Walks in Gateforth
From easy city strolls to challenging trails, discover the best of Gateforth on foot.
Walk: Selby Trails Part 3. The Oak Trail
Discover Selby park, Selby wildlife pond, Brayton Barff Woods and Fairy Pin Well. A 3.8 mile flat route with very little incline. The Route what3words for start point: ///open.powers.hawks Start Point: Selby Park, 165 Bawtry Rd, Selby YO8 4PW Finish Point: Brayton Barff Woods, 53 Barff Ln, Brayton, Selby YO8 9ET Distance: 3.8 Miles GPX Route Map selbytrailspart3theoaktrailDownload Walk Description Discover Selby park, Selby wildlife pond, Brayton Barff Woods and Fairy Pin Well. A 3.8 mile flat route with very little incline. The Oak Trail instructions: 1. Follow Station Road and take a left onto The Crescent. Take a right next to Thomas the Bakers and take a left to follow the road down to Selby Wildlife Pond.2. Back at The Crescent take a left and join New Lane (after Edinburgh Woollen Mill).3. Continue on New Lane until a right turn to Massey Street, which will lead you to Union Lane. This will then join Doncaster Road.4. Heading down Doncaster Road, turn right just after St. Wilfrid’s Church then left across the field to Foxhills Lane, continuing across onto Moat Way.5. Follow the path and waymarks through the estate and into the field to pick up the path to Cross Gates Level Crossing.6. Continue along the A1238, Leeds Road and take a left along Fox Lane next to the Fox Pub.7. At the end of Fox Wood turn left onto Field Lane and continue until you reach Brayton Barff. Stop 1. Selby Park. Selby Park boasts five acres of ornamental plants and shaped shrubs, with a stone obelisk dedicated to those who lost their lives in the war. Play a round of mini golf or bowls and then take an hour to relax with a picnic, under the many specimen trees. Stop 2. Selby Wildlife Pond. The wildlife pond is a short walk from the town centre with lots of benches, making it the perfect spot for a picnic. Take some time to identify the many species of butterfly the pond attracts or the wide variety of bird life, including moorhens and other wildfowl. Stop 3. Brayton Barff Woods. Take a stroll through this ancient planted woodland, where pathways are lined with towering oaks, sycamores, Scots Pines and Norway Spruce. If your visiting in Spring, why not bring a camera to photograph the carpet of bluebells that start to emerge in April? Stop 4. Fairy Pin Well. Brayton Barff Woods was once the sight of ‘Our Lady’s Well’ until it was filled and covered when the reservoir was extended in the 1960s. However, the magic surrounding the well still exists today. According to local folklore, Brayton Barff was home to ‘Faerie folk’ who would unsuccessfully hunt with bows and arrows made from the pointed spikes of the Hawthorn Tree. However, the faeries noticed women passing through the woods carrying fashionable metal pins in their hair and clothes, that would be perfect for hunting. The faeries came up with a cunning plan to acquire these metal pins and began to offer the women a trade. For every woman who dropped their metal pin into the well, in return the faeries would reveal the identity of their true love or future husband, with his face reflected in the waters of the fairy well.
Walk: Selby Canal
Follow the Selby Canal towpath and travel from the town out into the surrounding villages and countryside. The Route What3Words reference point: ///warthog.subplot.download Start Point: Selby Lock, YO8 8FD Finish Point: Tankard’s Bridge, YO8 8QF Distance: 5.5 Miles GPX Route Map selbycanalDownload Walk Description The Selby Canal, a historic waterway, gracefully connects the River Ouse at Selby to the River Aire in Chapel Haddlesey. Opened in 1778, this canal was a linchpin in local economic growth. Today, it's transformed into a scenic conduit linking Selby to its quaint neighboring villages, offering a serene escape into nature. Embark on your journey from Selby Lock, conveniently situated less than half a mile from the bustling train and bus stations. The towpath here is remarkably flat and welcoming, inviting visitors of all abilities to explore its 5.5-mile stretch. As you meander along, be captivated by an array of engaging artwork that dots the pathway, telling stories of the canal's rich heritage. The air is alive with the chirps and rustles of abundant wildlife, creating a symphony that accompanies your walk. Witness a vibrant parade of boats that glide gracefully along the canal, their colors reflecting in the calm waters. This path is also a proud part of the Trans Pennine Trail, frequented by enthusiastic walkers, cyclists, and nature lovers. Its proximity to the M62 makes it easily accessible, and you'll find numerous parking spots along the canal, inviting you to pause and immerse in the tranquil beauty of this historic waterway.
Walk: Haddlesey and Selby Canal
An interesting circular walk, partly on The Trans-Pennine Trail and mainly featuring the tranquil Selby Canal but also Burn Airfield and a Hydro Electric Station at Haddlesey Weir. The Route what3words for start point: ///prude.wonderfully.redefined Start / Finish Point: Haddlesey Church Community Centre YO8 8QF Distance: 10.2 Miles GPX Route Map selbycanal-1Download Walk Description 1. Turn left out of the car park, round the right hand bend and use the elevated pavement on the right hand side. 2. When the pavement ends, turn right up the Cul-De-Sac and follow the lane in front of the houses and out on to the river bank. 3. Proceed on the river bank to a stile. Go over the stile and turn right. The footpath runs alongside Haddlesey Lock, that you may want to observe. At the end of the footpath, turn left, go over the bridge and then immediately turn right onto the canal towpath. 4. Follow the towpath all the way to Brayton Bridge. At this point turn left to the car park and left again over the bridge. Once over the bridge turn down the first right (Henwick Hall Lane). Follow the Trans Pennine Trail signs. 5. Follow Henwick Hall Lane all the way to the end, where it joins Common Lane, and turn right. 6. After a short distance, turn left on a public footpath, marked Trans Pennine Trail. It will lead to the edge of Burn Airfield. 7. Follow the path in a straight line until it veers to the right and then left. Keep following the Trans Pennine Trail signs. 8. Eventually, you will emerge onto Burn Lane. Turn left and follow the lane round a right hand bend and a left hand bend. 9. Shortly after the bend, look out for a gate and stile on the right. Go over the stile and on to the public footpath across the field. Walk in a straight line from the gate to the hedges at the far side of the field and you will see a stile. 10. Go over the stile and follow the footpath on the left side of a dyke. 11. The footpath goes through a tunnel, underneath the railway line. 12. Once again follow the footpath, beside the dyke, all the way to the road. 13. Turn right and walk on the road side TAKE CARE. The road takes a loop at East Haddlesey and then comes to a fairly sharp right bend. On the bend, look for a track on the left. 14. Walk down the track and at the end, go over a stile onto the flood bank. Turn Right. 15. Just past the weir, you will go over two stiles and when the bank path ends, turn right down a narrow footpath that will take you on to the main street of Chapel Haddlesey, where you need to turn left. 16. Walk along to the cross roads and walk across the busy A19 to the right hand pavement of the road opposite. 17. After a short distance, you will see the entrance to a park on the right. Go in to the park and follow the path to the exit on the bend of Millfield Road. 18. Go straight on Millfield Road and back the car park where you started.