Walks in Burnsall
From easy city strolls to challenging trails, discover the best of Burnsall on foot.
Bolton Abbey to Simon's Seat Walk
A 6-mile out-and-back walk from Bolton Abbey, up through the Valley of Desolation, on to Simon’s Seat and back. Route Start: Bolton Abbey Finish: Bolton Abbey Distance: 6 Miles Route Map & GPX File bolton-abbey-simons-seatDownload Walk Description what3words for start point: ///puzzle.ballparks.limbs Enjoy a beautiful, varied walk from Bolton Abbey, up through the Valley of Desolation on to Simon’s Seat. Walk through heather moorland, woodland trails and past waterfalls and rushing becks, culminating in spectacular views from the walk’s summit. Expect a challenging 3-mile hike up to the summit, making the most of a well-signposted path that rises slowly before reaching a peak of 485m. Then the return walk follows the same trail back down to the Bolton Abbey Estate.
Walk: Grimwith
This simple walk takes you around the beautiful Grimwith Reservoir. Take along your binoculars and you might see wigeon, teal, greylag and Canada geese on the water. The Route what3words for start point: ///motor.smarter.chucked Start / Finish Point: Grimwith Reservoir Car Park, New Rd, Hebden, Skipton BD23 5ED Distance: 4.2 Miles GPX Route Map drawaroute-15Download Walk Description The route to the east follows a well-surfaced track to a width of at least 200cm. There are some gradients reaching 1:8 to access the water’s edge but most of the route is relatively flat. The first section of the route to the west passes over the dam and is unsurfaced. From here, the track is surfaced with some gradients reaching a 1:6. Grimwith Reservoir is one of the best places to see wildfowl in the Yorkshire Dales so take along your binoculars and you might see wigeon, teal, greylag and Canada geese on the water.
Walk: Appletreewick
A lovely walk through some quiet lands to the north of the River Wharfe and through the well named Trollers Gill. The return is alongside the river. The Route What3words for start point: ///townhouse.mull.edgy Start / Finish Point: Appletreewick, Skipton BD23 6DA Distance: 6.5 Miles GPX Route Map appletreewickDownload Walk Description From Appletreewick the walk climbs north from the River Wharfe in to some quiet countryside. The views across Wharfedale are excellent, all the way from Grassington and down river towards Bolton Abbey. From here enter Trollers Gill, a place of legend where a big black dog once roamed. On leaving the gill continue in to an area of dales farms alongside Skyreholme Beck. Pass Parcevell Hall on the way back to the river. The return alongside the River Wharfe completes an excellent and varied walk.
Walk: Burnsall & Troller’s Ghyll
A walk through Burnsall, Troller’s Ghyll, Parceval Hall, Howgill and over the River Wharfe. The Route what3words for start point: ///professes.desktops.trickle Start Point: Burnsall, Wharfedale Finish Point: Burnsall, Wharfedale Distance: 8.3 Miles GPX Route Map burnsall-and-trollers-ghyllDownload Walk Description Troller's Ghyll Legends and folklore make for a fascinating walk. Amongst the hills and valleys near the village of Appletreewick is a limestone gorge so dark and forbidding that our ancestors once feared it. They believed it to be the haunt of trolls, hence its name of Trollers Ghyll. According to legend these trolls, or mischievous fairies, roll stones down the steep hillside onto the heads of unwary walkers! A more sinister tale is told of a wolf-like beast that lives in a cave in this ravine, with large fangs and staring eyes the size of saucers. This is the infamous Barguest, which preys on unsuspecting travellers – if your eyes meet then it is certain death! These legends have their origins in Norse mythology. Just above Trollers Gill are the crumbling remains of Gill Head Mines, the last working underground mines in the Yorkshire Dales. Lead was mined here between the 18th Century and the early 1900s; however, it reopened in the 1920s as a fluorspar mine which then continued in production until 1981. The surrounding moors are littered with the remains of the lead mining industry that once flourished in this area. Lead mining can be traced back to the Romans, although it was during the 18th and 19th Centuries that the mines were developed on a large-scale commercial basis with the advent of new mining and pumping technologies. Many years ago a pig of lead was discovered on the flanks of Nursery Knot with the Roman inscription of ‘Trajan’ on it, although this has since been lost.
Walk: Grassington, Grass Wood, Conistone Dib and Lea Green
A walk around Grassington, Ghastrill’s Strid, Grass Wood, Conistone Dib and Lea Green in the Yorkshire Dales. The Route Start Point: Grassington, Wharfedale Finish Point: Grassington, Wharfedale Distance: 8.5 Miles GPX Route Map grassington-conistone-and-lea-greenDownload Walk Description Grassington is an attractive small town set amongst the rolling hills of Upper Wharfedale, a popular tourist destination due to its picturesque cobbled square, stone cottages and winding alleyways. From Grassington, our route follows the River Wharfe to the impressive limestone rapids of Ghastrill’s Strid (admire from a safe distance), before reaching Grass Wood. This ancient swathe of woodland once formed part of the much larger forest of Wharfedale and has many indigenous tree species and almost 400 species of flowers and plants, thus meriting Nature Reserve status. It is a truly magical place to explore in spring. Beyond Grass Wood our path traverses the dry limestone gorge of The Dib, a glacial meltwater channel, before reaching Conistone, an attractive Craven village that boasts many fine old farmhouses, a large maypole and the oldest church in the southern Dales that dates back to pre-Conquest times. St Mary's Church still has some pre-Norman arches as well as wealth of other interesting features including a poor box. In the graveyard is a sad memorial to a group of young men who were killed in a tragic pot-holing accident at Mossdale Cavern in 1967. From Conistone, a footpath leads up through the spectacular dry limestone valley of Conistone Dib, one of the ‘natural wonders’ of the Yorkshire Dales. This deep steep-sided gorge was scoured out by glacial meltwaters towards the end of the last Ice Age when the permafrost prevented the water from seeping down through the limestone bed-rock. In places, Conistone Dib closes in to little more than a narrow passage beneath towering limestone crags. This whole area boasts some wonderful limestone scenery with pavements, dry valleys, crags and outcrops all around. From Conistone Dib, the return leg of this walk crosses Lea Green and the remains of one of the largest Iron Age settlements in England. This was occupied from 200BC until 400AD, surviving throughout the Roman occupation because of its secluded situation high on the hills. Rectangular fields, hut circles and traces of roads can be clearly seen, although to the untrained eye it appears to be a very rough scattering of fields covered with lots of grassy bumps! As with many other archaeological sites, the true picture only really comes to life when viewed from the air.
Walk: Burnsall and Thorpe
Follow the lovely banks of the River Wharfe to Linton Falls before heading across rolling Dales countryside linking villages and hidden valleys. The Route what3words for start point: ///turkey.exactly.improvise Start Point: Burnsall Finish Point: Burnsall Distance: 8 Miles GPX Route Map burnsall-and-thorpeDownload Walk Description Burnsall is an attractive village with a large village green beside the River Wharfe surrounded by old stone cottages. Of particular note is St Wilfred’s Church, which dates back to the 9th Century as many Anglo-Scandinavian crosses and gravestones have been found in the area. Beside the church is the village school, founded as a Grammar School in 1602 by Sir William Craven, Yorkshire’s very own Dick Whittington who set out from Appletreewick to travel to London to seek his fortune. This he did, and rose to become Lord Mayor of London. He never forgot his roots and gave generously to many local projects. We follow the River Wharfe northwards, an attractive stretch of riverside; the word ‘wharfe’ comes from the Old Norse and means ‘winding river’. We soon reach Loup Scar, a small limestone gorge which holds a dark secret. Back in the 18th Century Tom Lee was the blacksmith at Grassington, and notorious robber. Dr Petty knew as much, and threatened to tell the authorities, however, after an evening at a Kilnsey hostelry, Lee murdered Dr Petty on his way home through Grass Wood and threw his body into the Wharfe at Loup Scar. He was only caught after his servant broke down and confessed, and Lee was sentenced to death. We follow the Wharfe all the way to reach Linton Falls, where the river tumbles over limestone ledges formed by the Craven Fault. Note the weir and mill race that once provided power for Linton Mill. The river is left behind on the way to Linton, with its attractive green, stream and old houses. At one end of the green stands Fountaine Hospital, a fine Georgian building reputedly designed by Vanbrugh. The Hospital incorporates six almshouses and was endowed by Richard Fountaine in 1721 for six poor of the parish. Richard Fountaine made his fortune as a timber merchant and coffin maker in London during the Plague of 1665 and Great Fire of 1666, and became an Alderman of the City. From Linton, the route heads between the the grassy hills of Elbolton and Stebden Hill, which were formed as coral reefs 350 million years ago in a tropical sea. These hills shelter the ‘secret valley’ that leads down to the hidden village of Thorpe. During the troubled times of the Middle Ages, local people would seek refuge from raiders in this village.
Walk: Grassington
This easy walk takes you around the quaint village of Grassington and along the River Wharfe. The Route what3words for start point: ///elections.slyly.cricket Start / Finish Point: Grassington National Park Centre, Hebden Rd, Grassington, Skipton BD23 5LB Distance: 1 Miles GPX Route Map drawaroute-6Download Walk Description An easy access walk by the River Wharfe close to the lovely village of Grassington. A gate at the lower end of the car park gives access to a walled lane. The route here is well-surfaced with some gradients reaching a 1:7. Follow the river to the right along an unsurfaced route. From here, turn right onto the main road into Grassington where the first 50m are a 1:6 gradient. Take a moment to look at Linton Falls.
Walk: Burnsall
A refreshing walk along the River Wharfe. This 700m length of a popular section of the Dales Way runs between the village of Burnsall and Loup Scar. The Route what3words for start point: ///idea.pupils.clincher Start / Finish Point: Burnsall Distance: 1 Miles GPX Route Map drawaroute-8Download Walk Description A 700m length of a popular section of the Dales Way runs between the village of Burnsall and Loup Scar. The route is well surfaced and level. There are two kissing gates along its length which can be difficult for scooters. Whilst walking along the river, look out for pied and grey wagtail, dipper, common sandpiper and oystercatcher.
Walk: The Inn Way - Kettlewell to Grassington
This walk takes in Kettlewell, Capplestone Gate, Bare House, Yarnbury, Hebden, Thorpe and Linton Falls - highlights of the Yorkshire Dales. The Route What3Words for start point: ///discussed.villager.flotation Start Point: Kettlewell, Yorkshire Dales Finish Point: Grassington, Yorkshire Dales Distance: 13 Miles GPX Route Map the-inn-way-day-6Download Walk Description This route follows a fascinating linear route through Wharfedale from Kettlewell to Grassington, from where you can catch a bus back to Kettlewell. It is day 6 on 'The Inn Way to the Yorkshire Dales’ - which totals 76 miles. There is so much to see and experience along this walk, from the breezy heights of Capplestone Gate that affords wonderful views across the Wharfedale uplands to the limestone pavements around Lea Green and the lead mines of Yarnbury. There are also some cracking pubs and cafes along the way too, notably at Hebden, Linton and Grassington. Pretty villages, waterfalls, riversides and rolling hills make this a special day’s walk in Wharfedale.
The Lady Anne Way Walk
Lady Anne’s Way is a long distance path from Skipton Castle in North Yorkshire to Broughham Castle at Penrith in Cumbria. The Route Start Point: Skipton Finish Point: Penrith Distance: 96 miles GPX Route Map ladyanneswayDownload Walk Description what3words for start point: ///elders.bars.somewhere Lady Anne’s Way is a long distance path from Skipton Castle in North Yorkshire to Broughham Castle at Penrith in Cumbria. The route takes in locations associated with landowner Lady Anne Clifford who owned vast estates including a number of castles. This walk follows in her footsteps, re-tracing routes that she may well have used as she travelled between her homes. Making its way through the Yorkshire Dales and the Upper Eden Valley the walk is one of beauty and historical interest. This iconic walk passes through some of the finest areas of Yorkshire including Wensleydale and Wharfedale before continuing on through the remote fells of Mallerstang to enter the historic county of Westmorland and Eden Valley.
Dales Way Walk
Starting in Ilkley and finishing on the shores of Lake Windermere, the Dales Way is a 78 mile walk through the Yorkshire Dales and into the Lake District. The Route Start Point: Ilkley Finish Point: Windermere Distance: 78 Miles Getting there Ilkley is easily accessed by bus, train, car and is only a short taxi ride from Leeds-Bradford Airport. GPX Route Map DalesWayDownload Walk Description This walk was initially devised by the West Riding Ramblers' Association with the 'leading lights' being Colin Speakman and Tom Wilcock (Footpath Secretary). The route was announced to the public in 1968 and the first recorded crossing was by a group of Bradford Grammar School Venture Scouts in 1969. The first half of the walk follows the River Wharfe upstream to the main watershed of Northern England at Ribblehead. The second half follows several river valleys (Dentdale, River Mint, River Kent) to descend to the shores of Windermere. Most walkers tackling this route take about a week, in sections of 10 to 15 miles per day and taking a rest day or two. Accommodation Staying the night near the Buckden to Gearstones section is possible at: Oughtershaw Hall The George Inn, Hubberholme Nethergill Farm Luggage help If you would like help with planning or transporting luggage on this route, the Dales Way Association has a list here: http://www.dalesway.org/services.htm