One of the best things about staying at Fieldroot Retreat is the walking. Step out of your bell tent and you're immediately on quiet country lanes and ancient footpaths that wind through some of Yorkshire's loveliest countryside.
Here are five of our favourite walks, all starting from or near the retreat.
1. The Barmby Moor Village Loop (2 miles, 45 minutes)
The perfect after-dinner stroll. Head out from the retreat along the lane into the village, past the church of St Catherine, loop around the quiet back roads, and return through the fields. Flat, easy, and beautiful in the evening light.
2. Pocklington Canal Towpath (4 miles, 1.5 hours)
A ten-minute drive takes you to the canal towpath at Melbourne. Walk along the still water through reed beds teeming with wildlife — kingfishers, herons, and dragonflies in summer. Flat and easy underfoot, perfect for a relaxed morning.
3. Allerthorpe Common (3 miles, 1 hour)
Just a few minutes from the retreat, Allerthorpe Common is a lowland heath — rare in Yorkshire. Walk through heather, birch woodland, and open heath. In late summer the purple heather is stunning. Keep an eye out for woodpeckers and tree pipits.
4. Skipwith Common Nature Reserve (3-5 miles, 1.5-2.5 hours)
One of the best lowland heathlands in northern England. A short drive from Barmby Moor, this National Nature Reserve offers several waymarked trails through open heath, wetland, and woodland. Nightjars breed here in summer — stay until dusk and you might hear their churring call.
5. The Yorkshire Wolds Way — Millington Dale (6 miles, 3 hours)
For a longer adventure, drive fifteen minutes to Millington and pick up this section of the Yorkshire Wolds Way. The dry chalk valleys are unlike anywhere else in Yorkshire — dramatic, empty, and utterly peaceful. The views from the top are worth every step of the climb.
Before You Go
We keep a folder of walk guides and OS maps in each bell tent. Wear decent boots (the paths can be muddy after rain), bring water, and don't forget your binoculars — the birdlife around Barmby Moor is exceptional.