Yorkshire Walks

From the car park we headed roughly northeast along the road for about 400m to the access road to Scargill Reservoir.

Today my wife and I drove to the Forestry Commission car park at Stainburn Forest next to Little Alms Cliff at map ref. SE236523 about 8km west of Harrogate town centre.

Cornflowers by the car park

Start of the water company permissive path to Scargill and Beaver Dyke reservoirs

An owl nesting box near Scargill Reservoir

These belong to the Leeds University Physics Department. We continued past Scargill reservoir on the access road through some woodland full of spring flowers.

There is a permissive path along the access road and we turned off the road to walk towards Scargill reservoir. There is a radio mast with some wooden buildings next to it.

Access road from Scargill Reservoir

Access road from Scargill Reservoir

Track heading for Beaver Dyke Reservoir

Track heading for Beaver Dyke Reservoir

At the farm we turned left to follow a track to some woodland above Beaver Dyke Reservoir. The woods were full of bluebells, a complete carpet of brilliant blue in the dappled sunlight on the woodland floor.

There was a gate across the road at the edge of the woodland at map ref. SE230545. Here we turned right off the road to cross a stile and climb up to Long Liberty Farm.

Bluebells in the woods below Scargill Reservoir

Track heading for Beaver Dyke Reservoir

Bluebells by Beaver Dyke Reservoir

Track across the dam between Beaver Dyke Reservoir and John of Gaunt's Reservoir

All that remains of John of Gaunt's castle next to the ruins of Haverah Park Top Farm

Heading down to the inlet to John of Gaunt's reservoir

The path along Bank Slack

John of Gaunt lived in the 14th century and his son became King Henry IV. From here we took the path down to the inlet to the reservoirs and up the hillside to map ref. SE216546. We turned left here to follow the path along "Bank Slack" to Bank End Farm.

We turned left to cross the track along the dam between the two reservoirs and climbed up to the derelict farm at Haverah Park Top. The farm adjoins the ruins of John of Gaunt's Castle.

Looking back over John of Gaunt's Reservoir

Heading for Bank End Farm

Bluebells by the path near Bank End Farm

Climbing up to the complex of cottages behind the Sun Inn

The Sun Inn on Brame Lane

We crossed the road in front of the pub and followed the path down through the woods to the road at Swinsty Reservoir.

From the farm we followed the path across the fields to the Sun Inn on Brame Lane, the B6451 at map ref. SE207538.

Start of the path down to Swinsty Res. from the Sun Inn

Path by Swinsty Reservoir

Stitchwort by the path

Path up to Scow hall farm

Path up to Top Lane

At the road we turned left and walked along the road for about 150m. Here we turned right, off the road, to follow a path up the hillside to Top Lane at map ref. SE206516. At this road we turned left to walk about 150m along the road to the junction with the B6451.

From the road we walked along the permissive path around the reservoir towards the dam. After about 350m we came to an access road which leads to the dam. We crossed the access road and took the bridleway opposite (outside the reservoir gates) which led us up the hillside to the road at map ref. SE201522, above Scow Hall.

Bridleway to Scow Hall

Path up to Scow hall farm

The path through Scow Hall Farm

Ladys Smock or Cuckoo Flower

Last few meters up the access road to Top Lane

Path through the wood below the radio mast

We turned left to follow this path across a field, then back into the woods. There was a stile from the field into the wood and then the path turned sharp left to follow the wall up hill for about 60m and then turned right. We continued along this path past the large boulders known as the Hunter's Stones which apparently are used by climber as a practice site.

At the junction we turned right and then left off the road to climb a rough track through the woods. The track was particularly rough as a result of recent logging operations. This track took us over the hill and down to a a path at the edge of the woods at map ref. SE213511.

Path through the wood below the radio mast

Entering the wood heading for the Hunters Stones

Path from the Hunters Stones to Little Alms Cliff

Green-Veined White butterfly

The whole route had been about 13km and it had taken us almost 5 hours to walk including a very pleasant lunch stop on a seat looking out across Swinsty Reservoir.

The path took us out to the rocky outcrop called Little Alms Cliff at map ref. 232523. At the road beyond Little Alms Cliff we turned right and walked along the road for about 300m back to the car park where we had started.

Stile from the wood edge to Little Alms Cliff

Little Alms Cliff