Pastures and panoramas walk at Brimham Rocks
This walk takes you through pastures in Nidderdale with beautiful panoramic views across the dale and beyond. You might see flashes of blue as kingfisher fly past and brown trout in the river as you walk along the river path.
A countryside ramble through farmland and meadows
Look out for flashes of blue as kingfisher fly past, and brown trout in the river, as you walk along the river path, and don't forget to visit the exhibition and shop at the start of your walk.
Map
Start:
Brimham Rocks car park, grid ref SE208645
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Section 1 (SE 2085 6458 / 54.07660,-1.68270) From the car park, follow the main track towards the visitor centre. Facing the visitor centre, take the tarmac road to the left and take the path around and behind the visitor centre heading towards the rock formation known as the Dancing Bear. Keep following this path with the Dancing Bear on your right. After 100m or so, forward and to your left you’ll see the rock formation known as the Druids' Writing Desk, and then to your right, a few metres off the path, the Idol with its extraordinary balancing act. Shortly after passing the Idol be sure to stop and look to the left for the beautiful panoramic views across Upper Nidderdale. As the path reaches open moor land, (SE 2075 6531 / 54.08320 -1.68430) bear left following the path down into a gully. Follow the gully path down to a farm track and turn left.
Panoramic views
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Section 2 (SE 2088 6551 / 54.08511, -1.68229) Follow the farm track, and when you get to the gate straight ahead pass through it then 50m or so further on at a second gate take the footpath to the right across a pasture. Over the stile, turn left and continue for about 60m to just before where the track curves to the right, then take the footpath through the gate into the pasture on your left. Cross the pasture diagonally to the wall ladder near to the corner. Once over the wall walk along the edge of the pasture near to the wall on your left. Through a gate into another pasture and follow the path down through the next few pastures, never far from the field boundaries on your right. At the bottom of the hill and over a stile cross Fell Beck using the bridge.
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Section 3 (SE 1967 6540 / 54.08433, -1.70089) After the bridge over Fell Beck and in about 20 paces follow the track to the right and uphill. In less than 100m turn left at the millstone and go over the cattle grid. After about 25 paces leave the track bearing right through a gate and follow the yellow way-markers through the pastures. At the point where you’re now walking between walls left and right, continue straight on staying near to the wall on your left to reach the left hand end of a small row of terraced houses. Past the houses turn left along the bridleway towards Wilsill until you reach a crossroad of tracks.
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Section 4 (SE 1913 6520 / 54.08230 -1.70900) At the crossroad of tracks bear slightly right to take the footpath just past a bench signposted to 'The Raikes', and follow it for about 500m where it joins a farm track and on for another 300m to reach a road.
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Section 5 (SE 1825 6492 / 54.08064, -1.72111) Upon reaching the road turn left. After about 200m and immediately before the last house on the left, turn left along a narrow way-marked footpath on the left of a private driveway. Go over the stile and keep to your right through the next two pastures. Continue into the next field and just before the gate ahead climb the wall on your right over the stone steps. Continue across the next two fields passing through first a metal and then a wooden gate. (SE 1864 6475 / 54.0783,-1.7165) Through the last gate turn right and follow the track close past a house on your right and continue downhill to reach the road, then turn left.
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Section 6 (SE 1868 6446 / 54.07604, -1.71643) A short way long the road and just past a field gate take the public footpath forking to the right signed 'Low Laithe'. After about 200m climb the steps over the wall on your right. Cross the field to the road heading for the bus stops that can be seen. Cross the road, through the meadow to the River Nidd, then take the path to the left with the river on your right. Continue beside the river to where the path bears left at Fell Beck, then a short way up the path cross the beck on the small footbridge and follow the path up to the road.
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Section 7 (SE 1900 6390 / 54.07060, -1.71110) Cross the road and follow the tarmac road called Low Laithe. In about 100m turn right towards Knox Hall. Follow the path along the side of the Hall, past a garage and along the edge of some wood-land. When emerging from the wood turn left onto Old Coach Road. Look out for alpacas and goats in the fields to the right. Continue uphill, and on reaching a road turn left and then after 50m or so on the right you’ll see a public bridleway signed 'Brimham'.
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Section 8 (SE 1947 6421 / 54.07355, -1.70410) Walk up the bridleway and after about 200m at the tiny cottage “Artists' Retreat” turn right, continuing to follow the bridleway signed 'Brimham'. In about 450m (at SE 2008 6424 / 54.0737 -1.6946) turn left into the field and follow the wall to your right. Over the next stile head straight across the field to a stile in a wire fence. Once over that stile go forward and to the left about 25 paces, heading for the corner of the fencing, and a few yards to the right of the corner there are rough stepping stones over a small stream with stone steps up the bank. Then immediately cross the next small stream and follow the path keeping the wall to your left and passing a pond on your right. Go over the stile still keeping the wall to your left and head for the gate. Once through the gate, turn immediately left over another stile. Walk diagonally across the field, passing a green barn, to a gate with a faint white arrow. Cross the track then go through the gate and follow the right hand of the two way markers across the field to the far gate that you can see. Go through the gate and turn right up the track. Shortly afterwards there’s a green gate to pass through, although usually it’s left open.
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Section 9 (SE 2051 6483 / 54.07891, -1.68797) After passing the farmhouse on your right, turn left on the unmarked path and continue through the silver birch trees back into Brimham Rocks. Continue onwards and upwards between the large rock outcrops and head to the left to-wards the visitor centre. Reward yourself at the refreshment kiosk (we recommend hot chocolate!) before returning down one of the many paths through the rocks to the car park.
End:
Brimham Rocks car park, grid ref SE208645
