Scenes around Malton and Hovingham in Ryedale District and the Howardian Hills Region in North Yorkshire

Interesting places to visit, places to stay, good walking areas

See also the official website of the Moorsbus https://www.moorsbus.org/index.html

and  MOORSBUS - connecting places on the North York Moors National Park & surrounding areas

MAIN INDEX for Malton Area

Some notes about the Howardian Hill Country of Ryedale in North Yorkshire

1. Old Malton and St Mary's Priory Church

2. Entering 'New' Malton from the north - 'old' Malton merge 2/3 or 3/4?

3. 'New' Malton Town - buildings and streets

4. St Michael's & St Leonard's Churches in Malton

5. Kirkham Priory on the River Derwent

6. The villages of Whitwell-on-the-Hill and Crambe

7. A circular walk in The Howardian Hills from Whitwell-on-the-Hill to the village of Crambe, the River Derwent and on to Kirkham Priory (see also page 18)

8. CASTLE HOWARD and a circular walk from Welburn Village to Castle Howard & Shops

9. St Martin's Church Bulmer near Castle Howard

10. The Church and Castle at Sheriff Hutton

11. The Eden Camp World War II Museum near Malton

12. Scampston Village and Walled Garden

13. East Gilling and a Hovingham - Stonegrave Walk

14. Hovingham Village and Medieval Church

15. A circular walk from Slingsby via Hovingham

16. Walking north via Westow and south from Kirkham Priory on the banks of the River Derwent

17. Nunnington Hall and Gardens

18. The Yorkshire Arboretum on the Castle Howard Estate

Top left picture: Stain glass detail from St. Mary's Priory Church (below picture too), Old Malton. Top right picture: A fragment of stonework from the once great building of Kirkham Priory 5 miles south-west of Malton just off the A64 road to York.

As well as the lovely friendly town of Malton, close by is the wild moorland walking country of the North York Moors, the wider District of Ryedale in North Yorkshire, The rolling Howardian Hills and the Yorkshire Wolds, plus lots of lovely towns and villages to visit in these areas, many having particular interests and attractions for tourists-visitors in this part of Northern England. There is no shortage of accommodation from bed and breakfast, holiday cottages, hostels and hotels etc. Three such interesting villages are described by a few token photographs which I hope will encourage and enthuse you to visit them. I feel lucky to live in this are of outstanding natural beauty and can go out walking/motoring with a digital camera to happily explore and record in images-pictures what I see, but all is best scene 'live'!

The estate and great house of Castle Howard

*  Recommended books  *

The excellent walking guides "Walks on the North York Moors" Books 1 & 2 by Jack Keighley

"On foot in the North York Moors" 35 classic walks by Alan Hall

The Dalesman mini-book "Walking on the North York Moors" compiled by the Ramblers Association (North Yorkshire & South Durham Area)

"Ten Scenic Walks around Rosedale, Farndale and Hutton-le-Hole" by J. Brian Beadle.

The Dalesman mini-book "Exploring the North York Moors" by Malcolm Boyes is a useful location summary guide.

"Walks on the North York Moors - Book Three - Eskdale and the Coast" by Paul Hannon

"The Yorkshire Moors and Dales" by Rob Talbot and Robin Whiteman

"Yorkshire Landscapes" by Rob Talbot and Robin Whiteman

The entrance to Kirkham Priory (from inside the priory grounds)

St Michaels Church and houses in Market Place, Malton

Some notes about the Howardian Hill Country of Ryedale in North Yorkshire

The Howardian Hills in Ryedale are one of the most rewarding landscapes in North Yorkshire for a walker or visitor — a quiet, richly textured area of rolling limestone hills, deep wooded valleys, historic estates, and exceptionally pretty villages. They sit between the North York Moors, the Yorkshire Wolds, and the Vale of York, forming a distinctive “island” of hills with a character all of their own.

The following gives you a complete, walker‑friendly, tourist‑friendly portrait, grounded in the most authoritative recent sources.

1. What the Howardian Hills Feel Like

The Howardian Hills are a National Landscape (formerly AONB), designated for their outstanding scenery. Walkers experience a landscape of:

• Light‑dappled woodland, plantations, and ancient broadleaved woods.
• Meandering riverbank paths along the Derwent and Rye.
• Patchwork farmland, hedgerows, and gentle hills with long views.
• Jurassic limestone ridges overlooking the plains of York and Pickering.
• Veteran trees, wood pasture, and fen meadows, rich in wildlife such as barn owls, brown hares, and tree sparrows.

It is a calm, peaceful walking landscape, less dramatic than the Moors but more intimate and varied.

2. Walking in the Howardian Hills

The area is superb for walkers, with routes ranging from easy riverside strolls to longer estate and ridge walks.

⭐ Official walking routes

The Howardian Hills authority provides downloadable route guides, including:

• Terrington Walks
• Slingsby Walk
• Castle Howard Estate Walk
• Barton‑le‑Street Walk
• Nunnington Walk
• Three walks from Hovingham
• Three walks from Welburn

NYCC also provides additional leaflets, including:

• Coxwold & Beacon Banks
• Rye Along the River Rye
• Kirkham Priory & River Derwent

⭐ Popular circular walks (AllTrails)

• Welburn & Castle Howard Circular (5.5 miles) — woodland, estate views, gentle slopes.
• Kirkham Priory & River Derwent (4.6 miles) — priory ruins, farmland, riverside return.
• Castle Howard Circular (4.7 miles) — lakes, monuments, landscaped parkland.

⭐ Viewpoints

To celebrate the AONB’s 25th anniversary, 25 log seats were installed at the finest viewpoints — ideal for walkers wanting scenic rest stops.

3. History & Heritage for Visitors

The Howardian Hills are shaped by country estates, monastic ruins, and historic villages.

⭐ Country estates

The area is dominated by grand houses and landscaped parks:

• Castle Howard — one of the world’s great stately homes, with 1,000 acres of parkland, lakes, temples, and monuments.
• Nunnington Hall — riverside manor with gardens.
• Hovingham Hall — elegant Palladian house.
• Newburgh Priory — historic house with monastic origins.
• Ampleforth Abbey — abbey, cider mill tours, woodland walks.

⭐ Monastic & medieval sites

• Kirkham Priory — Augustinian priory in a dramatic Derwent valley setting.
• Howsham Mill — beautifully restored watermill demonstrating hydro‑power.

⭐ Archaeology

The hills contain Iron Age earthworks, medieval boundaries, and estate‑era follies.

4. Villages & Market Towns

The Howardian Hills are full of exceptionally attractive villages, ideal for walkers needing cafés, pubs, or supplies.

⭐ Villages

• Slingsby
• Hovingham
• Nunnington
• Terrington
• Welburn
• Husthwaite
• Crayke

These villages are known for stone and brick vernacular architecture, greens, and estate‑influenced layouts.

⭐ Market towns nearby

• Malton — “Yorkshire’s Food Capital”, full of artisan food shops and cafés.
• Helmsley — castle, walled garden, cafés, and walking hub.
• Pickering, Kirkbymoorside, Easingwold — all within easy reach.

5. Nature & Wildlife

The Howardian Hills are ecologically rich, with:

• Lowland broadleaved woodland
• Wood pasture and veteran trees
• Limestone and neutral grasslands
• Fen meadows

Characteristic species include:

• Barn owl
• Brown hare
• Lapwing
• Tree sparrow
• Rare plants such as knapweed broomrape and baneberry

6. Gardens & Outdoor Attractions

Walkers and tourists can enjoy:

• Yorkshire Lavender
• Helmsley Walled Garden
• The Yorkshire Arboretum
• Scampston Hall gardens

These are ideal for combining gentle walking with horticultural interest.

7. Cycling & Longer Trails

• The Bike Rides and Rambles leaflet gives an overview of cycling and walking routes.
• The Centenary Way passes through the Howardian Hills on its 83‑mile route from York to Filey.

⭐ 8. Why Walkers & Tourists Love the Howardian Hills

Because the area offers a rare combination of:

• Gentle but varied walking — woodland, rivers, ridges, parkland.
• Rich heritage — stately homes, priory ruins, historic villages.
• Peaceful scenery — quieter than the Moors or Dales.
• Excellent food stops — Malton, Helmsley, and village pubs.
• Wildlife‑rich habitats — owls, hares, wildflowers.
• Year‑round beauty — bluebells in spring, riverside shade in summer, autumn colour, winter views.

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