It’s our favourite time of year. The time when you don the thick wooly jumpers, boots and take a walk into the leafy countryside. And, we’ve got a new North York Moors church trail to embark on this autumn – perfect for the time of year.
Taking in idyllic untouched villages, five historic churches along a picturesque route in the North York Moors, you’ll be hard pressed to find such a great mixture of beauty and history along one walk.
With a mix of Saxon and Norman era churches, it’s a real joy to take a trip back in time. Why not be one of the first to take on exciting new trail!
The route is said to take around six hours to complete for someone with a good pair of hiking boots, and a march on – maybe a bit longer if you’re like us and like to stop of for a swift pint on route.
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The 20km stretch passes though Bilsdale, Hawnby, Old Byland, Scawton and Cold Kirby. With names like that, you won’t be forgetting this unique route through one of Yorkshire’s National Parks.
The route of five churches is perfect for those you love a colourful past. The trail has a lot of interesting historic points to explore.
In Bilsdale, you’ll find St Hilda’s and St John’s churches, along with chapels at Chop Gate and Fangdale. Historical records trace Bilsdale St Hilda’s Church back to 1122, yet it’s likely the site held religious significance long before that date.
For example, All Saints at Hawnby was rebuilt in the fourteenth century after being raided by Scottish raiders, while St Michael’s at Cold Kirby stands close to an old road used by William the Conqueror’s army.
Currently, the local parish is in the works of erecting signposts to make the route clearer and safer for hikers and casual visitors to visit.
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Feature Image Credit: Photo © Scott Robinson (cc-by-sa/2.0)
