White Horse & Gormire Lake from Sutton Bank - Route.
Distance: 6¼ miles / 10 kilometers
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Map: OS Explorer OL26 - North York Moors Western area.
Start Point: Sutton Bank National Park Visitors Centre Car Park.
Grid Reference: SE 516 830
Nearest Post Code: YO7 2EH
| Serial | Distance | Grid Reference | Description - Southern Loop to the White Horse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01a | 0.00 miles | SE 516 830 |
For Gormire Lake (short 2¼ miles loop) only.
From the car park follow signs for ‘Finest View In England’. Follow the Cleveland Way to a fingerpost signed ‘Nature Trail’. There are two options for the route back: (i) Turn left to follow the trail to Gormire Lake, after visiting the lake, return to the ‘Nature Trail’ and back to the visitor centre, or (ii) Follow from serial 7 below - for the trail through Boltby South Woods, then back to the visitor centre. |
| 01b | 0.00 miles | SE 516 830 |
For the White Horse From the car park follow the acorn sign posts, signed the ‘Cleveland Way and the White Horse’. The path crosses the A170 to the memorial stone for the Battle of Byland 1322 and a bench. From the memorial stone follow the path to the left. The trail follows the top of Sutton Bank for 1.6 miles passing the gliding club to the stone steps that lead down to the White Horse car park. |
| 02 | 1.70 miles | SE 514 811 |
From the White Horse car park follow the trail through the gate. Continue for about ½ of a mile to a Y-fork junction.
From here there are a couple of options: (i) If only walking the short to the White Horse (3¼ miles) loop, then At the Y-fork follow the path to the right (red route) ascend to the top of Sutton Bank, turning left at the top and follow the trail back along Sutton Bank to the Visitor Centre car park, or (ii) If walking to Gormire Lake, then At the Y-fork follow the path ahead for about ½ a mile to another Y-fork (SE 516 823), continue following the path ahead until it meets the A170. |
| 03 | 2.85 miles | SE 515 825 | At the A170 turn left, follow the A170 for about ½ a mile to an access track with a gate on the right with a green public footpath waymarker post. |
| 04 | 3.37 miles | SE 508 826 | At the track pass through the gate and follow the access track, assend the path as it branches left and passes Gormire Farm, pass through the next gate to Gormire Lake. |
| 05 | 3.75 miles | SE 505 831 | At the lake take the path to the left, following the shoreline of the lake clockwise for about ¾ of a mile to a fingerpost bridleway sign, signed ‘permissive footpath nature trail & visitor centre’ to the left. |
| 06 | 4.35 miles | SE 504 832 | Turn left, ascend the hill for about 125 yards to a waymarker sign post. Turn left, (ahead cuts leads to top of Sutton Brow cutting out the trail through South Woods), follow the path to the edge of Garbutt Wood and a wooden gate. |
| 07 | 4.75 miles | SE 503 837 | Pass through the gate and enter Boltby South Woods, turn right to follow the path that follows a ditch, bending first to the left and then to the right. |
| 08 | 5.00 miles | SE 505 839 | At the Y-fork take the path ahead for about 350 yards to the top of Sutton Brow. At the top turn right to follow the Cleveland Way for about 1 mile back to the visitor centre car park. |