Reeth Stepping Stones

The beginning of the walk, crossing fields towards Healaugh.

Directions to Reeth Stepping Stones

Walk instructions should be used alongside a map.

1. Beginning from the village Green head towards the Black Bull Hotel, and then in a leftwards direction towards the road sign for Anvil Square. You pass the Ice Cream parlour on your left. Ahead, on the side of the Old Smithy, you will see a sign that reads ‘to the river’. Do what it says!

2. Follow the footpath that runs through the houses. It will come out at a residential road. Here, turn left.

3. Head down the road until you reach the T junction at the bottom. You will see a signpost against the wall pointing in the direction of the swing bridge. Turn right, and head along the walled track out of the village, you will pass a play area on your right as you do so (what 3 words: daunting.cropping.footpath.)

4. Continue along the track until you reach a metal gate into the field. You are continuing to head straight on, with the river on your left at this point. The footpath heads straight on across the fields passing through three more field boundaries with little gates in them. Note: one of the fields contained cows at the time of walking this for the first time (not the latter) just for those who are concerned!

5. The path is very much a keep heading straight on affair. You will pass through a couple of gaps in the next couple of boundaries, then a stile and further gates, following the line of the hedgerow and fence to your left, until you reach a cow house (it’s like a tiny barn).

6. Here, the path will gradually rise rightwards, closer and closer to the edge of the road, until it almost meets it in the hamlet of Healaugh. At this point, head through the gate and turn left before the first properties (there is a signpost pointing left to Reeth and Grinton via Riverside), follow the signpost and head through the metal gate.

7. Follow the footpath heading downhill through the field, keeping the wall closely to your left. You will then meet another gate and after that, the river and stepping stones.

8. 2021 NOTE (and 2024 update): At the time of first walking this, there were footpath closures for maintenance work. So we did not cross the stepping stones, but stopped for a play. Continue to point 10 to continue to the updated 2024 circular route. If the stepping stones are impassable, head back using point 9. A simple stroll back along the riverside to the start point.

9. Stepping stones impassable? Before the steps down to the river, turn left and head back along the near shore of the river. Take the clear path that follows the northern edge of the River Swale all the way back to Reeth.

10. Stepping stones fine? Head down the steps to the stepping stones and cross them. Climb the steps on the opposite bank and turn left. Continue along the very clear and well surfaced walk way.

11. Head through a gate, and soon after, the path will start to head away from the river’s edge along a wide grassy path, to a dry stone wall in the distance. When you are closer to the wall, you’ll head through a wooden gate, and turn left along side the far side of the wall.

12. After a short distance, you’ll see a small wooden footbridge on your left, heading over a ditch, just at the corner of a field. Cross this and head in the direction of the swing bridge crossing the river ahead.

13. Cross the metal swing bridge to the other side and then turn right. Head through another gate and continue across a further small wooden footbridge across to a further gate. Head through that, then at the top turn right and head back past the park into Reeth!

Last walked September 2024.

Crossing the stepping stones in the late Summer

An epic hiding tree…

The swing bridge over the River Swale on the return to Reeth