In an effort to get out locally, I’ve been doing lots of hiking around Yorkshire. This hike around Kirkham Priory in the Howardian Hills was a fantastic short walk—perfect for a morning or afternoon of exploring. Better yet, it’s a great option for a car-free walk from York. The Howardian Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) just outside York, close to the North York Moors National Park. Here’s what you need to know about this walk from Kirkham Priory and along the River Derwent!

Starting the Hike

There are two options for parking. You can park at Kirkham Priory, which is free and has space for about 40-50 cars. Otherwise, you can drive further down the road and park at the Stone Trough Inn, a pub which has a large car park and is also free.

Kirkham Priory is worth visiting if you’re interested in history and heading to the area! I went a few years ago and it was fun to wander around the ruins of the priory. The site is run by English Heritage and there is an entrance fee—I love being a member and recommend it if you’re visiting! You can join English Heritage here. It is only open seasonally, more or less just in summer. Check out the Kirkham Priory website for more information on visiting.

You’ll want the OS Explorer Map 300: Howardian Hills and Malton for this walk. However, I found this walk and very useful directions on the Howardian Hills website (done by North Yorkshire County Council) and I didn’t feel like I needed a map. I definitely recommend having sturdy hiking boots for this walk, especially as some of the sections near the river were very muddy! You should also have a waterproof rain jacket and plenty of water and snacks—you can check out my outdoor gear guide for all my recommendations!

Hiking in the Howardian Hills

The walk goes over Kirkham Bridge and the railway line, before following a public footpath through Oakcliffe Wood. Maybe I took the wrong way up, but this “steep uphill path” was insanely steep! It was such a struggle and I had to sit down and have a lengthy break after getting to the top!

The route follows the path through the woods, takes you onto a road briefly, and through lots of fields and gates. Before you head downhill on a track, make sure to take a look around. There are amazing views over the Vale of York and the Howardian Hills here! This was one of my favorite spots of the walk.

Eventually, you’ll cross the railway line. We actually had to wait to cross, as trains going both ways were about to pass! This is part of the railway line out to Scarborough. It took me about 1 hour from Kirkham Priory to get to this point. About ¼ mile from the rail crossing, there is a small public footpath sign. Follow it all the way through the field.

You can see Howsham Hall in the distance—it is currently an events (wedding) venue, but there’s a lot of history. It used to be a school, but it was built using materials from the dissolved Kirkham Priory. As the legend goes, the family became cursed—“all male heirs of the estate will perish.” All of the families who have owned it have died without a male heir. Talk about creepy!!

Walking Back Along the River Derwent

The rest of the walk is very peaceful, as it takes you back along the River Derwent. I loved this part of the walk! There are some footbridges and sections of boardwalk. Again, this section of the walk was very muddy, so I recommend good footwear that you don’t mind getting dirty! I had a picnic lunch on the river banks at the end of the walk, and there were even people swimming here by Kirkham bridge!

This walk is approximately 5 miles and it took me 2.5 hours altogether. If you are doing this walk, I definitely recommend stopping at the Stone Trough Inn—they’ve got lots of outdoor seating! It’s always nice to grab a drink after a good walk.

Planning Your Trip

This is an excellent walk to do if you’re visiting York and want to get out and enjoy the countryside. There is public transportation available to get here from York, the Coastliner buses #840, 843, and 845. Get off at Whitwell-on-the-Hill, and from the A64 it’s just under 1 mile (15-20 minutes) to walk to Kirkham Priory. There is no train access, but you can get the train to York and then take one of the buses out. I always use Trainline to book my train tickets.

I did this walk as a daytrip from York. There are lots of places you could stay in York, or else you do have some options in Malton as well. You can search for hostels here, and for hotels and B&Bs here. You can also sign up to and search accommodation on Airbnb here. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

I had never really explored the Howardian Hills AONB before, but it was beautiful! It felt really quiet and scenic—definitely an underrated part of Yorkshire! You could easily combine this with a trip to Castle Howard, which is one of my favorite places in Yorkshire and a great daytrip from York. Or, you could just spend some time visiting Kirkham Priory, hiking around the Howardian Hills, and enjoying the pub. This is a fantastic short walk that is easily accessible from York. I hope this helps planning a hike around the Howardian Hills and Kirkham Priory!

Have you ever been to the Howardian Hills or Kirkham Priory before? Would you want to go?

You might like my other posts:

21 Best Places To Visit In The North York Moors

The Best Car-Free Walks From York, England

88 Incredible Places To Visit In Yorkshire

Hiking The Hole Of Horcum In The North York Moors

The Best Walks In And Around York, England

My Outdoor Gear Guide For Hiking And Camping In The UK

All posts in my Yorkshire category!

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