Easby Loop: Richmond Falls to Easby Abbey Family Walking Route

Highlights and Route Overview for the Easby Loop Walk From Richmond

The Easby Loop begins at Richmond Falls, a dramatic series of limestone cascades on the River Swale beneath the sheer cliffs below Richmond Castle. The falls lie between Richmond Bridge (also known as the Green Bridge) and Mercury Bridge and are easily reached from the town centre via a short downhill walk along Millgate. Set in a limestone gorge, they consist of wide rocky steps over which the Swale descends in a long sequence of waterfalls and cascades as the valley floor levels out.

In dry weather, the ledges become exposed, revealing the rocky structure beneath. In wet conditions, the river transforms into a powerful maelstrom of swirling water, with spray and a deafening roar. A dam above the falls helps manage flow during high water, producing broad sheets of white water that span the full width of the river. The gorge is particularly appealing in autumn, when the surrounding trees turn vivid shades of gold and amber.

The River Swale From the Upper Dales to Richmond

The Swale is often described as England’s fastest-flowing major river and is renowned for rising rapidly during heavy rain. Its water can take on a bronze colour from peat tannins and fine particles washed down from the moorland of the upper Dales. The river begins high in the Pennines at the confluence of Birkdale Beck and Great Sleddale Beck near Keld, where annual rainfall reaches around 1,800 mm.

From there, it tumbles south-east over dramatic waterfalls, including Wain Wath Force, East Gill Force and Kisdon Force, dropping 148 metres over 20 miles (32 km) in its upper reaches. Passing Muker and Reeth, it reaches Richmond before continuing past Catterick and joining the River Ure near Myton-on-Swale, having travelled around 73 miles (118 km) in total, and eventually feeding into the Ouse and Humber system.

Parking and Riverside Access for the Easby Loop

There are public toilets nearby and a small pay-and-display car park called Fosse Car Park, though there are other options in the town. I usually use Nuns Close Car Park, and all the car parks are easy to find on Google Maps. From Fosse Car Park, follow the riverside path downstream to The Batts, a large green space along the water with a picnic area and grassy banks that are popular for relaxing.

Crossing Mercury Bridge and Its Railway History

The path leads to a tarmac lane that brings you out onto the road on the north side of Mercury Bridge. Originally known as Station Bridge, this Grade II listed structure was built in 1846 by the Great North of England Railway to provide public access to the new railway terminus on the far bank, a rare case of a rail-owned bridge without any tracks. It features four 52-foot (16-metre) arches, a 30-foot (9-metre) width, and a 20-foot (6-metre) roadway flanked by original footpaths. The design was overseen by architect George Townsend Andrews, with structural work by Robert Stephenson’s office. Prior to 1846, Richmond’s only crossing was the upstream Green Bridge, which carried the Lancaster Turnpike and dated back several centuries.

Easby Loop Through Easby Woods and the Drummer Boy Stone

To continue the Easby Loop, cross the road and head directly opposite down Lombards Wynd, then turn right along a track called Easby Low Road. The trail climbs into Easby Woods to reach the Drummer Boy Stone, a landmark associated with a well-known local legend. The story tells of a secret tunnel leading from the castle towards the abbey, and of a young regimental drummer boy sent to explore it. Soldiers followed his progress by the sound of his drumming until it suddenly stopped at this spot. Some versions say he was taken by a monster. An Arthurian variant claims he found a cavern where King Arthur and his knights lie sleeping. The site is marked by a stone and a plaque noting that the boy was never seen again.

Easby Abbey Origins and Early Monastic Growth

The woodland path then leads to the ruins of Easby Abbey, which stand on the eastern bank of the Swale about a mile and a half south-east of Richmond town centre. It was founded in 1152 by Roald, Constable of Richmond Castle, as a house of the Premonstratensian order, whose members were known as the White Canons on account of their distinctive white robes. The site may have been built upon an earlier pre-Norman religious community linked to the nearby parish church of St Agatha, and the hamlet of Easby itself appears in the Domesday Book as ‘Asebi’.

The canons followed the Norbertine rule from Prémontré in France, arriving via Newsham Abbey in Lincolnshire as England’s third such foundation. By the late 12th century, prosperity from sheep farming and further endowments had allowed for grand rebuilding, and a daughter house was established at Egglestone Abbey. The Scrope family later became key patrons, expanding the community to house additional canons, chaplains and poor men.

Highlights of Easby Abbey on the Easby Loop Walk

Easby is noted for having one of the most irregular monastic layouts in England, shaped by the steep valley slope and the constraints of the river. The ruins are well preserved, particularly the impressive 13th-century refectory and the gatehouse. The abbey church, dedicated to St Agatha, features a rare wheel window in its west front and retains vivid 13th-century wall paintings depicting biblical scenes, foliage and musicians, among the finest monastic survivals in Britain. The cloister, chapter house with its rib-vaulted ceiling, and warming house are fine examples of early Gothic style.

The abbey thrived into the 15th century before Henry VIII’s Dissolution in 1536 brought it to a close, when only eleven canons remained. Resistance flared during the Pilgrimage of Grace, with locals briefly restoring the canons before brutal suppression followed. The Scrope family subsequently stripped the lead roofs, and much of the church was demolished. The ruins passed through several families before coming under English Heritage guardianship in 1930. Easby Abbey is one of the highlights of the Easby Loop walk.

St Agatha’s Church and Medieval Wall Paintings

Next to the abbey is the medieval parish church of St Agatha, unusually situated within the old monastic precinct. The exterior is fairly plain, but the interior contains internationally significant 13th-century wall paintings. The north wall shows scenes from Genesis, including the Creation of Eve and the Expulsion from Eden, while the south wall depicts the Passion Cycle and includes a rare scene of Mary and Joseph asleep during the Nativity. The window embrasures show the Labours of the Months, such as sowing and hawking.

The nave contains a replica of the 8th-century Easby Cross, carved from Aislaby sandstone between 800 and 820 AD and decorated with Celtic interlace and biblical scenes. The original is preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The church evolved from a Norman structure in the 1150s through a series of additions spanning Romanesque to Perpendicular Gothic, with a significant restoration by George Gilbert Scott in 1869. It holds Grade I listed status.

Easby Loop Café Stop and Footbridge Crossing

From the small Easby car park, follow the public bridleway sign south along a gravel track. You will pass the Easby Loop Café, which has outdoor seating with scenic riverside views and serves hot food, drinks and homemade cakes, along with more substantial options such as breakfasts, smash burgers and loaded fries. Shortly after, you will reach the footbridge over the River Swale, with excellent views as the river gathers water from its 520-square-mile catchment.

Railway Path to The Station in Richmond

Once across the river, the Easby Loop joins the trackbed of the disused Darlington to Richmond branch line, which closed in 1964. This provides around a mile of easy, level walking along a wide path beneath a wonderful archway of trees. The railway path brings you to the yard of The Station, a Victorian terminus built in 1846 and now sensitively repurposed as a community food and arts hub. It includes an award-winning café-bar, a three-screen cinema, art galleries and artisan shops. It is also home to the Richmond Brewing Company, which produces a copper-coloured session ale called The Drummer Boy in honour of the local legend.

Easby Loop Return to Richmond Market Place

From The Station, turn right onto the main road and head back across Mercury Bridge. Continue on the roadside footpath uphill along Station Road, and at the top join Frenchgate to reach Richmond’s Market Place. It is one of the largest cobbled squares in England, with the Obelisk at its centre, built in 1771 to mark the site of the town’s main water reservoir. The square is surrounded by historic buildings and a good mix of national and independent shops, cafés and pubs.

Richmond Town History and Georgian Character

Richmond itself is a town of considerable character, perched on a cliff above the Swale with Norman roots and a strong Georgian character. It was founded in 1071 by Alan Rufus, a Breton ally of William the Conqueror, who received the Honour of Richmond following the northern rebellions of 1069 and William’s brutal Harrying of the North. The town’s name derives from the French ‘Riche Monte’, meaning ‘strong hill’, reflecting its commanding position on a site formerly known as Hindrelag.

Medieval prosperity was built largely on Swaledale wool, boosted further in the 17th and 18th centuries by Arkengarthdale lead mining. Markets have been held here since a royal charter of 1155 and continue every Saturday. Georgian buildings dominate streets such as Newbiggin and Frenchgate, and notable landmarks include the Town Hall of 1756, the King’s Head Hotel of 1725, and the Georgian Theatre Royal of 1788, one of the oldest surviving theatres of its kind in Europe.

Richmond Castle Above the Easby Loop Route

Richmond Castle, which forms the dramatic backdrop to the town, was built from the 1070s by Alan Rufus and is considered England’s finest surviving early Norman fortress. He raised a triangular enclosure on the cliff edge around 1071, using local sandstone for long curtain walls some eleven feet thick, and incorporating Scolland’s Hall as an early great hall with an undercroft.

The castle exploited the Swale gorge for natural defence without the need for a motte. Duke Conan IV of Brittany later raised the keep to over 30 metres, its massive square form with four corner turrets rivalling Bamburgh and Carlisle. Henry II seized the castle in 1158 and completed works that made it formidable. Sieges were rare, largely because its scale alone served as a deterrent.

Final Descent to Richmond Falls and Walk Summary

To finish the circuit, leave the Market Place via Millgate, a quiet street that winds steeply down past the base of the castle. If time allows, it is well worth taking a short detour to follow the path around the outside of the curtain wall, where the ramparts tower above and look almost impenetrable from the riverbank. The lane leads back to the riverside car park at Richmond Falls, where the walk ends.

The Easby Loop is only three miles long and is almost entirely flat, apart from a short section through Easby Woods and the climb up Station Road into the town centre. Even so, once you have enjoyed the falls, visited the abbey, perhaps taken a break at the Easby Loop Café or The Station, and had a wander around Richmond itself, it can easily fill a much longer and very enjoyable day out. It is a great option for the whole family.