Popular walkers’ trail is now free from stiles

The Yorkshire Wolds Way, a 79-mile walk from Hessle on the Humber estuary to Filey Brigg, has become the first National Trail to be free of stiles.

The final stile, near the village of Muston, close to Filey, was removed recently by North Yorkshire County Council. This followed a diversion of the route where, with the support of the landowner, a potentially dangerous road section of the trail has been diverted onto adjoining farmland.

Sixteen stiles have been removed in the past two years from the 36-mile stretch of the walk that runs through North Yorkshire. The work was completed with the help of a grant from Natural England.

The aim of removing the stiles and replacing them with gates or gaps is to make the walk accessible to as many people as possible. Achieving this has been a joint effort between North Yorkshire County Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and National Trails.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for Access to the Countryside, said: “The Yorkshire Wolds Way passes through a beautiful part of Yorkshire, including stunning landscapes, lively market towns and historic villages, so it is good news that this walk is now accessible to as many people as possible.

“We would like to thank all the landowners along the route for their support in changing stiles to gates over the years, particularly Philip Winter from West End Farm at Muston, who agreed to the trail being diverted away from a busy road into his field. This was a great safety improvement for walkers, and facilitated the removal of the last stile on the route.”

Malcolm Hodgson, National Trails Officer for the Yorkshire Wolds Way, said: “This is fantastic news. Now that the last stile has gone we can encourage people of all abilities to venture onto the trail and discover the stunning beauty of the Yorkshire Wolds.”