Stage 8

​From Rievaulx Abbey turn left and walk with the River Rye on your right along the road until you reach Rievaulx Bridge. Cross the bridge and carry on along the road for approximately 500 yards till you reach a track going left just past a cottage. * Take this track.  

At the signpost take the track to the right. After a quarter of a mile there is a split in the path- carry straight on. After another quarter of a mile go through the gate on the left and off the track with a bridleway sign.  *

Your path now goes through gorse bushes and can be overgrown at certain times of the year..  Take the path through the wooden gate straight ahead. The path heads for a clump of trees ahead of you. * Head just to the right of the trees ahead of you. Follow this path through 2 fields heading for the farm buildings which are beside the A170. Your route is clearly marked and you come out through a gate on to the A170. Cross this with care and look to the right for a footpath sign in approximately 50 meters.

Turn left into the wood. *After 150 yards you come to a crossroads of paths and you turn left. After approximately half a mile you will meet the road from the A170 to Wass. Turn left here to join the road to Oswaldkirk and turn right to follow it along the wide verge for 1.5 miles, passing Studford Farm on your right. Turn left into the plantation on the bridleway.

Follow this bridleway through the plantation, passing Pry Rigg Farm on your right and crossing over 2 path junctions, looking out for a signpost with a St Aelred's Pilgrim Trail waymarker pointing to the right and out of the plantation. Head for the farm buildings ahead.

Carry on through the middle of Holly Bower Farm and continue on the farm track heading for Sproxton. The track meets the road between Hemsley and Hovingham. Turn left and you will see St Chad’s Church, Sproxton ahead of you on the right hand side of the road. This road is busy so take care to stick to the grass verge. 

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St Chad's Church, Sproxton