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Fairy Staircase – Rievaulx Abbey loop from Helmsley

Routes

Running trails & routes

United Kingdom

England

Yorkshire And The Humber

North Yorkshire

Ryedale

Helmsley

Fairy Staircase – Rievaulx Abbey loop from Helmsley

Moderate

runners

Fairy Staircase – Rievaulx Abbey loop from Helmsley

01:14

11.0km

190m

Running

Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: May 14, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

North York Moors National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

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1.76 km

Fairy Staircase

Highlight • Structure

Great place for photos. Can be hard going on the knees for more mature walkers so hiking sticks may be useful. Can be very icy during colder months. Well worth a visit.

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4.26 km

Old Stone Bridge and Waterfalls at Grass Keld, North York Moors

Highlight • Waterfall

Grass Keld runs from Nettle Dale into the River Rye. Fantastic in the early-morning sunshine and you can get right down to the water's edge on the eastern side.

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4.52 km

View of Rievaulx Abbey

Highlight • Viewpoint

National Trust site that's well worth a stop off. No facilities or cafe or anything like that, but if you've got a picnic or just want to get some nice photos, then it's a must.

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4.90 km

Rievaulx Abbey

Highlight • Historical Site

Such beautiful and complete ruins of what was once one of the grandest Cistercian abbeys – until Henry VIII set the Dissolution in motion. In the 1200s there were more …

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5.17 km

Rievaulx Abbey

Highlight • Historical Site

Rievaulx Abbey was founded in the 12th century. It was an important and powerful abbey until Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monasteries and its ruin.
Now owned and …

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5.75 km

View of Rievaulx Abbey from Rievaulx Terrace

Highlight • Historical Site

If you are visiting Rievaulx Abbey, it’s well worth taking a stroll to Rievaulx Terrace. The 18th-century landscape gardens contain two temples and afford a breathtaking view over the abbey …

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