Yorkshire Dales & Moors
Bishop Wilton Wold
248M
813FT
About Bishop Wilton Wold
Representing the highest point of the Yorkshire Wolds, this rolling agricultural plateau offers a sharp contrast to more rugged northern peaks. Known locally as Garrowby Hill, the summit is marked by a trig pillar near the A166, providing expansive views across the Vale of York towards the distant Pennines.
Key Statistics
Rank
34th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North Pennines
Prominence
?
207m
Nearest Town
Kirby Underdale
Geology
As you hike, you are walking over a solid foundation of white chalk, primarily made of the Burnham and Welton rock layers.
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SE821570
Latitude
54.0027°N
Longitude
0.7477°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Wold' stems from the Old English 'wald', meaning a high forest or uncultivated upland, while 'Bishop Wilton' refers to the nearby village historically held by the Archbishops of York.
- •The hill’s distinctive character was famously captured by artist David Hockney in his 1998 landscape painting, Garrowby Hill, which depicts the road sweeping down into the plains below.
- •From the summit ridge, walkers can look west across the flat expanse of the Vale of York to spot the distant towers of York Minster, roughly 12 miles away.
- •As the highest point in its region, it qualifies as a Marilyn, a classification requiring at least 150 metres of prominence from the surrounding terrain.
- •Reaching the trig pillar requires more focus on the traffic of the A166 than on steep gradients, making it one of the few summits where the greatest hazard is a speeding commuter.