Our drawing of the route — the shape of the walk, not a navigation aid. Carry OS Explorer on the hill.
Seven and a half miles with 180 metres of ascent and about three and a quarter hours, dropping past the abbey fish ponds and out to the old ornamental woodland of Yearsley Moor before returning on the field paths below the ridge; the woodland tracks are firm but the field sections are heavy clay from October onwards. It starts in Ampleforth village, where there is free roadside parking along the main street and the Hub Cafe at the abbey is the obvious end point for tea and a water bowl. The fish ponds and the beck below Yearsley give plenty of water and the woodland is good, quiet ground for a dog off the lead, but the route crosses grazed pasture on the way out and back and the college and abbey grounds themselves expect dogs on leads.
A working Benedictine abbey in a wooded valley below the moors, with orchards, a cider press and extensive grounds open to visitors. Dogs may explore the grounds freely, and you can order refreshments from the takeaway hatch at the gift shop while they wait outside.
A relaxed 4.4-mile loop with only 70 metres of ascent, under two hours, on lanes, field paths and the wooded valley below the abbey where the old monastic fish ponds sit; easy going but muddy along the pond path after rain. Start in Ampleforth village, where there is roadside parking, and the abbey's own visitor car park is available when the tea room is open. The ponds and the beck give water and the field paths take a dog off the lead for good stretches, but the abbey and college grounds are private and working farmland here holds sheep, so lead up at every gate.
Five and a third miles with 190 metres of ascent and about two and a half hours, crossing the low ridge west of Ampleforth to the great rose window of Byland Abbey and coming back by Wass; the outward field paths climb steadily and the last field into Byland is often under standing crop with a narrow trodden line. It starts in Ampleforth village with free roadside parking, and the Abbey Inn at Byland at the halfway point takes dogs in the bar and does a proper lunch if you time it right. The becks near Wass give a drink, the ridge fields are open and pleasant walking, but the English Heritage abbey grounds ask for dogs on leads, and there are sheep and occasionally cattle in almost every field on the route.
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