Motte and Bailey Castle – Bentham Footpath Group

Middleham Circular

7.8 miles | 12.5 km | 298 m Ascent | 9.3 Naismith miles | Glyn Barnes
We enjoyed an excellent walk from Horsehouse to Carlton in Coverdale in March 2025, noting how quiet this lovely dale is in comparison to many of the others we have walked. That first impression is confirmed by this return visit where we explore the banks of the river Cover at Middleham, slightly downstream of our last visit – quite close in fact to the point where Coverdale and Wensleydale meet. Middleham claims to be the smallest town in Yorkshire, but it is a giant in the world of horse racing with its 15 professional stables earning it the nickname ‘The Newmarket of the North’.
As well as providing a particularly lovely riverside walk, this route, starting in Middleham, gives us much else of interest – Splendid Georgian architecture, all the horse racing infrastructure around the town, two (or perhaps 3) castles, a particularly lovely church and many good options for refreshment in the town centre. All with ample parking and well maintained toilets. Perfect.

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Askham

8.6 miles | 13.9 km | 317 m Ascent | 10.2 Naismith miles | Susan Badley
As a group, we put a huge amount of effort into researching our walks and scheduling them such that we make the most of the seasons. That diligent planning ensures that when we set out for the Levens Estuary (as we had always planned for this day), we do so safe in the knowledge that we will be enjoying the mid-august sunshine in complete safety.
Sometimes though, the weather doesn’t match our plan, and we find ourselves facing flood warnings on the route we had chosen: We are lucky that our walk leaders have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the area and can create a fresh walk out of thin air at short notice. This walk therefore is just such a piece of magic – a reprise of one that we did a few years ago which feels just as fresh and well prepared as usual. Keep checking the website to see whether we re-run the Spark Bridge and Levens Estuary walk, but in the meanwhile enjoy this excellent alternative.