White Horse, North York Moors UK


• 4-star hikes
• 2 to 3 mile options
• Easy & Moderate | Gain 60-200m (200-650ft)
• Thirsk, UK | North Yorkshire
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Chalk figure of a horse carved into a steep, grassy hillside, its white silhouette contrasting sharply with the surrounding green. The hill rises above a patchwork of gently rolling fields and scattered tree clusters, with a dense forest cresting the slope behind the figure. The scene is bathed in bright sunlight under a clear blue sky, highlighting the contours of the terrain and the crisp edges of the horse.
White Horse views from nearby Kilburn village.

The Kilburn White Horse stretches almost 100 metres across the hillside beneath Sutton Bank, carved in 1857 by schoolmaster John Hodgson and his students from Kilburn village. Unlike England's ancient chalk horses, this feature requires regular applications of limewash to maintain visibility against the dark limestone. Over the generations, the figure has undergone several restorations, most recently receiving a concrete base to reduce weathering.

Our hike from Sutton Bank Centre follows the Cleveland Way along an easy and mostly flat clifftop trail, providing excellent views of the cliff face of Sutton Bank and the green countryside stretching to the horizon. The Yorkshire Gliding Club operates adjacent to the trail, and gliders are frequently launched into the blue from this location, circling the thermals and updrafts from the terrain and occasionally buzzing hikers below as they come in for an almost silent landing.
⬤ 4★ Long Part-Loop   3.4 mi part-loop, moderate, gain 200m (650ft)
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions* GPX?
⬤ 4★ Kilburn Loop   1.6 mi loop, moderate, gain 120m (400ft)
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions*
⬤ 4★ Clifftop Route   3.1 mi out & back, easy, gain 60m (200ft)
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions*
 $  *Paid parking    P  **Free parking

** Some free parking is available nearby on the top of of the hill at Low Town Bank Road, on both sides of the road. A connecting trail links the parking area with the White Horse trails. Driving Directions to free parking.

Two people walk along a wide, curving dirt trail through a grassy, lightly wooded landscape under a partly cloudy sky. A large stone marker with a plaque stands beside the path, suggesting a designated viewpoint or trailhead. Rolling hills and a distant valley stretch across the background, with wildflowers and greenery framing the scene.
Stepping out on the easy clifftop trail from Sutton Bank.

The clifftop trail ends at the top of the White Horse. Viewing the figure from the clifftop trail proves difficult due to the angle and proximity, but a set of steps to the east of the trail leads down to a parking area with a slightly better view. Even this vantage point is too close for a proper perspective on the White Horse, which is best viewed from a distance, such as in the neighboring village of Kilburn, a mile away across the valley floor.

A clockwise loop extends the hike by adding a 1.5-mile section through woodland beneath the escarpment. This lower path connects to the clifftop trail via two sets of steps, creating a circuit of approximately 5 miles. The clockwise direction allows for an easier ascent on the return.

Sutton Bank Centre offers restrooms, a café, information boards, and parking facilities. The site serves as a trailhead for multiple hiking and mountain biking routes, including the Cleveland Way long-distance path, which continues for 109 miles to the coast.

Panoramic view of a sunlit landscape with rolling green hills, dense forests, and open farmland. The foreground features thick vegetation and leafy trees, while the middle ground blends wooded slopes with cultivated fields. In the distance, the terrain flattens into a broad plain beneath a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. Would you like a version optimized for screen readers, nature publications, or something more poetic or minimal?
Views of Sutton Bank with countryside stretching beyond.

Two hikers with backpacks walk along a gravel path through grassy fields and scattered trees, accompanied by a small dog trotting ahead. Above them, a glider aircraft soars in a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. The path curves gently through the sunlit countryside, suggesting a peaceful outdoor excursion.
The clifftop trail follows the edges of the glider club.

A glider is being towed into the sky by a small powered aircraft, connected by a cable. Below, several gliders are parked on a grassy airfield bordered by trees. Wildflowers dot the foreground, and the sky above is mostly clear with scattered clouds, suggesting a calm day at a gliding club.
Glider gets a cable tow into the sky.

A wooden post with multiple directional signs stands in the foreground of a shaded park area. Behind it, a gravel path leads to a small wooden pavilion near a parking lot with several cars. Trees provide greenery and shade, and the signs point to nearby amenities including a national park center, tramper shelter, play area, railway track, and toilets.
Sutton Bank Centre, the start for hiking and MTB adventures.

Tangents:
• Official: Sutton Bank Centre, Wikipedia
• AllTrails Public: Long Loop, Clifftop, Kilburn Loop


A castleated tower with defensive walls and colorful heraldic crest.
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