Route diagram, drawn from the recorded track — for the shape of the walk, not for navigation. Carry OS Explorer on the hill.
Six and three quarter miles with 210 metres of climbing, about three hours, taking the ironstone workings on the west side of Rosedale and then striking south over Spaunton Moor to the stone shaft of Ana Cross. The start is the village car park at Rosedale Abbey; note that the ascent of Chimney Bank out of the village is one in three, so walkers with dogs in the car should approach from Hutton-le-Hole in winter. The old mine tracks give a long safe off-lead stretch, but Sheriff's Pit is an open shaft that is fenced only loosely, sheep range the whole moor, and leads are required on the open moor from 1 March to 31 July.
A tea garden on a working hill farm at the very head of Rosedale, reached up the dale road from Rosedale Abbey, with homemade cakes, loose-leaf teas and sausage rolls served against a sweeping valley panorama. Well-behaved dogs are more than welcome in the garden. Arguably the most peaceful cuppa in the National Park, and handy for the ironstone railway trackbed above.
A Flower of May countryside park in the middle of Rosedale Abbey village, ringed by moorland, taking tourers, motorhomes, tents, glamping pods and cottages. Up to two dogs per pitch are welcome by prior agreement, kept on short leads around the park, though they cannot enter the reception, shop or facilities blocks. Chimney Bank and the ironstone railway walks start from the village.
A level four-mile out-and-back from Bank Top car park at the head of Rosedale Chimney Bank, following the trackbed of the Victorian ironstone railway past the monumental ruined calcining kilns, with uninterrupted views down the dale for the entire length. The compacted stone path has no significant gradients, but this is a permissive route across grouse moor: dogs on leads at all times for the sheep and ground-nesting birds. Bleakly beautiful industrial archaeology at its best.
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