Start Market Inn - Elsecar - 385998. From the Market Inn turn right along Wath Road and first right down Distillery Side. Immediately after the railway crossing turn left down enclosed footpath (passing Newcomen Beam Engine) to recross railway after 100 yds.
Turn right and take canal side path for approx. 1 mile to second road bridge (path passes to left of old colliery buildings and wharves).
At second road bridge turn left past pub to turn left again after 30 yards at footpath sign by bus stop. Ahead on gravel track through garages to enter field, bear right and follow path to meet road.
Cross road and ahead up Quest Avenue. At top of Quest Avenue turn right into car park and through gap in hedge into playing field.
Left up field edge to meet cross path by steel railings. Turn left and go ahead on clear path with wire fence on left to cross road by footbridge. Forward on path with wood on right to meet road . Turn right down road for approx. 300 yards and at No. 45 cross and take path between houses (just past speed camera) to enter Wombwell Wood.
Ignore path to left 30 yds into wood and continue ahead to path junction, then take either path to the left through wood in NW/NNW direction. Just after passing under power lines turn left on broad cross track and just as it starts to bear left to enter field turn 90 degrees right (compass 300 deg) for 70 yds on narrow path to meet cross path where turn left. Forward on track /path to gently descend to dam in valley. 381023. Cross head of dam and at end of wall take obvious path to left up into woods. Forward on path which bears to right and forward with opencast workings on left for approx. 800yds (ignoring stile on left) to meet metalled track. Cross track and bear left up side of wood.
Immediately before meeting road turn right on narrow path through woodland N/NW for 600 yds passing under power lines. After passing head of old quarry bear to right downhill to meet road at 368029. Turn left up road to junction of Wombwell Lane (Checkpoint 1 - 367029). From checkpoint take narrow path downhill (300 deg) through newly planted trees to enter woodland, descend steps and cross footbridge where follow path right and down steps to meet gravel trackbed. Turn right along track for 100 yds. to meet cross track where turn left to follow red ash track around foot of spoil heaps to find footbridge. Cross bridge and forward up field path to turn right on wide track.
Follow track to meet and cross stone bridge over stream 361036 where forward for 30 yds to turn left through gap in wall. Forward on path for 800 yds. to pass to left and around head of old cana basin to emerge at junction of West St (B6100) and the main Barnsley road (A61) at Worsborough Bridge 352036.
Cross busy main road with care and go ahead down Kendal Crescent. At entrance to bowling green turn left along enclosed path. Path bears to right and rises to meet disused railway line (Trans Pennine Trail) by metal footbridge.
Turn left under metal footbridge to follow Trans Pennine Trail in westerly direction for approx. 1 mile crossing minor road and passing trail car park. (Checkpoint 2 - 344037).
Approx. 300 yards after overbridge turn left to cross stile at gap in hedge (unmarked) to follow path down fieldside with stream and hedge on ieft. (if you reach a metal barrier you have gone too far - turn left and follow the track back to the motorway overbridge). Cross stile onto metalled track, turn right and cross motorway by footbridge 332042.
Turn left with motorway on, left for 100yds until just before metal gate where turn right over footbridge and ahead on path with deer fence on left to meet road 330038.
Turn left down lane for approx. 30 yards to go through gap in hedge on right to join permissive path in field where turn left to follow hedge (Wentworth Castle on right). At end of field return to road and turn right past Staffords House (watch out for deer in paddock beyond house) and road junction to find signed footpath on right (sp. Green Springs).
Ahead on fieldpath towards trees with Queen Anne's Obelisk to right. Cross metalled drive and ahead through metal kissing gate to cross stile and enter field. Cross field to edge of wood where turn left with wall and wood on right. Cross stile in field corner and forward to cross track and stone stile. Forward to enter Broom Royd Wood and follow path to emerge on track at corner of wood. (Self Clip Checkpoint 3 - 327020).
Cross stile opposite and continue half right across field aiming for stile in corner of field where hedge meets trees. Cross stile and footbridge and ahead to meet edge of wood. Cross stile into wood and immediately right to follow boundary fence to corner. Where fence turns sharp right ignore path to right and continue ahead for 10 yards on track to turn right uphill on very faint footpath between trees to find stile in wall and cross into field. Cross wall stile and ahead up field aiming between cottage and farm to cross stile into road by metal gate.
Turn right up road for 100 yards and left over stile by FP sign where forward down field with fence / wall on left to find stile. Cross stile and continue forward with hedge now on right to cross further stile into wood. Path goes half left through cleared woodland to meet cross track by bridge and brick building where turn right and uphill to leave wood. Continue on track through field and where track turns right go ahead over stile and maintain same direction over next field towards end of wood on skyline. Do not enter wood but turn right to cross corner of field past telegraph pole to meet track and turn left to road 328996.
Cross road and stile and continue forward to cross wooden footbridge to right. Round the fence post and follow the path that bears to the right and meanders through the wood until it meets a fence post where keep right and descend to the road.
Turn left and pass under road bridge. Turn left on first track and then right over stile in approx 100 yds to enter wood.
Continue forward on main path through wood ( ignoring path to right after approx 50 yds.) to pas! under power lines and reach metal gate at busy A61 road. (Checkpoint 4 - Self Clip - GR 336 988).
Cross road to footpath opposite with extreme care (Fast Traffic from both directions.)
Descend steps and follow footpath into wood. At fork in path after approx 300 yds bear right to go through hummocky area and bear right again at next path junction to follow obvious path down to junction with cross path. Turn left and follow path to road to left of houses.
Cross road and take path opposite to quickly turn left on gravel path uphill. At top of hill turn left with fence and follow path downhill to junction with track. (From here to the road over bridge beware of motorcycles.) Turn right on track (fence on right) to track junction at edge of wood. Turn left into wood and quickly take left hand track uphill to meet cross track. Turn left with road on right to go uphill to overbridge.
Turn right over bridge and then left and quickly right to take signposted narrow path uphill to reach cross track by metal barrier. Turn right and follow upper track (across barrier). Track bears left to follow overhead power lines with golf course on right.
Path goes across front of golf tee, bears left towards pylon and becomes enclosed by wall and hedge before meeting road opposite Tankersley Church. (Checkpoint 4a - 349996). Turn right to follow track under motorway bridge, past cottage on right and on to path junction before farm. Turn left (farm house on right) - the wined building to the right is Tankersley Old Hall from where the kestrel was taken in the film "Kes". Follow the main track as it bears to the right round the Old Hall and continue forward under railway bridge to meet road 366984. Cross main road (A6135) with care and go forward down road opposite (Harley Road) to turn right by Horse Shoe Pub. Go forward up Occupation Road until road turns to right and continue ahead on enclosed pathway to meet road 367980. Turn left (ignore entrance to new estate) along road for just over one mile to Wentworth Village (Checkpoint 5 - 383983).
Turn right on drive in front of Village School to pass through metal gates and into Church grounds.. Ahead along drive with church and then metal railings on right to meet road where left to T junction.(Rockingham Arms is 200 yards to left). At T junction turn right down road for approx. 300 yards to entrance to Wentworth Woodhouse Park. (Checkpoint 5a - 393981).
Cross road to gain footpath on other side. Turn right and follow footpath with wall on left to road junction (Signpost - Brampton)
Turn left up Coaley Lane and follow footpath with wall on left to brow of hill.
Just past cottage on brow of hill take footpath on left to rejoin 25 mile route at **
Turn right into Park and continue forward down main drive passing Stable Block and Wentworth Woodhouse on right. ( Wentworth Woodhouse was the ancestral home of the Marquess of Rockingham and is said to have the longest frontage of any country house in England).
Where the drive bears to the left just beyond the house, continue forward on the-signed path with - wooden railings on the right. Continue ahead on obvious path, bearing nght towards mature trees to meet driveway (House on right). Turn left along drive through Deer Park with Doric Temple on right. ( the building in the distance to the left is the Mausoleum).
Forward on tarmac drive for approx. 1 mile. When tarmac track swings right continue ahead through wooden gate and car park to follow track to end of Mill Dam (Checkpoint 6 - 961418). Through gate at lower end of Mill Dam and turn left up path through bushes, continue uphill with hedge on right to meet road (B6089). Cross road and forward up Rigg Lane to T junction where ahead on path opposite. Follow path with hedge on left into dip and then up cobbles between hedgerows (ignoring paths to left and right) to reach road by houses at Upper Haugh. Turn left up road and at crest of hill continue forward for 100 yards to (Checkpoint 7 - 427973). Return up road to turn right along cobble / gravel track with cottages on right.
Ahead along track / path and through kissing gate to continue between wire fences and through second kissing gate into field. Cross field in same direction aiming for stile in hedge approx. 50 yard left of communications tower. Over stile and ahead on path to meet road.
Turn right on footpath to brow of hill and cross road with care. Continue down road to meet houses at Low Stubbin and turn left down track at end of houses (signposted). Forward on track and where track turns left continue ahead to follow path through fields and corner of wood to meet road at Hoober.
Left up road and at brow of hill where road turns left take signposted track on right . Forward on track and 50 yards past Hoober Cottage turn right over stone steps to follow footpath uphill Hoober Stand. (Self Clip Checkpoint 8 - 408985).
From Hoober Stand continue forward on track and through gate to turn left before cottage. Follow path through wood to find stile and cross into field where forward on path bearing left to stone stile and road.
Turn right on road to go through Street hamlet and continue forward to T junction with Coaley Lane.
Cross Coaley Lane and take path almost opposite and to right side of house.
Ahead on path with hedge on left to pass the Needles Eye folly to the left, continue ahead along line of trees and concrete posts. (The Needles Eye is believed to have been built in order to win a wager that the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham could drive a coach "through the eye of a needle") Continue forward on path to cross stiles and enter wood (use Elsecar Church spire and factory chimney as guides). Cross stile into wood and turn right at cross path to follow path downhill, bearing left to emerge at railway crossing by Elsecar Heritage Centre.
Go forward over crossing and find your way back through the Heritage Centre for a well earned drink at the MARKET INN!