28th July 2023 - Brimham Rocks to Birstwith and back
Walk Details
Distance walked: 14.1 miles
Total ascent: 1572 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: NT Brimham Rocks car park-Nidderdale Way-Braisty Woods Farm-Summerbridge-Nidderdale Way-Birstwith-Nidd House Farm-B6165-Brimham Rocks Road-Winsley Hall-Nidderdale Way-Brimham Moor-NT Brimham Rocks car park
Today is my Friday off work, so I decided to head to Brimham Rocks in Nidderdale and do a route that would let me explore the dale below Summerbridge, which was as far as I'd got up until now. Starting from Brimham Rocks on a weekday meant that it was reasonably quiet, although since I was only using the destination as a starting point it was finding a parking place that was my main concern. The route I worked out made good use of the Nidderdale Way, for both parts of the walk, for getting to Birstwith, and for the return to Brimham Rocks, and with it being a well signposted trail I had no problems keeping to what I'd planned. I enjoyed some reasonable summer weather for this outing, a mixture of cloud and some sunny spells, the cloudiest part of the day being the first half of the afternoon.
After parking in the NT Brimham Rocks car park and having a wander around them, I made my way out to the road, then walked south along it 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. After crossing the bridge I joined the Nidderdale Way again and followed the trail south, and then east (with a stop for lunch on a bench by the river), all the way to Birstwith and the bridge carrying Wreaks Road across the River Nidd. I crossed the bridge, then took the footpath on the left by the river and up to Nidd House Farm, from where I took the bridleway north up to the B6165, crossed the road and then followed the bridleway opposite to Brimham Rocks Road. After a brief walk east along the road I reached a bridleway on the left at Winsley Hall, which took me north across fields to join the Nidderdale Way, and I then followed the Nidderdale Way all the way back to the NT Brimham Rocks car park.
Total ascent: 1572 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: NT Brimham Rocks car park-Nidderdale Way-Braisty Woods Farm-Summerbridge-Nidderdale Way-Birstwith-Nidd House Farm-B6165-Brimham Rocks Road-Winsley Hall-Nidderdale Way-Brimham Moor-NT Brimham Rocks car park
Today is my Friday off work, so I decided to head to Brimham Rocks in Nidderdale and do a route that would let me explore the dale below Summerbridge, which was as far as I'd got up until now. Starting from Brimham Rocks on a weekday meant that it was reasonably quiet, although since I was only using the destination as a starting point it was finding a parking place that was my main concern. The route I worked out made good use of the Nidderdale Way, for both parts of the walk, for getting to Birstwith, and for the return to Brimham Rocks, and with it being a well signposted trail I had no problems keeping to what I'd planned. I enjoyed some reasonable summer weather for this outing, a mixture of cloud and some sunny spells, the cloudiest part of the day being the first half of the afternoon.
After parking in the NT Brimham Rocks car park and having a wander around them, I made my way out to the road, then walked south along it 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. After crossing the bridge I joined the Nidderdale Way again and followed the trail south, and then east (with a stop for lunch on a bench by the river), all the way to Birstwith and the bridge carrying Wreaks Road across the River Nidd. I crossed the bridge, then took the footpath on the left by the river and up to Nidd House Farm, from where I took the bridleway north up to the B6165, crossed the road and then followed the bridleway opposite to Brimham Rocks Road. After a brief walk east along the road I reached a bridleway on the left at Winsley Hall, which took me north across fields to join the Nidderdale Way, and I then followed the Nidderdale Way all the way back to the NT Brimham Rocks car park.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
Views across Nidderdale from the western edge of Brimham Rocks..
Looking across to the Visitor Centre. The trig point is on top of the hill behind it.
The rock playground of Brimham Rocks
At the trig point point on Brimham Rocks
|
|
The gritstone tors take on many shapes. The one on the left is called "The Dancing Bear".
Brimham Moor
Leaving Brimham Rocks and I'm on the Nidderdale Way, west towards Smelthouses
I leave the Nidderdale Way for a path across fields down to the road to Smelthouses
|
|
I leave the road to Smelthouses for a bridleway down to the B6165 to Summerbridge..
To my right I have a view up Nidderdale
After crossing the B6165 I take the bridleway by the River Nidd to Summer Bridge
The weir on the River Nidd at Summerbridge
The River Nidd as I cross Summer Bridge
|
On the other side of the bridge and I take the Nidderdale Way
|
The village of Dacre Banks to my right
Following the Nidderdale Way south..
The lush green fields of Nidderdale
The path runs alongside the line of the former Nidd Valley Railway
An option to cross the river via stepping stones. They look a bit dodgy to me.
|
A view of the Nidd from a footbridge further downstream, which I didn't cross
|
The Nidderdale Way leaves the river and heads up to Holme Farm on Darley Road
After crossing the road the trail makes its way up through fields to woodland
A summer's afternoon in Nidderdale..
|
|
Into, and up through the woodland to Reynard Crag Lane..
Looking across Nidderdale from Reynard Crag Lane
and up Nidderdale, with Hartwith Hill on the right
The Nidderdale Way soon leaves Reynard Crag Lane and heads north, down to Darley Road
Looking to my left, up Nidderdale
Further down, and to my right, I can make out the village of Birstwith
The final descent to Darley Road
From Darley Road I follow the Nidderdale Way past Birstwith House, and down to the River Nidd
The packhorse bridge of New Bridge across the River Nidd. My route doesn't take me across it but I had to go and take a look.
The River Nidd from New Bridge
|
Following the Nidderdale Way towards Birstwith..
|
..I pass the ground of Birstwith Cricket Club
I've crossed the bridge carrying Wreaks Road over the River Nidd. The footpath by the river on the other side has a view of an impressive weir.
A look back down towards Birstwith as I follow a bridleway up to the B6165
The bridleway is a bit overgrown in places
Across the B6165, and I'll take the bridleway opposite to Brimham Rocks Road
Looking west along Brimham Rocks Road as I walk east along it to Winsley Hall
I take the bridleway north across fields from Winsley Hall...
The bridleway meets the Nidderdale Way, and I follow it west
On the Nidderdale Way to Woodfield Farm
Approaching Woodfield Farm, and the Nidderdale Way turns left and goes through the trees
Then heads west towards Brimham Lodge
At Brimham Lodge
|
|
From Brimham Lodge the Nidderdale Way heads uphill along a track..
With some height gained I have a view east across the surrounding countryside
On the final stretch as the Nidderdale Way heads west up Riva Hill towards Brimham Moor
Fields of corn to my right
Heading past Riva Hill House..
..and onto Brimham Moor
A last look back across Brimham Moor before I cross the road to the car park