YWW 3 – PATELEY BRIDGE TO BLUBBERHOUSES

1. From the bottom of the High Street in Pateley Bridge, cross the bridge over the River Nidd and follow the road straight along the B6265 towards ‘Grassington’.

2. As the road begins to climb uphill, take the road turning to the left opposite the Royal Oak and follow this into Bewerley.

3. Walk through the village passing the ‘green’ on your left then Bewerley Grange Chapel and continue down the road out of the village to reach the road bridge across Foss Gill (SE 158 645)

4. After the bridge follow the road to the right (SP ‘Otley’) gently rising up passing the entrance to Skrikes Farm and bending steeply up to the left then, at the top of this bend, cross the wall stile to the right (SP ‘Nought Road’).

5. Head straight up the hillside along the grassy path to reach a stile set in a wall at the foot of a wooded bank (Skrikes Wood).

6. Cross the stile and follow the wide path bearing up to the right through the woods then, as yo emerge from the woods, the path divides – follow the left-hand path heading up across the heather moorland winding up to soon reach the bridlegate in a wall. Head through the bridlegate.

7. Follow the path straight on up across the the heather moorland to join Nought Road on a sharp bend (SE 156 636).

8. Cross the road and take the path opposite (SP ‘Guisecliff’) that leads up bearing very slightly to the left across heather moorland to reach the stone pillars of Yorke’s Folly (SE 157 635)

9. Cross the ladder stile over the wall to your right just after Yorke’s Folly, after which turn left along the clear path heading up across the boulder strewn moorland, with the stone wall just to your left and open moorland stretching away to your right.

10. The path soon re-joins the wall – carry straight on along the clear path alongside this wall heading along the top of the wooded escarpment for ½ml to reach a ladder stile over a fence across your path that leads onto the rocky outcrops of Guisecliff.

11. Follow the path along the top of this rocky escarpment high above Guisecliff Wood all the way to reach the conspicuous TV mast.

12. As you approach the TV mast you reach the end of an old wall – follow the path alongside this wall (with the wall on your left), over a stile then skirt to the right around the TV mast to join a rough track just beyond the buildings (SE 170 631).

13. Head left along the rough track for a few paces to quickly join a clearer stony track (with the TV mast buildings to your left), marked by a signpost ‘Nidderdale Way’.

14. Turn right along this stony track , with the stone wall on your left, and follow straight on passing High Hood Gap farm then on to reach a gate across your path beside the next farmhouse of Hill Top (SE 172 623).

15. Continue straight on along the track down to reach a road in the hamlet of Heyshaw (SE 173 618).

16. Turn right up along the road and follow this out of Heyshaw up to reach a T-junction.

17. Turn left down along the road (Dike Lane) for ¼ml to reach Dike Lane Head Farm on your right (SE 169 613).

18. Turn right through a wall-gap immediately after the stone barn on your right (before the farmhouse) and walk through the farmyard following the track as it bends round to the left then, immediately before the stone barn on your right just before a T-junction with another track, head right to quickly reach a squeeze-stile tucked away in the corner beside the barn.

19. Cross the stile to quickly join a a farm track just beyond the barn, which you follow to the right down to reach Grange House Farm (SE 167 612).

20. As you reach the farm buildings the track forks – follow the left-hand track into the farmyard in front of the farmhouse where you turn left through a metal gate in a fence.

21. Head straight down across the middle of the field to reach a bridle-gate in the wall at the bottom of the field just beyond a small stream (stone slab FB).

22. After the bridle-gate, head to the right alongside the wall on your right and over a wall stile in the field corner, then bear left across the next field and through a gate in a wall (just to the left of the telegraph pole).

23. After the gate head straight on alongside the wall on your right to reach Banger House Farm (SE 165 605).

24. Follow the wall passing the farm buildings on your right immediately after which cross the wall-stile beside the gate to your right that leads into a field in front of the farmhouse.

25. After the gate, turn left down across the field passing a telegraph pole in the middle of the field to reach a wall-stile towards the bottom right corner.

26. After this stile, continue straight on alongside the field boundary on your right then, as you reach the bottom of the field (White House Farm in front of you), head to the left to reach a gate that leads onto a track beside the farm (this short piece of permissive path between the field and track avoids the farm gardens).

27. Follow the track straight on for a few paces then turn left along a FP immediately before the stone building on your left and follow the path down over a stream then carry on with the stream on your right through woodland to soon join the farm lane beside a bridge.

28. Turn left along this farm lane, over a cattle grid and curving round to the left then, where the lane bends more distinctly to the left (passing place on this bend), head straight on off the track )on this bend) heading up across the rough boulder-strewn hillside to reach a wall corner.

29. Head straight on with the wall on your left through a gate then o to reach a wall stile in the field corner that leads onto a road (SE 169 598).

30. Turn right down the road for a short distance then left over a wall stile (SP ‘Thornthwaite Church’) and follow the path keeping close to the wall on your left straight on through woodland with Padside Beck just down to your right for ½ml over a series of wall stiles to reach the Packhorse Bridge across the stream, which you cross up to join the road just below Thornthwaite Church (SE 174 594).

31. Turn right up along the road and follow it up passing Thornthwaite Church then bending round to the right around some cottages and carry on along the road winding up to reach a T-junction (SE 171 589).

32. Turn left towards ‘Darley/Dacre’ and follow this road for about 300yds then take the road turning to the right towards ‘Greenhow Hill’.

33. Follow this road climbing up (My Love Lane) then, just before the road begins to level out, take the walled track to the right (SP ‘Greenhow Hill Road’) and follow this straight on to reach a gate at the end of the walled track.

34. After the gate, head straight on bearing slightly left up across the rough moorland, over a tumbledown wall then on across the gently rising moorland passing about 100yds to the left of the outcrops of Calf Crags to reach the bottom wall corner.

35. Cross the wall-stile just to the left of this wall corner, after which head diagonally to the left across the rough field (heading towards the left side of the whitewashed Stone House Inn ahead) to reach a metal gate in the corner of the field.

36. Head through the gate and walk straight on alongside the wall on your right to reach Greenhow Hill Road (SE 163 585).

37. Turn right along the road to reach the crossroads beside stone House Inn where you turn left along Reservoir Road.

38. Follow this road down to reach the dam wall of Thruscross Reservoir (SE 155 575).

39. Follow the road across the dam wall, immediately after which take the path to the left down some steps and follow this (SP ‘Washburn Valley Path’) straight on down across the steep wooded hillside to reach the end of a metalled lane.

40. Turn right along this lane and follow it gently rising up at first before levelling out then carry on along this lane heading down the valley for a further 300yds until you reach a stony track to your left (this leads back on yourself).

41. Turn left along this track for a few paces then right (after the gate) along a rough grassy track that leads down to a FB across the River Washburn (SE 157 568)

42. After the FB turn right along the track – follow this clear riverside path alongside the meandering River Washburn heading downstream for 1¼mls (keep to the riverside path all the way) to reach the A59 at Blubberhouses beside the road-bridge (SE 168 553).