Farndale daffodil valley walk
We have done the Farndale daffodil walk on many occasions. If you love spring flowers then you will enjoy this easy walk, just half an hour from Hinderwell. Every spring, usually mid-March to mid-April, the walk is full of thousands of wild native daffodils nodding their heads in the breeze, forming a sea of yellow along a stretch of the pretty meandering river Dove. As you walk, the gentle babble of the river provides a soothing soundtrack, punctuated by the singing of birds and the rustle of leaves.
The walk is an easy walk on relatively flat paths, with just a couple of short inclines, but with quite a few gates to open. The walk follows the river Dove and you walk through pretty woodland and fields. The daffodils are on both sides of the walk, and you also get the view of the hills and moors. There is an alternative return route that climbs through farm fields for some lovely valley views.
The walk starts from Low Mill car park at Farndale (YO62 7UY) and is a 3-mile linear walk to Church Houses and back. Dogs must be on a lead and please keep to the paths. You can stop at the ‘Daffy Caffy’ on the way or there is also The Feversham Arms pub at Church Houses. The walk does attract a lot of visitors especially at a weekend, so ideally go early or mid-week.
The walk is special in spring with the daffodils, but is a lovely walk at any time of the year. Even after the daffodils fade, the magic of Farndale remains. The pungent aroma of wild garlic soon replace the yellow, creating a new, equally captivating spectacle.
Some think that the first daffodil bulbs were planted by the medieval monks of nearby Rievaulx Abbey, or by a Catholic priest in the 1600’s called Father Postgate who worked undercover and disguised himself as a gardener.
However, the wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) is actually a native plant that thrives in the cool damp conditions. The daffodils are protected within the Farndale Nature Reserve which was established in 1955 to safeguard the valley’s famous flowers.
Farndale is just a 10-minute drive from Hutton le Hole, so the daffodil walk can be combined with a visit to the pretty moorland village of Hutton le Hole and the outdoor Ryedale Folk Museum. We love the museum and it is also dog friendly.
If you are not going via Hutton Le Hole, your journey will take you via Blakey Junction with stunning views - it is worth a stop to look at the views and read the information board about Blakey Junction and the Rosedale Railway
