Nutwith Cote Heritage Walk
The Route
From the kissing gate in the car park (1) follow the path down towards Hackfall Wood ignoring the track to the right through the field gate. Go through two gates, enter the woods at the bottom of the field through a third gate, then bear right to go uphill (2) and follow the "Viewpoint" sign to Limehouse Hill(3). At the top of the rise you can see two views: to the North along the river Ure to Masham Church and to the southwest Mowbray Point with its banqueting hall.
Retrace your steps down Limehouse Hill, and go through the kissing gate with the 'Ripon Rowel Walk' sign which will take you through the bottom of a field. Turn right, cross the stream, through a second kissing gate with another 'Ripon Rowel Walk' sign and follow the path down towards the river and along the riverbank.
As you leave the wood (4) keep to the riverbank along the 'Ripon Rowel Walk'. At a footpath junction(5), bear left towards the field gate and the farmhouse. On top of the slope to your left is a large stone dovecote. Please keep well away as it is now in a dangerous condition. Cross a small stream at the top of the rise and through a gate into a field that up to the 1950s was a large orchard. Bear left slightly up to the corner of the walled garden and farm track.
Turn right at the farm road and on your right you will see the remains of a walled kitchen garden with a single surviving ancient pear tree. In front of you is a 17th Century house, and round the back is a row of bee boles next to an enclosure which was once an orchard. Adjacent to it is an 18th Century Coach House (6). Opposite the stable is a walled garden, formerly an orchard which still has a few old fruit trees.
Walk away from Nutwith Cote along the farm track (7), using the permissive footpath leading to the main road. Note at the left turn (7), a track once led to a possible Roman crossing point of the river.
From the main road, cross with care, turn left along the road and take the second path on the right (8)marked with a public bridleway sign. Walk gently uphill for 120m, and as the ground levels, notice a ditch to your left which was once believed to be a Roman camp is now thought to have been a temporary animal enclosure.
Turn left (9) across the Common to the road junction between Roomer Lane and Thorpe Road. Go 20m to the right to look north towards Swinton Park, Masham and Aldburgh Hall.
Follow the track south (10) with the road on your left. Where the track meets the road, turn right on to a forest road and immediately left up the public footpath (11). The path leads uphill through the woods of Nutwith Common.
Towards the top of the slope, turn left (12) where the footpath meets another forest road, follow the road which leads you gently uphill and then back down to Thorpe Road. In the spring the woodland floor is covered in bluebells.
After reaching the main road (13) and before you cross, note over the road are two veteran sycamore trees. Take great care crossing, as there is a blind corner to your left. Turn left and walk along the opposite verge for 20m to your car.
