Wharram Percy

Wharram Percy

Route: Wharram Percy

Area: North Yorkshire

Date of walk: 11th March 2019

Walkers: Andrew 

Distance: 6.9 miles

Ascent: 600 feet

Weather: sunny, with a cold strong wind

Wharram Percy is among the biggest and best-preserved of the thousands of deserted medieval villages in Britain. The surrounding area is well served by a network of footpaths, giving various possible routes for a circular walk visiting this fascinating place

I parked in the nearby village of Wharram le Street, and after a short diversion to the lovely church of St Mary’s turned off the road to join the Yorkshire Wolds Way. It was a glorious morning, and the big skies enhanced the rolling chalk landscape. I followed a farm track across a field, and then joined a quiet country lane which passed by Bella Farm. Just beyond the farm the Centenary Way provides a shortcut to Wharram Percy, but the weather was far too good today and so I continued straight ahead

A little further on, another shortcut presented itself but again I declined the opportunity and departed from the Wolds Way to follow a public footpath along Raisthorpe Wold. There were some sweeping views over the surrounding countryside, and it was a worthwhile detour in weather like this. I rejoined the Wolds Way which took me above the rim of Deep Dale, a beautiful section of the walk. On rounding a corner St Martin’s Church came into view. This is the only building which still stands in Wharram Percy, and is set in a wonderful position at the foot of the dale and beyond an ancient millpond

I descended to the former village and wandered around the site for a while. There are various information boards which outline the locations of the former medieval houses, cottages and paddocks. Extensive research has been carried out here, and evidence of pre-historic and Roman occupation has been uncovered

Beyond Wharram Percy I followed a track to Station House and here forked off to the right to follow Station Road back into Wharram le Street to end a superb walk

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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