Since all my international travel plans have been ruined this year, I’ve been making an effort to explore locally around Yorkshire now that we can. Thankfully, there are so many amazing places that are nearby to me that I can get outside and discover! One of my favorite hikes so far has been in the Wainstones in the North York Moors. There are so many great walks in the North York Moors! Here’s my guide to the hike from Chop Gate to the Wainstones.

Starting the Wainstones Hike

The starting point for this hike is in the village Chop Gate, which has a car park and toilets at the village hall. Parking is done on a donation system, and costs £1 for all-day parking. For this hike, you’ll need the OS Map OL26 – North York Moors (Western Area). You can also find the route with directions (which you can print off) on the North York Moors National Park website! Be prepared for any hike—sturdy boots, plenty of water, and a waterproof rain jacket is a must. You can check out my outdoor gear guide for all my recommendations on what to bring for hikes!

The hike to the Wainstones first takes you out of Chop Gate, up a country track behind the church. You continue hiking up through several gates, and eventually, after about half an hour, come out onto open moorland in front of you. It’s pretty easy to follow the path straight on along the moor. There are some amazing views behind you back to Chop Gate, and on all sides of the different valleys!

Hiking to the Wainstones

Eventually you’ll reach the paved stone path of the Cleveland Way, at the far edge of the moorland. Turn right, and you’ll be able to see the Wainstones in front of you. We reached the intersection with the Cleveland Way after about 1.5 hours of hiking from Chop Gate. There is a steep descent, and another steep ascent up to the actual Wainstones themselves!

The Wainstones are the largest sandstone crags in the North York Moors National Park. They’re really popular with rock climbers—I definitely think Adam would want to come back here with his climbing gear! I loved getting to clamber over some of the rocks. The views from up at the top of the Wainstones were amazing!

This is such a cool area of the North York Moors, and definitely worth the hike out here! You can even see Roseberry Topping (the “Yorkshire Matterhorn”) from the Wainstones.

Hiking Back to Chop Gate

From the Wainstones, you’ll carry on following the Cleveland Way, heading east. There is another steep descent at Hasty Bank, and another steep ascent. If you aren’t a fan of hiking poles, I definitely recommend getting some—I didn’t think I would need them on this hike, and I regretted it! (Buy hiking poles on Amazon).

The views as you climb the final big ascent are phenomenal though! We got to the top of the hill just under 1 hour from leaving the Wainstones. At the public bridleway marker, turn slightly right to follow the bridleway.

Most of the rest of the hike back from the Wainstones follows the trail along Urra Moor. This is actually the highest point in the North York Moors! You’ll cross a gully or two and several streams as the path winds its way along Urra Moor.

After about 50 minutes since turning off the Cleveland Way and heading into Urra Moor, we started the descent. This passes through farmland and takes you back to Chop Gate via a few minor and main roads.

All in all, this hike is about 8 miles. It took us 4.5 hours from leaving the car at Chop Gate to getting back to the car. We still had plenty of breaks, and of course I stopped a lot to take photos. The North York Moors route advises 5.5 hours, so maybe we were just quick!

Planning Your Trip

There is very little public transportation to get to Chop Gate to start the Wainstones hike. There was a Moorsbus service (M4 route) from Thirsk to Guisborough that stopped in Chop Gate, however there are no planned 2020 Moorsbus services. Therefore, you will need a car to get here. Keep in mind that many of the roads to get to Chop Gate are narrow and you may need to use passing places if you meet another car. The roads from both Helmsley and Osmotherley are very hilly.

I did the Wainstones hike as a daytrip from York. It’s easy to get to Chop Gate with your own car from either York or most of the surrounding towns and villages in the North York Moors. You can search for hotels in the area here, or for hostels here! You can also sign up to Airbnb and search accommodation here. If you’re choosing to visit the Wainstones from a big city like York and traveling there by train, I recommend using Trainline to find the best deals on train tickets. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

The North York Moors National Park is one of my favorite places in the country, and I’m so grateful that I live so close to it! The hike from Chop Gate to the Wainstones was wonderful, with incredible views over the area. If you’re looking for a day trip in the North York Moors with a challenging hike and great scenery, the Wainstones would be a perfect choice! I hope this helps in planning a trip to the Wainstones!

Have you done the Wainstones hike or another hike in the North York Moors?

You might also like my posts:

21 Of The BEST Places To Visit In The North York Moors

The Best Hikes in the North York Moors

88 Best Places To Visit In Yorkshire

Quintessential Yorkshire: The Best 4 Daytrips From York

Hiking The Hole Of Horcum In The North York Moors

Walking From Whitby To Robin Hood’s Bay: One Of My Favorite Walks In Yorkshire

Visiting Helmsley And Rievaulx Abbey In North Yorkshire

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