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.
Two and a half easy miles in about an hour and a quarter, out along the surfaced old railway line to the ruins of Easby Abbey and back beside the Swale, with barely a slope and a firm all-weather surface for most of it - the best short walk in Richmond for an old or arthritic dog. It starts at The Station, the converted railway building on the edge of town, which has a car park, a cafe and toilets. The old line is traffic-free, level and gently graded so a steady dog can walk it under close control and Easby Abbey is free to enter with dogs welcome on the lead, but the riverside half is different - the meadows are grazed, the Swale bank is undercut and the current is quicker than it looks, so put the lead back on there; there are no squeeze stiles on the railway path, only gates, which is why it works for large dogs.
The substantial ruins of a Premonstratensian abbey set in a bend of the Swale, reached by an easy mile-and-a-half riverside walk from Richmond Castle. English Heritage confirms that dogs on leads are welcome throughout the site, and admission is free. One of the most rewarding short walks in Richmondshire for anyone with a dog.
A rewarding town-and-river circuit beneath the great Norman keep of Richmond Castle, following the Swale past Richmond Falls and along the grassy riverside meadows of The Batts. Mostly enclosed riverside paths where dogs can stretch their legs, with the falls a favourite paddling spot in low water; keep dogs close near the weirs and when the river runs high. Dog-friendly pubs and the Station cafe are moments away.
Mighty Norman fortress towering above the Swale, one of the oldest stone castles in England, now cared for by English Heritage. Dogs on leads are welcome to explore the grounds, and water bowls are set out near the entrance. The wall-top views over the river and town are superb, and the riverside Batts walk starts directly below.
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