Sting in the Tail
(APPROX 36 MILES)
Start at Menston village at the back of the old High Royds Hospital site. GR176433 (Please note this site has now been redeveloped as a new village)
At bottom of Menston Drive walk straight forward, across road, round L hand bend, on along Main Street. Continue along Main Street until you come to where the road bends sharp L (Moor Lane). Turn R SP PF (Bleach Mill Lane) GR165441.
Continue along track until you are facing 2 large stone gate posts (Bleach Mill), take footpath on L Yellow Arrow. Along footpath over stone stile, after approx 10 yards wooden waymarker, turn L uphill with stream on L. Path now veers away from stream, through stile in wall in front of you. On up field with fence/wall on L, through further wall stile on up field with fence on L, over wooden stile (yellow way marker) over bridge, forward up footpath and few steps, out into open yard turn R uphill. Up the tarmac road to road.
Across the road (Take Care) SP PF. Continue to climb on track until you come to white five bar gate York View Farm GR149446.
Through the gate turn R with wall close on your R. Continue along track, just before Crag Top Farm, take very narrow footpath off to your L, now small disused quarry on your R.
Continue along footpath through bracken until you come to gully. Across you go, up the other side making for stone wall in front of you.
Continue along the path with wall on your R (Ebor Way). Wall now ended, continue along footpath, road now clearly visible on R below you.
Footpath now goes down hill, descend but look forward in front of you, the footpath broadens out. You are walking towards the back of the Cow & Calf Rocks GR130467. Do not go down to road.
You are now at the back of Cow & Calf Rocks. Pause a moment!! We wish you to walk to White Wells GR118468. There are many footpaths across the moor, the one we recommend is:
Take the path going away from you uphill bearing 270 degrees, you have walked a short distance uphill and you have come to a stream crossing in front of you. (The footpath now climbs quite steeply in front of you, we wish you to take the footpath that takes you below the large rock formation in front of you (Ilkley Crags). So across the stream and just to the R of the footpath climbing in front of you is the footpath we wish you to take.
Now facing the rocks, take the footpath going off to your R, going downhill through a small valley with the rocks way up on your L - (Rocky Valley). (Now at the bottom of the valley a white building away in front of you, that is White Wells). Continue along footpath with rocks high on your L. Now at a point where footpath coming down off the moor joins, turn R and continue down footpath to White Wells GR118468.
Now with your back to White Wells, facing Ilkley, take the well defined footpath off to the L. After a short distance, metal railings on your R, follow these round over stream and take the footpath off to your L. Do not go down to road. Continue along the footpath until you come to road.
At road turn L uphill, only for a short distance, look for a metal post on R. This is the start of footpath off to your R. (NB: If you walk up the road over bridge and stream you have climbed too high). Now along footpath with high wall/houses on your R.
Pass reservoir on R, over bridge. Along FP with wall very close on your R. After a short distance FP divides, take FP on L uphill, over broken wall, onward uphill onto moor. Turning to R walk towards rock with metal railings around (Swastika Stone).
Now continue along FP, over many stiles (Addingham High Moor) until you come to a wall coming in from oblique L GR069472. Do not go over stile in front of you but walk with wall and plantation on your L (White Crag Plantation) down to stile in corner. Over stile turn L, wall on L, continue on FP then downhill to road GR061470.
Over stile onto road, turn R (Light Bank Lane). Down road to T Junction.
**Straight across road and on down track (Lippersley Lane) until it joins the A6034. Turn L, cross road only a few yards track on R down towards Far Cringles Farm. At road (Cringles Lane) turn R. At fork in road take R fork (Bank Lane) then almost immediately R onto track (Parsons Lane). At GR057496, L on footpath diagonally crossing fields until you come to road/track. At road L almost immediately R over wall to take footpath down towards farm buildings, right handed around buildings following wall then bear R up towards wall, over wall L on footpath GR063504 continue on path over water course (Low Sanfitt) at buildings turn R up hill to main road A65. **
Across main road and up farm track GR064513 (High Field Farm). Into farmyard, pass barn on L, pick up wooden fence on R, follow round to wooden gate. Through gate and bear slightly L towards old stone outhouse, round corner and over stone stile and across field towards a single large tree (footpath can be seen going across field).
As you cross field, enter a dip. Look up towards trees on horizon, fractionally to the R you notice a step stile in wall. Over wall and forward across towards barn and large tree. Just before barn you come to a track. Turn R and follow track to Hall Pike Farm. Enter farm area, walk towards white farm house, turn R at Silo, leaving white farmhouse on L, walk straight forward, pick up metal road.
Follow metal road quite steeply downhill, between buttresses of the old railway bridge and continue down. At main road - straight across - through wooden gate opposite and across field towards wooden gate. On road turn L over old bridge and turn R, again on road, pass River Wharfe sign and just as you start to ascend bridge, turn L, SP Bolton Priory. Now on good FP with River Wharfe on R.
As you approach fence, through kissing gate and take FP that bears off to your L rather than following fence around river. Continue to walk straight forward on well defined path. Now against river again continue on path by river until you come to old Priory. Take wooden bridge GR076542 across river SP Barden and Storiths. (If you are brave there are some stepping stones). Once across river, up steps and follow path which leads away from river. Continue up hill on FP - ignore SP to Storiths. Over stile and continue up hill on path.
Starting now to descend on FP, come to a division in path - take L or R - after 70 yds come to gap in wall where two FP's rejoin. The FP continues in the woodland with river down on your L. Continue through wood and descend to a road. (Take Care). L down towards ford, across Ford and L on FP. After 30 yds R over wall stile and along FP with river on L. Now you come to Cavendish Bridge over River. Do not cross bridge GR077553.
Turn R on unmade road for a short distance and straight across road, up track in front of you (Bolton Park Farm) At top of hill - SP Permissive Footpath to Barden Fell Access Area. On through wooden gate, up track with farm and farm buildings on R, through wooden gate and follow track, uphill bending to L. Over cattle grid and continue up track, now climbing steadily in front of you. (The trees on either side of you should have fences around them to protect them from animals).
Please follow the instructions carefully as the area is becoming totally featureless:
Over second cattle grid and continue on up track away in front of you. Through gate (Pedestrian Access only) and straight forward on grassed track in front of you (ignoring hardcore track on L).
Now at a point where track comes in from R - turn L up through a small gulley and continue to climb up a rough track. At division in track take R track up hill.
ENJOY THE OUTSTANDING VIEW IF VISIBILITY IS GOOD.
Continue along well defined Landrover track until you come to a wall with wooden gate. Through gate and continue along track. As you go across moor, you'll see two buildings in distance. As you approach you'll come to a wall with wooden gate, through you go towards buildings, Rocking Hall GR111579 to exit area, go through gate to your R, along well defined track stretching out in front of you.
To wall and gate over ladder stile. Track comes in from R but continue straight forward. To wall with gate and ladder - through gate with Spittle Ings House GR137568 immediately on R through gate. Turn L away from house down hardcore track until road, turn L. At Road T junction turn R. Continue along road until you come to next road intersection on L. Turn L and make for Car Park on R GR155574.
At reservoir end of Car Park, down stone steps on to FP turn R, SP Washburn Valley Path (footpath quite narrow going down to trees). Through trees onto metal road area but straight forward through gate in front of you down hill onto hardcore track and across an open piece of land, down towards river bridge. (Ignore metal road going uphill to your R).
Immediately over river bridge, turn R down a few short steps, follow FP with river on R. The FP continues along riverside varying between hardcore path and grassland but still remain on riverside. After 1/4 mile division in path where embankment on L starts to climb GR158567. At this point look for blue waymarker. Up onto embankment and find stream culvert on L. Continue on this high banking and you slowly but surely climb, leaving river away to your R but culvert remains on your L. The culvert then goes underneath path you are on, you continue to climb up through woodland until you come to hardcore track.
Turn R to wooden gate where you will note a blue waymarker - continue forward along hardcore track and come to gate with stile in R corner. Through gate, continue along track. Pass Skaife Hall Farm (on R) over cattle grid and forward along hardcore track. Continue up walled lane to road at top. At road turn R.
(Take care as this is a busy road).
After a short distance you'll come to A59 Harrogate/Skipton road. Turn R. Cross over road on to L hand side. Walk over river and you will see a car park on L. To save time lumber over fence to car park GR169553, turn L towards Fewston Reservoir.
Continue on this FP around the reservoir. Do not leave waterside until you come to road, turn R up hill (very short distance). Swinsty Moor Plantation Car Park (this path is permissive and will not be shown on any maps). Just before you enter car park there is a rough track to the L through gate SP Swinsty Reservoir. Go down this track, continuing along with reservoir on L until you come to the dam wall. Walk straight forward through white gate and down rough track in front of you. (Reservoir overflow on L). Continue right the way down this track until you come to the river bridge - over bridge - through pasture lands for approx 3/4 mile looking for Dobpark Packhorse Bridge on your R. (GR196508) (there are two wooden gates very close together with a track running to your R down to the river - that is the ford at the side of the packhorse bridge). Cross river at this point and onwards up the track in front of you. Continue beyond point where it becomes a tarmacadom road. As you begin to top out, pass two newly converted barns and begin to look for a line of young poplar trees on L. Just before the trees look for stile in wall (GR195493) over you go and bear to your R and the stile you are making for is more or less in line with the radio mast in front of you. Over stile and continue along track with fence on your L until you are level with farm buildings. You will see fence in front of you, turn R down side of fence to bottom of field, turn L over stile, continue along bottom of field with line of trees on R. As the stone wall starts, look for a stone stile, over you go, turn L down road for a short distance, turning R along road to Clifton Village.
Through village and on past Sunny View Farm until the tarmacadom road stops and divides into two rough tracks - take track on L for approx 30 yds, turning R through new metal gate. Down fields in front of you until the rough track stops and you will see a well trodden path going diagonally right across field. You will now come to bottom of field with stile, over stile and walk along again a well trodden path, beginning to go downhill slightly. At this point you will see the houses on your R. The track divides into two - take one on R over stile and through narrow ginnell between two bungalows. Turn L along road and turn L again at next road and R down hill past Wharfedale General Hospital.
Down hill to river, over river bridge and turn immediately R following FP (SP Westgate) alongside the river for a short distance. Continue along round this FP through car park to road. Straight across road and turn to R only for a few yds. At the Patisserie Viennoise turn L at side of this shop SP Kirkgate (if you are passing the Cross Pipes Pub - stop you've gone too far). Follow this FP round with the church on your R now. At bottom of FP at road turn R looking for Dacre Son and Hartley's Estate Agents, take road to the L of the D S & H building (Station Road). If you have got this right you should now be passing Arthur Kitchens Garage. Continue up this road to the Footbridge in front of you. Over Footbridge, up a very short path to the road, straight across road SP Yorkgate. Continue up very narrow path then steps. Straight forward through narrow stile in front of you and up steps. Upwards through wooded area - again until you come to top of steps and out of wood. Continue straight up grassed area in front of you at top of hill (no define FP). Do not take any FPs to your L or R). THIS IS WHY THIS WALK IS CALLED THE STING IN THE TAIL (NOT LOUISE'S IDEA !!!) At top of hill you should be facing Beacon House CP (GR205442). Straight forward across CP to the road - across road and note FP straight across fields. Continue down this FP until you come to a track - turn R. Continue until you come to a T junction of tracks, turn L passing Moor Farm on your L to the road. At road turn R. Up road for approx 250 yds. There is a SP track now off to your L - down track - at road straight across - continue across railway bridge - to main road – and around the old High Royds Hospital site back to Menston village.
WELL DONE