22nd October 2022 - Brimham Rocks and Guise Cliff
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.6 miles
Total ascent: 2134 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Bridgehouse Gate-Pateley Bridge-High Street-Nidderdale Way-Blazefield-Nidderdale Way-White Houses-Fell Beck-High North Pasture Farm-Brimham Rocks-Brimham Moor-Nidderdale Way-Braisty Woods Farm-Summerbridge-Dacre Banks-Nidderdale Way-Heyshaw-Nidderdale Way-High Crag Ridge-Guise Cliff-Nidderdale Way-Nought Bank Road-Nidderdale Way-Bewerley-Bridgehouse Gate
I decided to head to Nidderdale for my walk this weekend to do a route that I last did in October 2019, which takes in the dale's main attraction, Brimham Rocks. It's a justifiably popular location, a natural adventure playground; and with a car park, visitor centre and refreshment kiosk among the facilities, it can be very busy. My walk had to be a full day's outing though, and although I could have parked at Brimham Rocks for free, being a National Trust member, I preferred to walk to Brimham Rocks as I destination. So, starting from Bridgehouse Gate (on the other side of the Nidd from Pateley Bridge), I had to work out how to get back there from Brimham Rocks. After a bit of map work I decided on going via Summerbridge and Guise Cliff. I had a lovely autumn day for enjoying this walk, with spells of warm sunshine and mild temperatures, and although the skies did cloud over a bit for the visit to Guise Cliff, the sun putting in an appearance made waiting there worthwhile for the views to be had.
From the car park in Bridgehouse Gate I crossed the bridge into Pateley Bridge, walked up the High Street, round the right hand bend at the top of the hill, and took the footpath on the left signposted as "Panorama Walk", which is part of the Nidderdale Way. I then followed the Nidderdale Way east down the dale, through Blazefield and White Houses, and down to Fell Beck below Brimham Moor. The trail was left here for a footpath up through woodland and across fields to High North Pasture Farm and a track on the north side of Brimham Moor. I wasn't on the track for long and when I reached access land I took a path up onto Brimham Rocks, where I paid a visit to the trig point and stopped for lunch at one of the picnic tables. After lunch I made my way south through Brimham Rocks, out to the road across Brimham Moor, and then walked south along the road to pick up the Nidderdale Way on the right. I followed the trail west through High Wood, then took a path on the left across a couple of fields to reach the road to Smelthouses. I turned left and walked along the road to a bridleway on the right, which took me south past Braisty Woods Farm and down to the B6165, where I turned left and crossed the road at the end of a row of terraced houses, walked across another road and took a bridleway along the back of some houses to reach Summer Bridge over the River Nidd. I then crossed the bridge into Dacre Banks, where I joined the Nidderdale Way again. I followed the trail up through fields to Monk Ing Road, then along Lane Foot Road, and up through fields to the hamlet of Heyshaw. From Heyshaw I kept on the Nidderdale Way as it made its way north, passing Hill Top and High Hood Gap, where I left the trail to visit the trig point on High Crag Ridge. I made my way back to the Nidderdale Way from the trig point and then took the path to Guise Cliff. After spending a bit of time taking in the views I carried on following the Nidderdale Way to Nought Bank Road, across Nought Moor, down through Skrikes Wood, and then down the road to the village of Bewerley. I left the trail behind in Bewerley for the walk along the road back to Bridgehouse Gate.
Total ascent: 2134 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Bridgehouse Gate-Pateley Bridge-High Street-Nidderdale Way-Blazefield-Nidderdale Way-White Houses-Fell Beck-High North Pasture Farm-Brimham Rocks-Brimham Moor-Nidderdale Way-Braisty Woods Farm-Summerbridge-Dacre Banks-Nidderdale Way-Heyshaw-Nidderdale Way-High Crag Ridge-Guise Cliff-Nidderdale Way-Nought Bank Road-Nidderdale Way-Bewerley-Bridgehouse Gate
I decided to head to Nidderdale for my walk this weekend to do a route that I last did in October 2019, which takes in the dale's main attraction, Brimham Rocks. It's a justifiably popular location, a natural adventure playground; and with a car park, visitor centre and refreshment kiosk among the facilities, it can be very busy. My walk had to be a full day's outing though, and although I could have parked at Brimham Rocks for free, being a National Trust member, I preferred to walk to Brimham Rocks as I destination. So, starting from Bridgehouse Gate (on the other side of the Nidd from Pateley Bridge), I had to work out how to get back there from Brimham Rocks. After a bit of map work I decided on going via Summerbridge and Guise Cliff. I had a lovely autumn day for enjoying this walk, with spells of warm sunshine and mild temperatures, and although the skies did cloud over a bit for the visit to Guise Cliff, the sun putting in an appearance made waiting there worthwhile for the views to be had.
From the car park in Bridgehouse Gate I crossed the bridge into Pateley Bridge, walked up the High Street, round the right hand bend at the top of the hill, and took the footpath on the left signposted as "Panorama Walk", which is part of the Nidderdale Way. I then followed the Nidderdale Way east down the dale, through Blazefield and White Houses, and down to Fell Beck below Brimham Moor. The trail was left here for a footpath up through woodland and across fields to High North Pasture Farm and a track on the north side of Brimham Moor. I wasn't on the track for long and when I reached access land I took a path up onto Brimham Rocks, where I paid a visit to the trig point and stopped for lunch at one of the picnic tables. After lunch I made my way south through Brimham Rocks, out to the road across Brimham Moor, and then walked south along the road to pick up the Nidderdale Way on the right. I followed the trail west through High Wood, then took a path on the left across a couple of fields to reach the road to Smelthouses. I turned left and walked along the road to a bridleway on the right, which took me south past Braisty Woods Farm and down to the B6165, where I turned left and crossed the road at the end of a row of terraced houses, walked across another road and took a bridleway along the back of some houses to reach Summer Bridge over the River Nidd. I then crossed the bridge into Dacre Banks, where I joined the Nidderdale Way again. I followed the trail up through fields to Monk Ing Road, then along Lane Foot Road, and up through fields to the hamlet of Heyshaw. From Heyshaw I kept on the Nidderdale Way as it made its way north, passing Hill Top and High Hood Gap, where I left the trail to visit the trig point on High Crag Ridge. I made my way back to the Nidderdale Way from the trig point and then took the path to Guise Cliff. After spending a bit of time taking in the views I carried on following the Nidderdale Way to Nought Bank Road, across Nought Moor, down through Skrikes Wood, and then down the road to the village of Bewerley. I left the trail behind in Bewerley for the walk along the road back to Bridgehouse Gate.
Route map
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Looking back down the High Street in Pateley Bridge
Leaving Pateley Bridge on the Nidderdale Way
I soon get an opportunity of a view up Nidderdale across the roofs of Pateley Bridge
The viewing platform of "The Rock" is to one side of the "Panorama Walk", which is part of the Nidderdale Way. It has a pretty good view from it across to Guise Cliff on the other side of Nidderdale
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Following the Nidderdale Way east to Blazefield...
Guise Cliff and..
..and looking down the dale as I pass through Blazefield
In the hamlet of Blazefield
From Blazefield I carry on following the Nidderdale Way east to White Houses..
Looking down Nidderdale
Looking back to Guise Cliff in the distance as I reach White Houses
In the hamlet of White Houses
Brimham Moor in front of me as I leave White Houses and head down to cross Fell Beck
After crossing Fell Beck I take a footpath up through fields to High North Pasture Farm
Looking back across the valley of Fell Beck to White Houses on the opposite hillside
and across to the moorland of Low Bishopside and Pateley Moor
Autumn colour at High North Pasture Farm
From High North Pasture Farm I followed a path up to a track on the northern edge of Brimham Moor
and a short time later I'm on the northern end of Brimham Rocks with a view up Nidderdale to Bewerley Moor and Heathfield Moor
and north to Pateley Moor and Eavestone Moor
Brimham Moor
At the trig point point on Brimham Rocks
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The gritstone tors take on many shapes. The one on the right is called "The Dancing Bear".
There's a fantastic view across Nidderdale from the top of the crags near the trig point..
If this tor doesn't have a name, it should
The rock playground of Brimham Rocks
Leaving Brimham Rocks and I'm back on the Nidderdale Way, west towards Smelthouses..
I leave the Nidderdale Way for a path across fields down to the road to Smelthouses. Looking up Nidderdale..
..and back to Brimham Moor
I leave the road to Smelthouses for a bridleway down to the road to Summerbridge
Past Braisty Woods Farm
On the bridleway down to the B6165 to Summerbridge..
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..and then by the River Nidd to Summer Bridge
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The weir on the River Nidd at Summerbridge
The River Nidd as I cross Summer Bridge to Dacre Banks
On the Nidderdale Way again as I follow it up through fields from Dacre Banks to Monk Ing Road
Looking back to Dacre Banks and Summerbridge. It's a lovely autumn afternoon.
Heading up Monk Ing Road
I stay on the Nidderdale Way by turning right and walking down Lane Foot Road
and then up to the hamlet of Heyshaw
Big skies over Nidderdale..
Looking back to Heyshaw as the Nidderdale Way takes a track..
..onto the moorland of High Crag Ridge
Looking down Nidderdale from High Hood Gap Farm
At the trig point on High Crag Ridge
From High Crag Ridge I make my way to my favourite spot on Guise Cliff for taking in the views across Nidderdale. Looking across the dale to Glasshouses and Brimham Moor, with Bark Cabin Wood below.
and the view up Nidderdale to Pateley Bridge and Gouthwaite Reservoir. It was worth spending a bit of time waiting for the sun to put in an appearance...
Leaving Nought Moor on the Nidderdale Way
Pateley Bridge ahead as I follow the Nidderdale Way down to Bewerley
A final shot of the sun setting above Skrikes Wood from the road through Bewerley on my way back to Pateley Bridge