richmond – easy walk

Richmond – Easy Walk

An easy walk round Richmond which passes by Easby Abbey and ends up at the spectacular Richmond Castle - Richmond itself is steep but this walk avoids steep inclines until the very end. The walk can be completed in a few hours and extra time can be spent exploring the Abbey and Castle.

Getting ThereFrom Middlesbrough and Stockton take the A66 to Darlington and then follow the A1 to Scotch Corner. Then look for the A1608 which will take you to Richmond town centre.  There's ample parking spaces at the Nuns Close car park which is situated past the cricket club as you follow the A1608 and turn right into Hurgill Road signposted as a long stay car park.

Richmond walk route

Leave the car park and turn right and then left to follow the road you just drove down until you reach the first roundabout. At the roundabout go straight ahead down Ryders Wynd

At the bottom of Ryders Wynd turn left then go right into Station

Road. Just past the church take a left into Lombards Wynd.

Turn right at the next junction and follow the track until you eventually pass the Drummer

Boy Stone on your right.

               Drummer Boy Stone

At the end of the18th century, the story says, soldiers in Richmond Castle discovered a tunnel that was thought to lead to Easby Abbey. They sent their drummer boy down it, beating his drum so they could follow him from above ground. His route is beside the river towards the Abbey. At the spot now marked by the Drummer Boy Stone, the drumming stopped and he was never seen again.

You can now see the full splendour of Easby Abbey to

your left. You can make a detour here to explore the Abbey

through the gate to your left.

 In 1152 Roald, the Constable of

Richmond Castle, granted land to a group of Premonstratensian canons to build an abbey on the banks of

the River Swale, within sight of the soaring towers of his castle. Roald

did not own the castle, but administered it on behalf of his

patron, Conan, Earl of Richmond. But Roald was certainly a wealthy

man, probably through marriage to Garsia, widow of Enisan Murdac, who held large estates around

Richmond after the Norman Conquest.

The new abbey may not have been the first religious foundation at Easby; circumstantial evidence suggets that there was a community of priests here in the Saxon period, perhaps associated with a minster church. It is unusual that Roald chose to establish a Premonstratensian house, though.

 Beyond the car park in the Abbey turn right along the

track and follow the track with the wall to your left to Love

Lane House.

Turn right over the old railway bridge.

Follow the track bed for a while until you come to The

Station. The Station is a leisure and shopping complex with its own bakery, cinema, some

shops and a café. Ideal for a pitstop!.

 Turn left up the road and then turn right into Priory Villas and bear right to go in front of the

houses.

Go through three waymarked gates keeping parallel to the

river. you should have a great view of Richmond

Castle to your left.

Continue passing some playing fields and a clubhouse. This will then bring you onto a road- turn left and go over Richmond Bridge. Then look for the Castle Hill turning to your left- this is very steep and will take you to the town square. From here you can then enter Richmond Castle and explore its remains.

After you have left Richmond Castle make your way back to the car park by leaving the main town square and ending up on Ryders Wynd and re trace your steps to the car park.