Yorkshire Walks

The main street (B6160) in Burnsall

A friendly pony in the first field we crossed

The first of a great many such stiles

We followed this path across the fields and over a stone step stile at every stone wall climbing up for almost a kilometer to a farm road called Badger Lane at map ref. SE025617.

This morning Jim & I met two friends, Ray & Sylvia, at Burnsall at map ref. SE031610. The weather forecast was for a very hot humid day with a risk of thundery downpours in the afternoon. We set off at around 10.15am along the main street, the B6160, and after about 200m we turned left off the road along a public footpath down the side of a cottage. This path brought us to a stile into a fields where there was a friendly pony waiting to greet us.

Our path to the left off the B6160

Crossing Badger Lane at map ref. SE025617

Looking back to Air Scar Crags above Burnsall

Looking across Wharfedale to the valley of Hebden Beck and the crags above Hole Bottom

Climbing up from Badger Lane heading for Thorpe

Crossing Starton Beck

From there we followed the path up to a track that led us onto a lane into the 'Hidden Village' of Thorpe.

A few hundred metres beyond Badger Lane the path started to drop down to a plank bridge over Starton Beck at map ref. SE019616.

Crossing Starton Beck

Climbing up to the lane at Thorpe

The 'Hidden Village' of Thorpe

The 'Hidden Village' of Thorpe

We followed the road south through the village of Thorpe and at the edge of the village we took a track off the road to the right to climb around the base of Elbolton Hill.

Thorpe is known as the hidden village because in its little valley between the reef knolls it is invisible from Wharfedale and it was never discovered by the border reivers who plundered as far south as this area until the late 1500's.

The 'Hidden Village' of Thorpe

The 'Hidden Village' of Thorpe

Our path out of the 'Hidden Village' of Thorpe

Our path out of the 'Hidden Village' of Thorpe

At the same time the reef knolls were formed as coral atolls with their ridges forming small coral islands in this tropical sea.

Elbolton Hill and several others in this area are known as 'Reef Knolls'. The limestone strata of this area was laid down on the bed of a shallow tropical sea hundreds of millions of years ago.

Climbing up around the base of Elbolton Hill

Looking towards Stebden Hill

The lane on our way to Linton

Here we turned left off the road at a sign post indicating a footpath to Linton & Threapland.

We continued along the path through more stone step stiles to the road at map ref. SD996611. At the road we turned right to walk along the road for about 600m to Stanghill Beck.

Crossing yet another stile below Butter Haw Hill

Our turning off the lane towards Linton

Making our way towards Linton

Horses on the edge of Linton village

We followed a path across the fields for almost 900m to the edge of Linton. The path led us onto a road which we followed into the village.

We followed this path along a farm track for about 250m to map ref. SD997617. Here we turned right off the farm track.

Horses on the skyline at Cockerham

Heading into Linton village

The village green and Linton Beck in Linton village

There is an old pack horse bridge across the beck and a pub on one side of the green with several seats around the green to enjoy the scene.

We stopped here for our lunch break. In the centre of the village is a very pretty village green with Linton Beck running through it.

Linton weir and falls on the River Wharfe

Worm gear, pinions and rack at Linton weir

Here we took a signposted path off to the left around the stone house on the corner to the footbridge over the River Wharfe at Linton Falls. There are two long weirs here and several waterfalls as the river makes its way through a rocky outcrop.

We followed the main road (B6265) out of the village to a cross roads at map ref. SD996630. We took the minor road opposite and followed it for about 300m down to a bend in the road at map ref. SE000632.

Linton weir and falls on the River Wharfe

Looking downstream from Linton falls

Linton weir and falls on the River Wharfe below Grassington

The River Wharfe below Grassington

We crossed the river on the footbridge and at once we turned right to follow the path along the river bank heading downstream.

A Suffolk tupp by the path

Pedestrian suspension bridge at Hebden

We crossed the river on the wobbly suspension bridge except for Ray who decided on an equally adventurous crossing on the stepping stone about 20m downstream of the bridge.

After about 3km we came to a pedestrian suspension bridge over the River Wharfe at map ref. SE025623 near the road into Hebden.

Pedestrian suspension bridge at Hebden

Pedestrian suspension bridge at Hebden

Stepping stones across the Wharfe at Hebden

Loup Scar on the R. Wharfe near Burnsall

Reflections in the Wharfe near Brunsall

Jim and I made our usual stop at a coffee shop for a large coffee and a toasted teacake for a pleasant end to the day before driving home. The whole route had been about 12km and it had taken four and three quatrer hours to walk including our stops - many of them just waiting for me to catch up.

We all continued along the riverside path to the rapids at Loup Scar and then along the path for another 600m back to our starting point in Burnsall. Ray & Sylvia planned to do their supermarket shopping on the way home - where do they get their energy?

Loup Scar on the R. Wharfe near Burnsall

Path by the Wharfe near Brunsall

Path under the lime trees near Brunsall

Burnsall Bridge at the end of our walk

top of page