Route: Huggate
Area: East Yorkshire
Date of walk: 22nd February 2026
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.2 miles
Ascent: 450 feet
Weather: Mixed sun and cloud
Huggate village is claimed to be the highest village on the Yorkshire Wolds at around 558 feet above sea level. However, nearby Fridaythorpe makes the same claim and is said to be 561 feet. I’m not sure which is correct. I’ve walked from Huggate several times before, it’s an excellent hub for various walks along the dry chalk valleys of the Yorkshire Wolds
We parked in a free public car park at the edge of the village on the Driffield road. I’d encourage anyone following this route to park here, as it keeps cars out of the village and only adds 5 minutes to the walk. We followed a public footpath into the villlage and arrived at the village green, home to one of the deepest wells in England at 116 yards deep which previously supplied the inhabitants with water
We followed the lane heading north out of Huggate. The lane is virtually traffic free as it’s a dead end and only serves a couple of local farms. Following a section of the Yorkshire Wolds Way we walked along the entrance drive to Northfield Farm for a short distance and then headed down into Horse Dale, one of four dry chalk valleys visited during the walk. The views from here were wonderful, especially those from one of the carved poetry benches which so enhance the Wolds Way. We continued into Harper Dale and when we arrived at Harper Dale Plantation we climbed out of the valley onto North Field. An easy walk across the field brought us to Rabbit Dale, where we descended to the valley floor and continued into Cow Dale. At the end of Cow Dale we arrived back at the lane into Huggate, where we made a short diversion to St Mary’s Church which dates back to the 12th century and is Grade I listed. The church has recently been renovated thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund. From here we retraced our steps back to the start of a wonderful walk, enhanced by big skies and some long awaited sunshine
For anyone seeking refreshments at the end of the walk, I recommend a visit to the Wolds Inn, just a couple of minutes from the car park. As well as its excellent beer and food, the pub has two other claims to fame – it’s the highest pub on the Yorkshire Wolds, and is the first pub David Hockney ever got drunk in as a young lad
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
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After following a public footpath from the car park, we arrive at the village green in Huggate, taking care not to fall into the village well which is 339 feet deep and one of the deepest in the country
We follow a lane out of Huggate, passing by the village church, which we'll visit at the end of the walk
We continue along the lane, which is virtually traffic free as it only leads to a couple of farms
Cow Dale on our right. We'll return via the dale at the end of the walk, but for now continue along the lane
We follow the lane towards Northfield Farm, flanked by a long line of cherry trees
We arrive at the Yorkshire Wolds Way and leave the lane to follow the sign on the left
We head over Huggate Wold towards Horse Dale
Horse Dale below as we pass through the gate and continue along the Yorkshire Wolds Way
Horse Dale, one of the classic dry chalk valleys of the Yorkshire Wolds
We descend into Horse Dale...
We pass by one of the carved Poetry benches which adorn the Wolds Way. The bench was designed by artist Angus Ross, who created it to represent the curves of the dry valleys along the Yorkshire Wolds Way. The bench is carved with a poem by John Wedgwood Clarke...
'We have ripped the earth with our desire to be here and not there. We have driven the dale's wedge of hush home between us. But you move, as we moved, in the ghost of water. A hare rips away from the dead. Thuds down the dyke and out into everywhere the grasses foam'
We descend to a point where three valleys meet - Horse Dale, Holm Dale and Harper Dale
Looking back along Horse Dale
We arrive at the end of Horse Dale. Holm Dale is on the left, but we curve round to the right into Harper Dale
We enter into Harper Dale
Holm Dale on our left
A lovely section of the walk along Harper Dale...
At the bend ahead we will turn right to climb out of the valley
Looking along Harper Dale as we climb up the chalk track to the right
We follow a path across North Field
We descend to the valley floor to a tempting path, but our route lies the other way, along Rabbit Dale
Rabbit Dale
We continue along Rabbit Dale
Looking back along Rabbit Dale
Last of the valleys as we head into Cow Dale, with Oxlandsdale on the left
Cow Dale...
We arrive at the end of Cow Dale and climb up to the lane on our right
A final look back along Cow Dale as we arrive back at the lane out of Huggate to complete the circuit. From here we retrace our steps back into the village
At the end of the walk we make a short diversion to admire 12th century St Mary's Church Huggate
