Helmsley and Rievaulx Abbey Walk

The route from the market town of Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey is a well-trodden one, but it never loses its capacity to delight and inspire. This 7-mile circular route climbs gently for sweeping views of town and castle before dropping down through charming bluebell woods to reach the peaceful village and tranquil ruins of Rievaulx Abbey. Either return the same way, or complete a circuit – and take in more stupendous views – via dramatically sited Rievaulx Terrace and Griff Farm, high above the abbey. Great for: history lovers, woodland wanders, big-sky views, list-tickers Length:7 miles (11km) Time: 4 hours Start/Finish: Cleveland Way car park, Helmsley Grid Ref: SE 609 838 OS Map: Ordnance Survey OL26 Refreshments:Helmsley, Rievaulx Abbey Toilets: Start/Finish of walk. About this walk Walk The walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx forms the first part of the Cleveland Way National Trail and is well signposted and waymarked. There are two woodland paths en route, with steps in places. At Rievaulx a 1½-mile (2.4km) section of the route follows a minor road to Rievaulx Abbey and up to Rievaulx Terrace – there is a concessionary footpath for part of the way but it is only available during the opening days and hours for the Terrace, so at other times you'll have to follow the minor road. From Rievaulx Terrace, please don't return to Helmsley by walking along the busy B1257 – use the concessionary field paths via Griff Farm instead. Dogs The walk passes through fields where sheep and horses may be grazing. Please keep your dog under control at all times, and always on a short lead when livestock are present. Rievaulx Abbey In 1131 a group of twelve French monks clad in long white cloaks first set their eyes on a serene site located deep in a wooded valley, nestled in the curve of the tranquil River Rye. They and their abbot, Stephen, set to and laid the foundations of what was to become the largest and richest Cistercian house in England. The monks cleared wasteland and forest, and built outlying granges, or farms, that supplied the abbey with food. The intriguing humps and bumps near Griff Farm are all that now remains of Griff Grange, the abbey's original 'home farm', where crops were grown to feed the brothers. At its height Rievaulx Abbey probably supported 140 monks and 500 lay brothers and servants. Such great wealth, and the monastic obedience to Rome, led Henry VIII to dissolve the monasteries – Rievaulx was suppressed in 1538 and left to decay. Evolution of an estate In 1689, Sir Charles Duncombe, a wealthy London banker, bought the extensive Helmsley Estate, associated since medieval times with Helmsley Castle. The castle was deemed unfit for gracious living and, in 1713, Thomas Duncombe erected the mansion of Duncombe Park, giving it elegant gardens and beautiful terraces with an Ionic temple overlooking the castle. Not to be outdone, his son, Thomas Duncombe II, built a third terrace on estate land at Rievaulx in 1758, with a Doric temple at one end and an Ionic temple at the other. It's this terrace that's now owned by the National Trust – decked with wildflowers in spring and summer, including primroses and orchids, and perfect for picnics and panoramic views. The mansion is still the home of the Duncombe family, and while the house isn't open to the public the gardens and parkland are. Did you know? The National Centre for Birds of Prey at Duncombe Park contains northern England's largest collection of raptors.