Our drawing of the route, over road and path data from OpenStreetMap. It shows where the walk goes and what it goes through. It is not a survey and not a navigation aid — carry OS Explorer on the hill.
Six miles and around three and a quarter hours from the castle down to the wooded banks of the River Cover, along to the packhorse crossing at Hullo Bridge and out to the long green at East Witton, returning past the Cover Bridge Inn; the riverside path is steep-sided and rooty in places. Start in Middleham market place, where parking is free; the 159 bus from Leyburn and Ripon stops in the square. The Cover is shallow, clean and easy to reach for a swim and a drink which makes this a good hot-day walk, but the meadows are grazed so the lead stays on, and the real warning is the gallops - Middleham trains hundreds of racehorses and strings work the moor and the lanes from dawn, so a dog off the lead near them is a serious hazard; stiles are mostly wooden steps, with one narrow stone squeeze near Hullo Bridge.
Six and three quarter miles in about three and a half hours, out over Middleham Low Moor where the racehorses work, past Tupgill Park to the ruins of Coverham Abbey, and back on woodland paths above the River Cover to Cover Bridge. Easy going on turf and track with one long steady climb of a little over 200 metres; start at Middleham market place below the castle, with free parking on the cobbles. Racehorses use the gallops every morning and have absolute right of way, so keep dogs on a short lead and well off the tracks before eleven o'clock; sheep graze the moor, and the Cover gives shady woodland and shallow water for a swim on the way back.
A pub and small hotel on Middleham's little market square, open all day for coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner in racing country. Dogs are welcome inside, a water bowl is put down for them and there is a resident pub dog to do the honours. Dogs are taken in the bedrooms too for a small nightly charge.
Traditional coaching inn on the cobbled square of Middleham, racehorse capital of the north and home to a mighty ruined castle. The hotel is dog friendly, with dogs allowed in the characterful wood-fired bar and in designated bedrooms; staff have been known to slip visiting dogs a breakfast sausage. Gallops-watching and Wensleydale walks from the door.
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