Kilburn White Horse Circular

5.5 miles, warm and mostly sunny

When describing this walk in The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills, Tom Scott Burns warns the reader that there is a car park charge at the Information Centre at Sutton Bank.  I wonder what the fee was in 1988 when the book was written and how it compares with today's (2013) charge of £4? 

 Looking across to the cliffs of Roulston Scar

 Memorial near the Gliding Club

 Looking down to Gormire Lake from the escarpment near to the car park

Leaving the car park we walked along the gravelled path towards the dramatic cliffs of Roulston Scar.  The path is used by the Cleveland Way and is adjacent to Sutton Bank Gliding Club which was busily launching gliders into the air, some pulled and released by a small plane and others winched up, the line dropping from the glider as it crossed Roulston Scar. As we walked past the end of the runway a tow-plane and its glider passed straight over our heads.

 The gliding club at Sutton Bank

Tow plane nearly blows my cap off 

The path passed alongside the top of the famous White Horse and we saw an area of white limestone chips, probably the head of the horse.  It was impossible to make out the features of the horse from so close up and sadly, at no time on our walk did we get a view of the whole animal!

 Another view of Roulston Scar

 The view towards Thirsk from the escarpment

 National Trust path above the White Horse

 These white stone chips are our only view of the White Horse

A steep descent took us down to a car park and we then joined a track alongside the road which eventually led us to another car park next to Acre House, where we turned right onto a bridleway.

 

We then walked for some time through woods until we emerged with a nice view across to Hood Grange Farm.  We decided we had walked far enough without refreshment and sat enjoying our scones and coffee, watching the gliders swooping above us.

 Looking up towards Roulston Scar

 Gliders swooping above us

 Looking across at Hood Grange Farm from our coffee stop

Dark clouds threaten as Clive walks towards Hood Grange Farm

A straight path to Hood Grange Farm and then across the A170 road and onto a pleasant trail that led us to High Cleaves Farm.   After the farm a stiff climb took us to Gormire Lake, a surprisingly large expanse of water.  We walked round the lake, puzzled that such a beautiful spot was empty of people during the summer holidays, and then started another steep climb through trees to Sutton Brow and leading to our car park.

 Our first glimpse of Gormire Lake

 Looking through bull-rushes across Gormire Lake

This was an enjoyable walk but many of the paths we walked are managed by the National Trust or Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and were overly maintained, so there was no feeling of being alone in the natural environment.