Hole of Horcum Walk Page

🥾 Hole of Horcum Walk — The Devil’s Punchbowl

The Hole of Horcum is one of the most dramatic natural features in the North York Moors — a vast, bowl‑shaped valley carved out over thousands of years. Locals call it the Devil’s Punchbowl, and when you stand at the rim looking down, it’s easy to see why.

This walk combines sweeping moorland views, peaceful valley paths, and the charming village of Levisham. It’s one of the most rewarding circular walks in Yorkshire.

📍 Walk Overview

• Distance: 5 miles (8 km)

• Difficulty: Moderate

• Terrain: Moorland tracks, valley paths, village lanes

• Time: 2.5–3 hours

• Start/Finish: Saltergate Car Park (A169)

• Best for: Big views, photography, peaceful moorland walking

• Equipment : walking boots or strong shoes. Maybe a map-OS Explorer OL27 (North York Moors - Eastern

🚌 Getting There: Coastliner Bus from York & Whitby

One of the best things about this walk is how easy it is to reach without a car.

The York → Malton → Pickering → Whitby Coastliner 840 stops right near the start of the walk, at the Saltergate stop on the A169.

This makes the Hole of Horcum one of the most accessible moorland walks in Yorkshire.

🚗 Starting Point: Saltergate Car Park

From the car park, you get one of the best viewpoints in the North York Moors. The entire Punchbowl opens up beneath you — a huge natural amphitheatre shaped by ancient landslips. The car park is a pay and display. There are no toilets. Information board shows details of the walks.

Take a moment here to take it all in. It’s spectacular.

🥾 The Descent into the Punchbowl

Follow the clear path down into the valley. The descent is steady and not too steep, with heather and bracken lining the route. As you drop lower, the scale of the Punchbowl becomes even more impressive.

🌿 Valley Floor: Quiet, Peaceful, Atmospheric

At the bottom, the walk becomes gentle and quiet. You’ll follow a grassy path through the centre of the Punchbowl, surrounded by steep slopes on all sides.

🏡 Levisham Village

The path climbs gradually out of the valley and leads you to Levisham, a small, charming village with stone cottages and wide moorland views.

The Horseshoe Inn is a classic Yorkshire pub if you fancy a break.

🌄 Return via the Moorland Ridge

From Levisham, follow the moorland track back towards Saltergate. This final stretch gives you huge open views across the moors, especially in late afternoon light.

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