Route: Millington Dale
Area: East Yorkshire
Date of walk: 20th May 2025
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 3.7 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: Sunny and warm
Millington Dale and Millington Pasture is an area of special scientific interest and is a system of dry chalk valleys in the East Yorkshire Wolds. The grassland slopes are grazed by sheep and highland cattle and are crossed by sheep tracks, ancient Roman roads and long distance paths. This is one of our favourite walks in East Yorkshire
We were last here in June 2024 and as on that occasion we parked in the free car park at Millington Wood Nature Reserve. Millington Wood is one of the few remaining wooded dales in the Wolds and is worth a visit in its own right. Time permitting, this walk could be extended to include a loop of the ancient wood, home to some rare wildlife and plants. Our route lay the other way and so we walked out of the car park and turned left onto the road. We then went through a gate on the left and climbed up the bridleway to the second gate. Instead of going through the gate, we turned right and followed the fence line along the edge of Millington Pasture to Allison Nab. The path is not shown on the OS maps as a public footpath. It’s faint and little used but, once located, navigation is straightforward and consists of keeping the fence on the left. The path, which disappeared at times, was lined with wildflowers and there were lovely views down into Millington Dale as we followed the contour line around the top of the dale
We followed the path beside the fence down into Scoar Dale, turning right at the bottom and from there walked along the valley floor to join the quiet road along Millington Dale. There were several buzzards and red kites in the skies above, circling the dales in search of prey. We followed the quiet road for a short distance before turning off to join a chalk track which is part of three long distance walks – the Yorkshire Wolds Way, the Chalkland Way and the Minster Way
The path took us gently uphill, with more big views across the Wolds, heading briefly into Sylvan Dale before descending back into Millington Dale. At the foot of the dale, instead of following the road back to the start (as shown on the map) we climbed up to join our original path and retraced our steps. This not only avoided the road, but gave us lovely views back over much of our route. It had been a fantastic walk, enhanced by masses of hawthorn blossom as well as butterflies and birdlife
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)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The start of the walk from the car park at Millington Wood Nature Reserve
We walk away from the wood and turn left to follow a track uphill
Millington Dale is below on our right
We continue above Millington Dale
Looking along well named Sylvan Dale, one of a network of dry chalk valleys nearby
Hawthorn blossom at its peak
We pass through this gate, but don't descend into the valley below. Instead we keep to the higher ground and aim for a gate top left of the picture
We continue to follow a faint path above Millington Dale...
Millington Pasture...
Looking down to Allison Nab in Scoar Dale
We continue above the valley until we meet the line of trees ahead
We then descend into Scoar Dale
After turning right, we walk along the dry chalk valley of Scoar Dale
At the end of Scoar Dale we turn left into Millington Dale
We arrive in Millington Dale. Last time we were here we went through this gate, but it was padlocked today. No issue as we followed a path on the left of the fence, which soon brought us to the road
We arrive at the road through Millington Dale on our right
We walk along the road, which is virtually traffic free, and pass by one of eleven carved oak posts - a single letter is carved into each which, when read in sequence, spells GAIT IN WOLDS. This one is 'D'
A red kite flies past
We leave the road and join the Yorkshire Wolds Way. I think that the official path is on the left of the fence, but another padlocked gate caused us to use the parallel chalk track. This had the added benefit of avoiding a herd of cattle at the top of the field
Looking down into Millington Dale
Looking back along the track
On the Yorkshire Wolds Way, which shares this path with the Minster Way
Looking out to the Vale of York in the distance
We walk towards Sylvan Dale
Looking across Syland Dale to Millington Wood at the top of the picture, where we'd started the walk
Descending into Sylvan Dale...
The path changes direction as we head back towards Millington Dale...
Somewhere around here Sylvan Dale merges with Millington Dale
Hawthorn blossom galore in Millington Dale
The ford over Millington Beck. A path on the right avoids the cattle - and wet feet
We cross the bridge over Millington Beck
We pass by an unnamed pond, the source of Millington Beck
We arrive at the road through Millington Dale. Instead of turning left here (as shown on the route map) we took an alternative way back
We carried straight ahead and climbed up the wold
Looking back into Scoar Dale
It was a worthwhile short diversion in order to enjoy these views. From here we rejoined our original path and retraced our steps back to the start
Back at the start, swathes of wild garlic in Millington Wood
