From Cobdale Cottage

 If you want a slightly shorter dog walk, miss out the first section along the Minster Way and up to Huggate by taking Cobdale Lane. Pros - You'll avoid lots of road walking / Cons - You'll miss lovely views over Well Dale & Rachel's tearoom. 

1. Park up on the side of the road just after Cobdale Cottage, on Cobdale Lane heading towards Huggate. There is limited space here but you can get well off the road. This walk heads off along the Minster Way / Hawold Bridle Road, which is a lovely stretch overlooking Well Dale and Saintofts. But you can take 2.2 miles off the route by just heading straight up the road towards Huggate and then joining the walk at point 5. This short-cut avoids much of the on-road route and a visit to Huggate, but you will miss Rachels Walnut Cottage Tearooms and other fine offerings in the village! 

For the longer route - Take the footpath on the right-hand side of the road (as you look towards Huggate), signposted the Minster Way and walk all the way along this easy bridleway to the other end - you can't go wrong!

5. Follow the Yorkshire Wolds Way around the top of Pasture Dale, with gorgeous views over to your right and ahead. There could be cows here I'm afraid (there were when we did it and they were very curious about us - Bill behaved impeccably!)

6. As you pass next to Huggate Sheepwalk on your left, you will come to Jessops Plantation - this is the first wooded area you come to. At this point, and as the wood starts, go through the gate on your left and follow the edge of the plantation to the next gate.

7. Go through the next gate and the path turns right, again skirting Jessops Plantation until the next gate which has signs for cattle and a bull in field. I saw neither but just take care! Once you go through this gate Nettle Dale opens up before you. 

10. At this signpost the footpath, to your left, heads quite steeply up for a short distance. Go up and then walk along Nettle Dale. Bill had a good romp about here and lay on his back for a while. I meanwhile got stung by a bee or something similar as I had forgotten to douse myself in bug spray. Whilst I swatted madly at it Bill just looked confused and lay on his back some more!

11. Just before the end of the Dale, go through the gate on your right. If you get to the end of the dale and a cattle trough under a tree you've gone too far so double back (as we did). The Minster Way path, that goes through the gate and left, heads all the way back along the sides of fields to Cobdale Cottage and the road where you started. 

From here you can carry on up the road to Huggate if you fancy a drink or bite to eat at The Wolds Inn or Rachel's Tearooms. Alternatively, if you are heading east, drive the 3 miles along Driffield Road to Field House Camping Coffee Shop near Tibthorpe (where you can also stay!).