Skell Valley Explorer
Enjoy a countryside walk around Grantley and Sawley featuring Spa Gill Woods and Eavestone Lake. This walk can be split into two shorter loops with the longer High Grantley loop (4.8 miles, 2 hours - 2 hours 30 mins) taking you along Eavestone Lake and through beautiful surrounding farmland and the shorter Sawley loop (3.6 miles, 1 hour 30 mins - 2 hours) featuring Spa Gill Woods and the ruins of Aldfield Spa. Please be aware that there may be livestock, including cattle, in fields on this route.
Start point
Sawley Village Hall car park, grid ref: SE248678Trail information
This walk can be split into two shorter loops
If you're doing the shorter Sawley loop or planning to walk the full 9 mile route, start at Step 1 in Sawley Village Hall car park. If you're walking the High Grantley loop, start at step 10 at Grantley Village Hall.
Total stages: 12
Total stages: 12
Start point
Sawley Village Hall car park, grid ref: SE248678
Stage 1
From Sawley Village Hall car park, walk down to the main road and turn right, then left down Low Gate Lane. Continue on the road past Hog Hall and round the bend until you reach the start of Spa Gill Wood. Head over the wooden stile next to the 'Low Gate Lane' road sign and follow the public footpath through the woods.
Stage 2
Continue down through the woods and over a stone bridge crossing the River Skell, then turn left down a wide track. Continue on this track for about a mile and you'll see the ruins of Spa Gill Cottage.
Stage 3
A short distance further along the track after Spa Gill cottage ruins, turn left down a waymarked path to a single wooden footbridge across the River Skell (notice the smell of the uncapped sulphur spring on your left, where you can see the gas bubbling up). Turn briefly right along the footpath, parallel with the River Skell. Bear left and walk up the hill past another waymarked signpost and enter the south side of Spa Gill Woods. Continue up the steep valley slope and over the wooden stile at the top.
Stage 4
Walk straight across the field towards the two large trees on the horizon and head through the metal gate on the other side. Continue straight keeping Hind House Farm buildings to your right. In front of the farmhouse, go through the new pedestrian gate on your left and then through another wooden gate in the top right corner of the field. Turn immediately right and head through this field keeping the field edge to your right. After around 50 meters, turn right through a wooden farm gate, keeping the fence on your left as you cross the field (don't head towards the farm buildings). Head through four more gates to exit the field onto the road. Cross the main road and head straight through the metal farm gate. Keep to the right of the field and continue through two more metal gates.
Stage 5
If you're continuing to walk the Grantley loop jump to step 6. If you're walking the shorter Sawley loop turn left and continue with the field on your right hand side, heading through two more gates (or use the stiles). A short way ahead, turn left through a third wooden gate. Keeping to the right hand side of the field. At the end of this field, turn right and keep to the left, then go through the wooden gate to your left, ignoring the ones in front of you. Continue through the field, to another farm gate and then towards the top left corner of the final field where you'll find a stone wall stile back at Sawley Village Hall.
Stage 6
Go through the gate on your right and head diagonally left through the field, cross the road and turn left then immediately right down the entrance track to Gowbusk Farm. Continue to the farm, through the yard and follow the footpath on the left, just in front of the garage. Turn right and continue through the gate at the end of the farmyard. In this field, keep to the left along the hedge until you reach the stile. Cross the stile, turn left and head towards the broken stile.
Stage 7
Go over the stile and walk up to the farmhouse and outbuildings on your left. Head round the back of the multi-door garage on a farm track which turns left up the hill. After the last farm building, take the track on the right, then over the stile to the right of a metal gate. Cross the field, heading towards the wooden gate and stile in the middle of the woodland on your right. Continue into the woodland, down a steep track and head straight towards Eavestone Lake, eventually arriving at the old rustic arched bridge on your left.
Stage 8
Continue round Eavestone Lake, keeping it on your left hand side. Cross the wooden bridge and head up the hill where you'll find a single track road, then turn right. Continue along this road and over the brow of the hill until you see a walled entrance into Eavestone Grange on the right hand side. Press the electric gate button and continue down the driveway and past the pond towards a metal gate. Head through the gate, along the farm track and through several more metal gates until you see Hungate Farm buildings in front of you.
Stage 9
Walk through the farm turning left at the last building then immediately right down the track. Keep the barn close on your left as you head round. Keep left as you head round the corner of the building and continue through two metal gates. Walk through the field aiming for the wooden bridge in the bottom left corner. Cross over the bridge, turn right and walk straight across the field to the corner of the woodland. Cross the stile and stream and keep to the left side of the woodland through a gateway. Now bear right, heading towards the corner of the hedge line and continue through another metal gate (or over the stile to the left), then cross the field, through another gateway and over the ladder stile in the wall. Go through the wooden gate in the top right corner of the field and turn right, continuing down the road, past the children's play area and continue to Grantley Village Hall. If you started the walk in Grantley Village, your route ends here.
Stage 10
With your back to Grantley Village Hall, turn left down the road until you reach a single track road on your right. Head down this track turning right at the T-junction and continuing straight to Hencliffe Grange house, turn right along the drive and continue towards the gate. Go through this gate, another next metal gate and keep to the left until you see a third metal gate with the woodland on your right. Go through this gate and continue through a fourth metal gate to join the footpath that takes you through Grantley Hall's Sunny Bank Woods. After approx. 300 m take the left-hand track and continue downhill to the end of this footpath, across a wooden bridge and turn right up the lane to the main road with Grantley Hall Lodge on your left.
Stage 11
Cross over the main road, turn left then right over an old stone bridge. Walk down the farm track in front of you (ignoring the road to your left). At the bend, head through the right-hand metal gate of the two gates on your left, and continue down the track until the field opens up. Head diagonally right through a gap in the hedge line, then turn left up the hill and head to the metal gate in the top right corner. Go through the gate and, while keeping to the left hand side of the field, which is to the right of Birka Carr, pass through another two gates, then head to the top right-hand corner of the field to the broken stile. From here, to continue on the Grantley loop, jump to Step 7.
Stage 12
To head back to Sawley, turn left in front of the broken stile and follow the fence line to another stile. Cross the stile and turn left, initially keeping the fence on your left, then on your right. Head through the field towards a gate and barn. Go through the gate and the farmyard, then turn left at a large yellow arrow. Go through another yard, then cross the road and head downhill to the footpath sign. Take the footpath on the right, passing through the gate, and head straight across the field to the gate in the corner. From here, to continue back to Sawley, jump to Step 5.
End point
Grantley village hall, grid ref: SE233699. Sawley village hall car park, grid ref: SE248678.
Trail map
Skell Valley Explorer map trail created as part of the Skell Valley Project | © Map
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