Harewood Estate Circular
George and I have done the circular Harewood estate walk a few times now, once in the winter and recently in the spring. Both times, it was a really lovely experience. We started at Muddy Boots cafe for breakfast and began the walk from the car park at the village hall next door. The walk goes through the estate, past fields of deer, up through the woodland, and then adjacent to Harewood House in the highland cow fields! The varying terrains and environments are really enjoyable to walk through. We finished our walk back at the cafe, hitting 8.27km, taking 1 hr 55 with a little bit of elevation through the woodland area. It is a really accessible walk which is easy to follow and promises nature, wildlife and enjoyment through all the seasons! When we first did this walk in the winter months, it had been snowing, which provided a gorgeous landscape to look over throughout. Despite the snow and ice, the walk was still accessible and able to complete it without much issue. The cafe provided a welcome hot drink to balance out the cold! Going back in the spring was also lovely. We went with my parents and marvelled at the amount of bluebells everywhere. The bright, vibrant blues and purples were amazing to look at. Understandably, we had no problems with the accessibility of the walk at this time of year.
It is really nice to know that we have a local walk which is great all year round!
Parking: We parked at the village hall next to Muddy Boots Cafe for a donation of £5. Getting there early is important as there aren’t many spaces! Parking is available at Harewood House, but it is much more expensive.
Length: 8-10km, can be extended or shortened. Less than 200m elevation.
Food: Muddy Boots Cafe has breakfast and lunch options, good coffee and a really nice atmosphere inside.
Drive: We drove from Leeds, and it took about 20 minutes. No traffic on the weekend.
Route: The route has gravel paths, woodland areas and fields. Suitable footwear is recommended for wetter weather.
Accessibility: There is some elevation, but no stiles or climbs.
Landmarks: At the end of the walk, we could see Harewood House over the fields, as well as the local residents of deer and highland cows!
