Walk Distance: 1 km (but you can walk much further if you’re up for it)!
Walk Duration: 20 minutes
Ordnance Survey: OS Landranger 101 Scarborough, OS Explorer 301 Scarborough, Bridlington & Flamborough Head;
Suitable for: All the family, the route is mainly on board-walk but is too narrow for most pushchairs. Please note the boards can be slippy when wet so shoes with a grip rather than wellies are advisable.
Walk Features: Woodland walking, waterside walking, good views of the Forge Valley (north direction), wildlife spotting (maybe even an otter if you are very lucky)!
Kate says:
The Forge Valley is a beautiful area of mixed deciduous woodland in a glacial valley formed by the melt-water from the last ice-age. The River Derwent runs through the forest here providing a little oasis of tranquillity beneath the brooding hills of the North York Moors. Wildlife abounds here and if you look carefully, you may find traces of the otters who have been reintroduced to this area.
The walk is a simple there-and-back-again route, following a board-walk north along the river, although you can walk in either direction. We had been planning to make a loop back across the hill tops but the path was too overgrown and we ran out of time to explore further. With the route south looking equally enticing though you can walk as far or near as you have time and inclination for.
Sneak Peak:
Walk Description:
The River Derwent Otter Walk starts from the small car park off Seavegate road.
With your back to the road, head out of the car park onto the path to the right.
Pass over the bridge and turn right, following the board walk along the riverside. Keep straight, ignoring steps to the left.
The path continues on following the course of the river until it curves around to the left. Here the views open out through the trees into the glacial valley beyond. It’s a pretty spot.
From here, we headed up the hill to explore a return route through the moorland but unfortunately the path was far too overgrown to tackle. Instead we returned along the way we had came. It is possible to continue further along the path skirting fields as you follow the course of the river.
The path also leaves the car park in the opposite direction to the left of the far side of the bridge. You can walk this way on a simple there and back again walk or there is a long circuit you can make although you will need a map for this as we did not have time to explore the route on this occasion.
Map of Route:
Directions:
Free parking is available just of Seavegate Road, just north of East Ayton. See the map below for exact location.
QR Code:
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