The Towton Battlefield Trail weaves its way around field edges just outside the pretty village of Towton and makes a fabulous walk at any time of year. We walked it in late Summer on a hot day and advise taking plenty of water as there is little shade. In Winter, take boots because it can be muddy.

The gently undulating path is easy to follow and fairly gentle. A number of interesting information boards explain more about the bloodiest ever battle on English soil that happened here in 1461.

It’s also a fabulous walk in its own right with stunning views stretching out across the nearby Wold-like hills and it’s a great place to walk your dog – just make sure you follow the usual rules and clean up any mess.

The circular route (with an extra arm to visit one information board) is just under 6km if you visit all of the information panels that explain more about the battle and warfare in the fifteenth century.

You can join the walk from the village of Towton or there is a small amount of car parking on the B1217 as you head out of the village towards Saxton. To visit the site of the mass burial you will need to take a short walk up and back on yourself on the opposite side of the road to the parking spot.

If you’d like to enjoy the walk with a knowledgeable guide, you can join one of the regular guided walks run by the Towton Battlefield Society.

The pretty pub, the Rockingham Arms, in the village of Towton makes a great stop for a drink towards the end of the walk or travel to the Crooked Billet in nearby Saxton.

If you enjoy this walk, there are plenty of others to enjoy in the Heart of Yorkshire.

We recommend:

The Wolsey Walk past Cawood Castle

The Selby Horseshoe which takes in Selby Canal

Selby Hidden Heritage walks