Hackfall Woods from Grewelthorpe
Hackfall is a hidden Georgian pleasure ground gone wild, where you run past ruined follies and a fountain hidden deep in the trees above the River Ure. There is nothing else quite like it.
Effort: Moderate distance, manageable climb
Underfoot: Some uneven or off-path ground
E2·T2 — how we grade routesA 9.8km loop through Hackfall Woods above the River Ure near Grewelthorpe, with around 230m of climbing. A short, atmospheric route through an 18th-century wild garden of follies, cascades and steep wooded paths.
Hackfall is a hidden Georgian pleasure ground gone wild, where you run past ruined follies and a fountain hidden deep in the trees above the River Ure. There is nothing else quite like it.
The route
Start near Grewelthorpe and drop into Hackfall Woods, following steep wooded paths down towards the River Ure and back up through the trees to close a 9.8km loop. The climbing is modest at around 102m, but it comes in sharp pitches on the valley sides, so it feels busier underfoot than the numbers suggest. It is a short, rich route that rewards curiosity as much as pace.
Hackfall
Hackfall is an 18th-century designed landscape, laid out by the Aislabie family of nearby Studley Royal as a deliberately wild and romantic garden. Left to nature for decades and now cared for by the Woodland Trust and the Hackfall Trust, it is a tangle of ancient trees, ruined follies, grottoes and cascades tumbling to the Ure. The centrepiece is Fisher's Hall and the restored fountain, which still plays in the woods. Paths thread steeply between the features, so the running is twisting and technical rather than fast.
Why it works
This is a route about atmosphere. The distance is short and the setting is unlike anywhere else in the area, a distinctive patch of woodland with history at every turn. It suits an easy day, a run with the family, or a change of pace from the open moor. The paths are steep, rooty and slippery when wet, and some drop close to the river, so take care with footing and keep children close near the water. Grewelthorpe and Masham are both a short distance away for food afterwards. Come in spring for the flowers or autumn for the colour, and pair it with the wider lanes around Grewelthorpe if you want to stretch the distance out. It is a useful change from the open moor when you want a shorter, more technical woodland run.
Steep, rooty woodland paths get very slippery when wet, and some run close to the River Ure with drops to the water, so take care with footing and keep children close.
Safety on this route
- No signal? Text 999 — pre-register first: text register to 999
- Tell someone your route and expected return time before you head out
Leave No Trace
- Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories.
- Please respect the countryside and all its inhabitants.
- Dogs on leads near livestock, and around ground-nesting birds from March to July.
- Gates as you find them — open or closed, leave it that way for the farmer and the next runner.
- Take it all home — wrappers, peel, tissue, the lot. It doesn't count as biodegradable if you can still see it.
- Stick to the path where the ground either side is wet, planted, or nesting habitat.
Common questions
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