Aysgarth Circular via West Burton

Route summary - Car park near Freeholders Wood, Yore Bridge, Burnt Lea, West Burton, Poor's Land, Morpeth Scar, Knight's Templar Preceptory, Hestholme Bridge, Yore Bridge, car park.

Aysgarth is famed for the Aysgarth Falls, a series of waterfalls stretching over a half mile section of the River Ure. The falls are in three parts called the upper, middle and lower falls. Aysgarth is a Viking name deriving from 'Ayks kerth' meaning a gap in the hills where oak trees grew.

We joined the footpath at the back of the car park, joined the road and crossed over Yore Bridge with views of High Force on our left. Immediately after the bridge is a set of steps which led us up to the church.

Passing through West Burton and crossing the footbridge (019867) with good views of a waterfall on our right, we followed the path through Poor's Land to a wall (027865).

Climbing up through 'Poor's Lands'

The Knight's Templar Preceptory is a chapel dating from around 1200 and served originally as a preceptory of the Knights Templars, an international military order established in 1120 to protect pilgrims on their journey to the Holy Land, whose members were subject to monastic vows.

A bridle path was then followed until reaching a tee junction (038882). Turning left here we followed a path passing the remains of a Knight's Templar Preceptory.

Once we reached the A684 we turned left. After crossing the Hestholme Bridge we turned right onto a footpath, passing by Low Force, Middle Force then back to Yore Bridge and the car park.