Paddy Dillon in his Cicerone Guide suggests a circular walk from Rievaulx Abbey to Old Byland and back. He notes correctly that parking at Rievaulx is pretty tight. So I thought I’d do it as a circular walk from Old Byland. This meant starting at the highest point, going down and then up, which feels all wrong to some, but I’m not so bothered. I parked in Old Byland. It’s high up here and there was still snow lingering about. I took the the minor road north. After a bit it turns sharply left and gets steep. Lot of ice on the road surface made this awkward. I was glad not to be driving down here.
Near the bottom of the hill, near Caydale Farm, a footpath off left took me off through the woods to Tylas Farm. From there I followed the River Rye to Bow Bridge and then crossed a horsy field to the ruins of the once mighty Cistercian Rievaulx Abbey where I gave some money to English Heritage and had a look round. It is beautiful here. The English Heritage tea room isn’t very nice though. From here I walked south to Rievaulx Bridge, right across this, on past Hagg Hall to pick up the Cleveland Way through Nettledale with its little lakes, over some stepping stone and up through Nettledale Wood and old some muddy fields in beautiful winter sunshine back to Old Byland
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