The walk officially starts in Howden Market Place at the eastern end of the Minster Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. There is a convenient car park behind the Bishop's Manor, off Hailgate.
Walk through the gateway on the south side of the Market Place past the Bishop of Durham's Manor House, probably constructed in the late 14th century by Bishop Skirlaw. Through the gates and just before the fruit house, a small building on a bridge, turn left into the children's playground and walk south-westerly to the gate into Hailgate. The route through the Ashes playing field is not a public right of way and is limited to the times when the playing field is open. Its inclusion is by kind permission of the Ashes Playing Field Trust. (If you should find the gates locked, an alternative route is through the carpark to join Hailgate).
Once through the playing field, turn right and branch off after about 100 metres, crossing the A614, towards Howdendyke. Be Careful as this is a busy road. Approximately 200 metres past the M62 motorway you will see a signpost on the right, "Public Footpath to Howdendyke". Cross the footbridge and follow the drain bank to the left until you reach an overgrown hedge about 100 metres before the corner of the field. The path turns left again at this point, still along the drain bank - though it may be hidden amongst the overgrowth. Climb the stiles by the factory access road, then turn away from the drain, almost parallel with the road, to reach a metal stile beside a field gate.
Join the track, crossing the bridge, and turn to your right where an oak signpost points towards the factory and the M62 Ouse Bridge. The path is well defined between the factory and the jetty. Keeping to the floodbank, the path now passes beneath the Ouse Bridge which carries the M62 motorway over the river. Continue under Boothferry Bridge and climb the concrete steps by the bridge compound to continue along the floodbank towards Booth.
Follow the floodbank where it leaves the Ouse, to bypass Asselby Island, then just beyond the point where the river and path rejoin, turn right (northwards) along the byway to Asselby village. Turn left into Back Lane, then right. At the main road turn left through the village, and beyond the double bend.
At the old level crossing turn northwards along a track which bends to the left before petering out after about 400 metres. Follow the field edge round to the north-western corner of the field then turn left and follow the bank of the drain known as the Old Derwent, keeping it on your right. Cross the Yorkshire Water Authority's access road and take the stile onto the riverbank. Turning right, cross the A63 Selby Road with care. One hundred and fifty metres beyond the road leave the riverbank by taking the lane to your right, to the Coach House. Turn left (northwards) at the road and follow it through to Wressle past the ruins of the castle.
Just beyond Castle Farm our route leaves the road, branching to the right along a field track to the footbridge over Fleet Dyke. Cross the bridge and continue in a generally northern direction into Breighton. At the north end of the village turn left just after Froghall Farm and regain the River Derwent by the "Breighton Launch" public house. Please note this field path floods in wet weather, in which case, turn left at the road junction near the telephone box and then where the road bends to the left, carry straight on to the 'Breighton Launch'.
Climb the stile to the right of the pub onto the riverbank, follow the River Derwent until you reach the partly demolished railway bridge, you now are at about the halfway point and before continuing may wish to visit the village of Bubwith with its historic church of All Saints, shops and refreshment houses, in which case climb over the old railway track and follow the riverbank to the village.
For those of harder spirit turn right to follow the disused rail track in an easterly direction through the wooded area known as Dingle Dell. Continue along the line crossing the road until you reach Highfield. Turn right and follow the road as far as the Willitoft junction where you fork left.
Follow the road around a sharp left hand bend and then after about 100 metres take the footpath on your right for a further 300 metres and turn left along the north side of the trees. Reaching the road turn right and follow it past the entrance to Willitoft Hall, at the right-hand bend turn left over the stile next to the field gate, head east across the field boundaries to come out on the Foggathorpe Road at the Gribthorpe junction. Turn right onto the road and continue along the road for 400 metres and where the road bends to the right (west) continue straight ahead along Fox Covert Lane, an unspoilt green lane.
On rejoining the road turn left and after about 200 metres, left again to pass to the north of Spaldington for 500 metres. Turn to the south along a track called Back Lane. When you reach the road turn left and almost immediately right, at Townend Farm, to follow the field boundaries to the Oak Tree Farm track, where you turn right to head in a westerly direction along the track to .return to the road. Turn left along the road to the 'T' junction. At the junction turn right and then left over a stile, following the field boundaries in a southerly direction to a footbridge over the dyke and into Featherbed Lane. Turn right into the lane and walk to the road, cross over and straight ahead to Brind. Continue straight ahead at the road junction and across the railway. TAKE CARE OVER THE RAILWAY.
Follow the field boundary on your left until you reach the wood. Cross the footbridge and continue southwards through the wood until you emerge into a meadow before taking a further stile on the left, cross straight through the wood and carry straight on across an arable field until a sign indicates the path turns to the right to a stile, cross the stile turning left through a gate and over the drain. Continue in an easterly direction to a footbridge. Cross over to the south side of the ditch and follow Paternoster Bank to the B1228. Turn right, and right again at the 'T' junction, to the Post Office before turning left into the Market Place, the point from which you started.