Walking back to happiness on the Mulgrave Estate

The award-winning Mulgrave Estate has launched the Mulgrave Walks, a collection of three brand-new routes through some of the most beautiful and varied landscapes in North Yorkshire.

The three interlinked walks, The Mulgrave Way, Foss Mill Crossing and Guard House Way, are the brainchild of Lord Normanby, (the author Constantine Phipps), who owns the Mulgrave Estate.

Together, these waymarked walks take in a rich mix of woodland, farmland, heritage features, as well as far-reaching views across valleys and coast. Around two thirds of the 17.4-mile combined network follow new concessionary paths created especially for this project.

Lord Normanby explained the inspiration behind this project: “I’m a keen walker myself and always have been. I saw a chance to create something for people who share this love. I have personally designed these routes and it has been a fascinating exercise to identify the best routes, taking many factors into account. I’ve enjoyed it immensely.

“The aim was to establish a grid of walks between the Esk Valley Way and the Cleveland Way, now the National Coastal Path. What I like, and what I believe most walkers like, is to be able to walk a continuous trail. There are lots of footpaths already in the area, some of which are great, but they don’t always link up. So, the idea was to create routes which give a continuous unbroken walk.

“Also, the existing paths weren’t always ideal. Some end at a busy and dangerous road, which you’d have to negotiate to reach the next village or the next piece of path. By offering an alternative route, we can avoid such unattractive options. In places an existing footpath didn’t always have the best views, and it’s been possible to improve this by creating an alternative”.

Lord Normanby was acutely conscious of how the new walks might affect tenants and businesses on the estate. He explained: “The tenants have been absolutely great and have supported the idea. I’m sure that in return walkers will have respect for them. Most walkers do understand that they are passing through a working environment, and respect that, and have care for farms which they pass through. As far as local businesses are concerned, walkers are potential customers and so represent an opportunity.”

• The specific routes are:
• The Mulgrave Way: SANDSEND TO GLAISDALE
• Foss Mill Crossing: SERVES AS A LINK BETWEEN THE TWO OTHER ROUTES (HUTTON MULGRAVE TO GOLDSBOROUGH)
• Guard House Way: RUNSWICK TO LYTHE

Ben Garstang, the Mulgrave Estate director, said: “Whether you’re heading out for a full day adventure, a family walk, or a peaceful moment in nature, the Mulgrave Walks offer something for everyone.

“The creation of these three walks has been made possible thanks to the vision of Lord Normanby, whose longstanding desire to share more of the estate’s landscape with the public has inspired the development of the Mulgrave Walks project.

“We are also sincerely grateful to our farming tenants, whose willingness to host new permissive paths through their working landscapes has been central to bringing this project to life.

“Delivery of the project has been led by our countryside manager, John Beech, with support from Terry Herron, who heads up our Forestry and Countryside team, and with valuable assistance from one of our estate volunteers. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all of my estate colleagues and those local contractors who have worked tirelessly to deliver these routes—from installing new gates, steps, pedestrian bridges and numerous waymarking posts, to preparing the route maps and developing the associated web content.

“It is my hope that the Mulgrave Walks will not only encourage more people to explore and appreciate this beautiful part of Yorkshire, but also help drive increased footfall to the many tourism and hospitality businesses in the locality.

“By drawing visitors throughout the year—including the quieter months between Autumn and Spring when traditional seaside tourism naturally slows— and turning days to stays we aim to support the wider rural economy and strengthen the vitality of our local communities.”

Meanwhile Joel Brookfield, director of recreation and wellbeing at the North York Moors National Park Authority, added: “We have worked closely with Mulgrave Estate on connecting their new paths into the existing public rights of way network through waymarking and other signage. The overall result is a massive improvement in access to landscapes and views in and around Lythe, Sandsend and Goldsborough that would otherwise be kept hidden.

“As one of our statutory purposes is to promote opportunities for the public to enjoy the special qualities of the National Park this initiative from Lord Normanby is very welcome. Nearly a century ago it was the ‘mass trespass’ of private land that ultimately led to the creation of the National Parks. Now we are in a position where a major landowner has made a significant commitment to open up his land for walkers to enjoy for years to come. We’ve come a long way.

“The benefits of walking in beautiful landscapes on the North York Moors and immersing yourself in nature are immense. You feel good, get fitter and get a better understanding of the natural world around you; also once you are there, there’s no admission charge. If walking was a drug, it would be seen as some form of miracle cure. We have over 1400 miles of paths in the North York Moors ready for people to use – and thanks to Mulgrave Estate we have even more miles for everyone to enjoy.”