Route: Thixendale
Area: North Yorkshire
Date of walk: 21st May 2025
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 4.3 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: Sunny
Thixendale is a secluded village set in the high wolds in an area of international archaeological importance. Ancient Neolithic, Bronze and Iron age burial sites have been found here, and the natural chalk grasslands around the village are a rare and important habitat. It’s also a wonderful base for walkers – the Yorkshire Wolds Way, the Chalkland Way and the Centenary Way all pass through Thixendale
As on our last visit here, we parked near St Mary’s Church. The church, as well as a vicarage, school and schoolmaster’s house were added in the 1870’s by the then landowner Sir Tatton Sykes. The village was once part of the vast Sledmere estate, reminding me of a recent visit to Sledmere House, also owned by the Sykes family
We headed west out of the village, turning off the road after a short distance to climb up a chalk track to Cow Wold. We were now on the Yorkshire Wolds Way, retreading a path we’d followed nine years ago when walking this long distance route from Hessle to Filey. It was a case of up hill and down dale as we descended from the wold and then ascended Vessey Hill, but it was all easy going thanks to the gently rolling nature of the chalk landscape in these parts. Along the way we were serenaded by skylarks
Beyond Vessey Hill we turned east to follow a path above Wharram Percy Farm. At this point the walk could be extended (by about three miles) to include a visit to the nearby site of the medieval village of Wharram Percy. We headed south instead on the final leg of the walk, which took us back towards Thixendale along the Chalkland Way, a 40 mile long distance walk around the Yorkshire Wolds. We were lucky that sun and cloud had combined on this walk to show the Yorkshire Wolds landscape at its best
To cap off a wonderful morning we visited the gallery of wildlife artist Robert Fuller, situated just outside the village. I highly recommend this short detour. The gallery not only sells paintings and gifts, but also has live webcams trained on the local wildlife, plus photos and information boards – it’s a place which is full of interest
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#
This is England - a red letter box, a red phone box and a thatched cottage as we walk out of Thixendale
We turn right here to follow a chalk path
The start of a gentle climb up to Cow Wold
Looking down to the Manor House at the western edge of the village
Looking back to Thixendale, nestled deep in the wolds
View along Thixen Dale (two words when applied to the valley)...
We continue to climb up to Cow Wold
The Rigg, which separates Thixen Dale (left) from Water Dale (right)
Following the Yorkshire Wolds Way and the Centenary Way across Cow Wold
We leave the chalk track here and follow the waymarked path beside the hedge
We descend Vessey Hill into Vessey Pasture Dale
Looking across Vessey Pasture Dale
Our path will take us beside the chalk path below and back up onto the wold
We arrive in Vessey Pasture Dale
A tempting path along the dale, but we carry on to climb out of it
We follow a path beside the chalk path on the right
Looking back
We continue the gentle ascent up the wold
We pass through a small area of woodland lined with wildflowers and turn right
Looking back along the path
North Plantation on our right
One of the distinctive Yorkshire Wolds Way marker posts. We turn right just beyond this point
Looking into Deep Dale
Wharram Percy Farm
We follow a path in the opposite direction which heads back towards Thixendale...
Court Dale below
We pass through the gate above Court Dale
Honey Dale on our right
Court Dale below
Looking back into Honey Dale
We arrive at the end of Court Dale and turn right to enter into Water Dale
We follow a vague waymarked path along Water Dale
We walk past Thixendale cricket ground. The ground is parched thanks to an absence of rain for several weeks
We arrive back at St Mary's Church Thixendale, and the end of a fantastic walk on the wolds
Work in progress at the nearby Robert Fuller Gallery, a 'must see' for anyone in the area
Follow the link for more walks in North Yorkshire (148)
