start from the Centre courtyard.
Overview
About White Horse Walk
An out-and-back with a loop section, 5.39 km (about 3.4 miles) measured as total distance for the whole walk there and back. Allow roughly 1.5 to 2 hours at a steady pace. The walk starts and finishes at the Sutton Bank National Park Centre car park.
Why go
- Broad views across the Vale of York and Mowbray
- Distinctive White Horse and gliding-club landscape
Heads up
- Unfenced cliff edge and steep stone steps
- Muddy descent after wet weather
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the North York Moors map
Full mapElevation197–300 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 White Horse Walk, 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
Sutton Bank0:00 / 0:36
“Sutton Bank is coming up, where the moorland plateau ends abruptly above the Vale of York.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North York Moors Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Kilburn White Horse
- Why the White Horse Needs Whitening
- The Fort Beneath the Gliders
- Why Gormire Lake Sits Below the Cliff
- 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 White Horse Walk
What the walking is likeFrom the centre the route crosses the A170 and picks up a hard-compacted path that runs along…
From the centre the route crosses the A170 and picks up a hard-compacted path that runs along the unfenced escarpment, with broad views over the Vale of York and the Vale of Mowbray. It passes the gliding club landing area, then drops steeply through woodland on a path that can be muddy, before climbing about 151 stone steps to the White Horse itself, a limestone turf-cut figure dating from 1857. The return follows the escarpment corridor back to the start.
Hazards to plan forThe A170 crossing is on a busy road, so wait for a clear gap.
The A170 crossing is on a busy road, so wait for a clear gap. The escarpment edge is unfenced, with a steep drop, so keep well back, especially in wind or with children. The woodland descent is steep and slippery when wet, and the stone steps are uneven. Take care and follow signage near the gliding club landing area.
DogsDogs are welcome on public rights of way here.
Dogs are welcome on public rights of way here. Keep them on the path, and use a short lead of under 2 metres from 1 March to 31 July. Keep dogs on a lead near livestock, along the unfenced edge, and through the gliding section.
Parking and facilitiesPark at the National Park Centre car park off the A170.
Park at the National Park Centre car park off the A170. Toilets and a cafe are available at the centre.
Come preparedWear footwear with good grip for the steep, potentially muddy descent and the steps.
Wear footwear with good grip for the steep, potentially muddy descent and the steps. Bring layers and a windproof: the escarpment is exposed.
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.
