A little-known long-distance trail, the Foss Walk runs for 28 miles between the Blue Bridge in York, to the source of the River Foss and beyond to Easingwold. Having hiked Hadrian’s Wall last year, I fell a bit in love with multi-day hiking adventures and completing a trail. In the last two years of the pandemic, as we all stayed closer to home, I explored large portions of the Foss. With strict restrictions in the UK that forbade driving to take exercise, when sometimes we could only leave the house for exercise once a day, I started to walk a lot more in my local area. This spring I set myself a goal: I’d walk the entire 28-mile Foss Walk, and complete the entire trail!
My walks along the River Foss in various lockdowns were a bright spot in a very bleak period of time. The river was my savior – I craved the open air of the countryside I was so used to visiting (like the North York Moors or the Yorkshire Dales). The trails along the Foss offered me glimpses of the peace and quiet I can find further away from the city. Before I set out to do the entire thing, I’d already done the first 9 miles of the 28 total miles!
I used public transport to get back to York at the end of the two days, and I loved getting the chance to see more of the area right outside York. You don’t need to go far from home or have a lot of time off work to have an adventure!
There isn’t much information on the walk, and I don’t personally know anyone who has done the entire trail. Here’s my guide for doing the Foss Walk from York to Easingwold!
| Interested in a FREE 10-page York Mini Guide?
Included in this York Mini Guide are:
|
 |
Hiking the Foss Walk
Length: 28 miles
Time: 2 days
Day 1: 13.4 miles (Strava), 5 hours
Day 2: 15.4 miles (Strava), 6 hours
Total Elevation: 378 meters
I chose to hike the Foss Walk over a weekend, as 28 miles in a single day would most likely be too difficult for me. I split the walk into two days: York to Sheriff Hutton (13 miles), and Sheriff Hutton to Easingwold (15 miles).
If two days seems too strenuous, you could easily break the walk into three days. For a three-day hike, I’d recommend: York to Strensall (9 miles), Strensall to Crayke (11 miles), and Crayke to Easingwold (8 miles).
I chose to go back home to York overnight, and used public transportation. I caught the Castle Line (Bus 181) from Sheriff Hutton back to York after the first day. My single ticket cost £3.90 – note there is no service for this bus on Sundays. After the second day, I took Bus 30/30X from Easingwold back to York. My single ticket cost £3.80. Unfortunately, there was no bus from York to Sheriff Hutton on a Sunday morning. So if you’re planning this walk on the weekend you’ll need to take a taxi – or have a very kind friend give you a ride early in the morning, like me!
Alternatively, you can stay overnight in Sheriff Hutton if you’re doing the Foss Walk over two days. This means you’d be able to start fresh in Sheriff Hutton first thing in the morning! There are some options on Booking.com. If you’re after a meal, I’d recommend the Highwayman pub for food – they’ve got a huge beer garden, too!
Foss Walk: Day 1 Highlights
The majority of the walk on the first day passes through York and the surrounding suburbs, so it does feel quite urban at times. There were a fair amount of people out walking their dogs when I was there! After leaving Strensall, the area feels much quieter and the trail goes through farms, fields, and small villages before reaching Sheriff Hutton.
The Blue Bridge and the River Foss through York
While I’m of course biased living in York, one of the best parts of the Foss Walk is walking along the river through the city center of York. The Blue Bridge is located right by the Foss Barrier, and next to the River Ouse – the bridge marks where the Foss empties into the Ouse. The original bridge was built in the 1730s, with the current bridge dating to 1930. After crossing Foss Islands Road, the trail goes right along the river, and it feels like such a calm oasis in an otherwise busy city.
I also really enjoyed following the river all the way out of the city and through the towns outside York. I crossed the river a total of 8 times on the first day, as the Foss Walk is right next to the river for the most part!
Huntington to Haxby
Starting at All Saints’ Church in Huntington, the Foss Walk follows the river up to Haxby. I loved this part, and it’s been one of my favorite sections of the trail to walk. It feels so peaceful and serene, even though you aren’t far from York and are just outside smaller towns! In lockdowns, this stretch gave me that countryside feeling when I wasn’t able to go any further from home.
Sheriff Hutton
Sheriff Hutton is a quiet and charming village on the Foss Walk, and also makes a perfect halfway or stopping point along the trail. There are a few pubs, shops, and a café in the village – but the main attraction is Sheriff Hutton Castle. Unfortunately, the castle is privately owned and only accessible as an events venue. However, you can still see the 14th-century castle ruins from the village.
Foss Walk: Day 2 Highlights
The second day of the Foss Walk is quiet, mainly passing through fields and farms, and a few small villages. You rarely walk along the river – and after hitting Oulston Reservoir, there is no river at all for the last 5 miles to Easingwold. However, the walking is relatively straightforward, and the route is signposted better than the sections on the first day.
Crayke
This is a pretty village on the border of the Howardian Hills AONB. Most of the village sits on a hill, overlooking the surrounding area. But the views are great and it was especially nice seeing all the daffodils in bloom here! I loved the houses on the main street – they reminded me of photos I’ve seen of Gold Hill in Shaftesbury.
Oulston Reservoir
The source of the River Foss! Oulston Reservoir is where it all begins – it felt like quite an accomplishment to finally reach the reservoir. It’s a brighter blue hue than I was expecting, and the sunshine meant it was a great place for a break. Pond Head Farm is just above the reservoir. This is your last glimpse of any semblance of the River Foss on the trail!
Oulston
Oulston is another quiet and charming village along the Foss Walk. It’s close to Oulston Reservoir, and has a pretty village green and quaint houses. There isn’t much here – there’s no pub or shop – but the tranquility makes it a nice rest stop.
Easingwold
The end of the Foss Walk is Easingwold: this is a market town with a good number of shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants, and transport links. I absolutely loved seeing all the blossoms in the marketplace, by the Town Hall! You could easily spend a whole morning or afternoon wandering around Easingwold. The Foss Walk finishes here, but unfortunately there is no sign or plaque to denote this (as far as I can tell – and trust me, I looked!). That being said, it’s great to end the walk where there are plenty of options for a pint to celebrate!
What to Pack for the Foss Walk
I was lucky to hike the Foss Walk on a beautiful weekend, with warm, sunny weather on both days! However, as with any outdoor activity in the UK, you should be prepared for the weather to change. I always recommend packing lots of layers.
Hiking Boots
Although the paths on the trail are (for the most part) quite good, I always recommend a pair of sturdy hiking boots, preferably that are waterproof. I absolutely love my Scarpa Mistral boots! And I have put in a lot of miles on them over the last ~2 years!
Rain jacket/rain pants
Even if the weather forecast looks good, you should always bring a waterproof jacket and pants anytime you’re outdoors in the UK. I recently invested in a new Rab rain jacket, the Rab Women’s Downpour Eco. Thankfully I didn’t need it on the Foss Walk, but it’s an excellent rain jacket.
OS Maps
The Foss Walk isn’t particularly well-signposted, especially the first 10 miles or so. It’s not really signposted in York city center at all. I’d recommend having the OS Maps app – this is what I use! You can also buy three OS maps that cover the Foss Walk: OS Explorer 290: York, OS Explorer 300: Howardian Hills & Malton, and OS Explorer 299: Ripon & Boroughbridge.
Backpack
For this hike, I actually used my 65L Osprey Aura backpack. I didn’t need most of the space, but I wanted to have something with hip straps to help distribute the weight over two long days of walking. I easily could have used my Berghaus Twnty4Seven Plus backpack, which is 30L.
Hiking Poles
I am a huge fan of hiking poles – they’ve allowed me to do things my knees just wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise! I didn’t really use my poles for the first few miles, but I like walking with them and used them for most of the Foss Walk. There are very few steep sections that necessitate hiking poles, but I personally find them good for posture/balance, too.
Snacks/water/miscellaneous
Always make sure you bring enough water and snacks on any hike or outdoor activity! I brought two water bottles with me, which lasted me through the day, along with lots of snacks. It’s also a good idea to pack a first-aid kit just in case. If you’re lucky enough to do the Foss Walk on a sunny day, don’t forget sunscreen!
The Foss Walk was a terrific challenge for me: very close to home, doable over a weekend, and an area that I’d already explored quite a bit during lockdowns. So often we think we need to travel far or have a lot of time to go on epic adventures. But you can also find an adventure nearby that you can do in a weekend! I did what I could to travel sustainably, and use public transportation over the two days.
The Foss Walk might not be as popular as Hadrian’s Wall or the West Highland Way, but it’s a fantastic trail for anyone wanting to explore the local area around York. I hope this guide helps plan your hike along the Foss Walk!
Have you ever hiked part of the Foss Walk? Or done the whole thing? I’d love to hear your experiences!
You might also like my posts:
The Best Walks In and Around York, England
20 Things to Do in York That Are Absolutely FREE!
York to Bishopthorpe: A Perfect Short Walk From York
The Ultimate Yorkshire Guide: 99 Incredible Places to Visit in Yorkshire
Kirkham Priory: A Short Walk in the Howardian Hills
All of my hiking posts!
All of my York posts!
Like this post? Pin it for later!
| Interested in a FREE 10-page York Mini Guide?
Included in this York Mini Guide are:
|
|
[…] Read More: The Foss Walk: Hiking the River Foss from York to Easingwold […]
[…] Read More: The Foss Walk: Hiking the River Foss from York to Easingwold […]