Osmotherley – Medium

Walk

Starting from the popular village of Osmotherley, this walk climbs through woodland and then down through fields and bracken to the Cod Beck Reservoir. A detour can be made to visit the nearby Mount Grace Priory. Take a walking stick to help you negotiate the bracken on your route.

Getting ThereFrom Middlesbrough follow the A19 south until you come to the sign for Osmotherley. This is a left turning after the Mount Grace Priory turning. Parking which can be sparse particularly at weekends, can be found at the roadside either in Osmotherley or on the road towards the Cod Beck Reservoir.

Osmotherley Walk Route

After parking on the roadside either in Osmotherley village or on the road towards Cod Beck reservoir, follow the road out of Osmotherley towards Cod Beck reservoir. Look for a left turning signposted to Scarth Nick

Follow this track up as it rises and look for a fork in the road. Keep left at the fork in the road. The right fork will be signposted to Lady Chapel.

This stony track ends at Chapelwood Farm, and ahead of you will be a grass track through a gate. Go through the gate and follow the track until you reach a gate leading into the woods.

Go through the gate into the woods. A few paces on the track forks. Take the right branch.

 

Follow this path which rises steadily. Near the top it bends more steeply to the right. As it starts to bend back to the left look for a linear path to the right which is partly covered by bracken.

Follow this path which will shortly bend to the left to come to a field gate. This path can be covered with bracken in the summer. Your stick will come in handy  here!. 

Follow the left edge of the field until you meet a walled road. Turn left and walk past some agricultural buildings until you come to you reach a footpath sign to the right.

 

Follow the field path by the wall until you come to a stile.

Follow the path through bracken, using your walking stick to clear the way. Descending carefully ensure you remain on the right side path with the valley below to your left. Eventually you will descend to meet a stone wall and follow this along to the right. Go through a gap in the crossing wall, then turn down left on a track to meet the road.

 

Cod Beck Resorvoir can now be accessed further down this road to the left

 

Cross over the dam and follow a path that leads into the forest.

After about  100metres take the second right turning which will take you into the forest.

Follow this path and shortly you will meet another path crossing to the right at a fence. Turn right and follow the path to a kissing gate. Go through the kissing gate and follow the path down to a building which is the Osmotherley Youth Hostel.

Now you can follow this road back up and onto the main road to Osmotherley. Osmotherley has three pubs for well earned refreshments