21
hendall
Stranraer
14
Moffat
NORTH YORKSHIRE
KNARESBOROUGH
Carsphairn
Cairnryan
Newton Stewart
Lochmaben
New
Galloway
Castle Douglas
Distance
14km/8¾ miles
Whithorn
Drummore
Newtownards
Comber
Burrow
Head
Langholm
Lockerbie
Dumfries
Longtown
Annan
Gretna
Dalbeattie
Grade
Moderate
Wigton
Workington
Appleby-inWestmorland
Keswick
CUMBRIA
Ambleside
Andreas
Downpatrick
Ballaugh
astlewellan
Newcastle
Peel
Coniston
Ramsey
ISLE OF MAN
Laxey
Douglas
Port Erin
Castletown
Barrow-in-Furness
Walney
Isle
Stanley
Refreshments
Lots of pubs/cafés
Peterlee
Hartlepool
Redcar
Middlesbrough
Sedbergh
Hawes
Stokesley
Kirkby Lonsdale
Lancaster
LANCASHIRE
Richmond
Catterick
Leyburn
Scalby
Pickering
N O R T H YO R K S H I R E
Ripon
Easingwold
Settle
Skipton
Harrogate
ogate
Ilkley
Scarborough
Filey
Malton
Bridlington
Flam
H
Driffield
Kna
Knaresborough
York
Wetherby
Whitby
Robin Hood’s Bay
Northallerton
Thirsk
Grange-overIngleton
Sands
Carnforth
Morecambe
Heysham
Guisborough
PLAN YOUR
ROUTE
Darlington
Windermere
Ulverston
Fleetwood
Whitley Bay
Gosforth
South Shields
Newcastle upon Tyne
Jarrow
Gateshead
Sunderland
Washington
Corbridge
Scotch Corner
Kendal
Millom
Newbigginby-the-Sea
Blyth
Ponteland
Durham
Brandon
Brough
Egremont
Killyleagh
Portaferry
Bedlington
Spennymoor
Bishop Auckland
Newton
Aycliffe
DURHAM
Penrith
Cockermouth
Ashington
Morpeth
Consett
Alston
Maryport
Whitehaven
Hexham
Brampton
Carlisle
Time
4 hours
Kirkcudbright
Amble
NORTHUMBERLAND
Otterburn
DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
Portpatrick
Whitehead
Carrickfergus
Bangor
Holywood Donaghadee
hinch
Garstang
EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE
Pocklington
4.5km/2¾ miles
By entrance gates to Bilton
Hall, take path to L (Bilton
Lane). Follow this lane for
about 1.6km into Old Bilton,
where you will find The
Gardeners Arms inn. Past pub,
ignore first footpaths, and
20
18
16
START/PARKING
12
14
Conyngham Hall car
park, Knaresborough,
grid ref SE344572
Nearest town
Knaresborough
Refreshments
Many pubs and cafés,
Knaresborough;
Gardener’s Arms,
Old Bilton
Public toilets At start
Public transport
Knaresborough is
well-served by trains
from York and
Harrogate, and by
Harrogate & District
buses
10
2km/1¼ miles
Cross line and continue on
clearer path (now shared by
Knaresborough Round and the
Harrogate Ringway paths) along
boundary of housing on L and
Harrogate Golf Club, R. Route
then cuts through housing estate
to Forest Lane where you turn R
and head north to meet A59
again. Turn R along pavement
towards Knaresborough and in
about 200m, near golf club
entrance, cross main road and
head along Bilton Hall Drive
towards Bilton Hall.
8
Start
From car park entrance cross
A59 at pelican crossing to
follow narrow street by River
Nidd under railway viaduct.
Continue along riverbank,
passing boats for hire, and
below red cliffs on top of which
are ruins of Knaresborough
Castle. In about 500m you
reach B6163. Turn R to cross
river by bridge and head uphill.
Take footpath sign on R for the
Knaresborough Round, up into
open fields. Finding route
across fields is a bit tricky, but
trend is slightly south of west
to eventually reach a crossing
of railway line.
6
walk on the fringes of
Harrogate and
Knaresborough, which
includes the riverside path
through the dramatic, wooded
Nidd Gorge. The route passes
two railway viaducts over the
River Nidd and below the
ruins of Knaresborough
Castle. By Arnold Underwood.
Is it for me? Field and
riverside paths and
minor roads; roadside
pavement; no major
ascents/descents
Stiles 4
MAPS
Ordnance Survey
Explorer 289;
Landranger 104
4
A
ROUTE
2
Knaresborough viaduct
in autumn – between
Points 1 and 2.
800
600
400
200
0
km 0
Photo: Arnold Underwood
Market
Keighley Bingley
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Colne
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Hull
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Goole
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Brighouse
Rawtenstall
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Huddersfield
Southport
Chorley
Rochdale
Scunthorpe
Hemsworth
Thorne
Bury
Ormskirk Standish Bolton
Grimsby
Formby
GREATER MANCHESTER
Barnsley
Brigg
Wigan
Oldham Penistone
SOUTH
Doncaster
Caistor
Crosby MERSEYSIDE
YORKSHIRE
Salford MANCHESTER
Carmel Head
Stocksbridge
Bootle
St Helens
Sale Stockport
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Wallasey
Rotherham
Liverpool Warrington
Great
Gainsborough
Market
Moelfre
Cheadle
Orme
Altrincham
Prestatyn Birkenhead
Gogarth
Rasen
Widnes
Sheffield
Colwyn
Anglesey
Holyhead
Llandudno
Whaley
Wilmslow
Worksop
Retford
Bay
Runcorn
Dronfield
Knutsford
Rhyl
Bridge
Beaumaris
Flint
Holy Island Llangefni
Staveley
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Northwich
Lincoln
Bangor
Chesterfield
Horncastle
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Middlewich
CONWY
Ollerton
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DERBYSHIRE
FLINTSHIRE
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LINCOLNSHI
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Clay Cross
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Mold
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C
BetwsCrewe
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DENBIGHSHIRE
y-coed
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Nantwich Kidsgrove
Hucknall
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2
Sleaford
NewcastleBlaenau Ffestiniog
Ruabon
Bo
Ashbourne
Ilkeston
under-Lyme
WREXHAM
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Porthmadog
Nottingham
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Sut
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Uttoxeter
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Bala
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Stone
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Market
Drayton
GWYNEDD
Oswestry
Wem
Burton upon
STAFFORDSHIRE
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Trent
Spalding
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SHROPSHIRE
Island
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
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C
Mallwyd
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LEICESTERSHIRE
RUTLAND
Tamworth
Leicester
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Oadby
Machynlleth
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Uppingham
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Aberdyfi
Peterborou
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Newtown
Market
Nuneaton
West Bromwich
Church
Oundle
Harborough
Stretton
Dudley
Birmingham
POWYS
Corby
C
Stourbridge
Llanidloes
Bedworth
WEST MIDLANDS
Rothwell
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Aberystwyth
Clun
Llangurig
Kidderminster
Kettering
Solihull
CA
COVENTRY
Ludlow
1
Huntin
WALES
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
StourportBromsgrove
Knighton
Rugby
Brampton
on-Severn
Leamington Spa
CEREDIGION
Rhayader
Wellingborough
Rushden
Redditch
Warwick
Presteigne
Aberaeron
Llandrindod
Droitwich
Daventry
Leominster
New Quay
WARWICKSHIRE
St
Neots
Northampton
Wells
Tregaron
WORCESTERSHIRE
Kington
Stratford
Bromyard
upon Avon
Worcester
Bedford
Builth Wells
Towcester
Pershore
HEREFORDSHIRE
ShipstonNewport Pagnell
Lampeter
Cardigan
Strumble
Big
Great Malvern
on-Stour
Head
BEDFORDSHIRE
Evesham
Milton Keynes
Hay-on-Wye
Newcastle
Banbury
Hereford
Ledbury
Brackley
Fishguard
Emlyn
Llandovery
Moreton-in-Marsh
Mathry
Tewkesbury
Buckingham
Leighton Letchworth
Hitchin
Brecon
St David's
Buzzard
Chipping Norton
CARMARTHENSHIRE
Stow-on-the-Wold
Steven
PEMBROKESHIRE
Ramsey
Ross-on-Wye
Llandeilo
Carmarthen
Bicester
Cheltenham
Dunstable Luton
Island
Newgale
Gloucester
Crickhowell
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
HER
Abergavenny
Haverfordwest
St Clears
Kidlington
Tring
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Narberth
Aylesbury
Monmouth
Witney
Ammanford
Brynmawr
Skomer
Milford
St Albans
Merthyr Ebbw
Island
Wendover
Haven
Vale
Blaenavon
Oxford
Carterton
Tydfil
Kidwelly
Hatfi
BLAENAU
GWENT
Hemel
NEATH
Stroud
MONMOUTHSHIRE
MERTHYR
Neyland
Skokholm
PORT TALBOT
Thame
Cirencester
Lydney
Aberdare TYDFIL Pontypool
OXFORDSHIRE
Hempstead
Tenby
Pembroke
Llanelli
Island
Nailsworth
Glyncorrwg
Amersham
TORFAEN
RHONDDA
Watford Barn
Faringdon Abingdon
Chepstow
Neath
3 CYNON TAFF Bargoed
CAERPHILLY Cwmbran
Swansea
High Wycombe
Cricklade
Maesteg
Didcot
Tetbury
St Govan's
Risca
Wantage
Harrow
SWANSEA
Newport
Pontypridd
Port
Marlow
Caldicot
Head
Wallingford
Malmesbury
G
Uxbridge
Talbot
Port Eynon
NEWPORT
Caerphilly
Henley Maidenhead
BRIDGEND
Swindon
LO
Avonmouth
CARDIFF
Slough
Bridgend
Porthcawl
BRISTOL
BERKSHIRE
Windsor
Cardiff
Chippenham
Richmon
Cowbridge
Reading
Bristol
Staines
VALE OF GLAMORGAN
Avebury
Hungerford
Corsham
Clevedon
Bracknell
King
Barry
Newbury
Marlborough
Congresbury
Bath Melksham
Sutton
Devizes
Weston-super-Mare
Woking Epsom
Kingsclere
Camberley
Trowbridge
W I LT S H I R E
Leatherhead
Cheddar
Basingstoke
Re
Aldershot
Westbury
Lynton Lynmouth
Dorking
Burnham-on-Sea
Whitchurch
Frome
Andover
Guildford
Ilfracombe
R
Farnham
Lundy
Minehead
Warminster
Wells
SUR
Pilton
Godalming
HAMPSHIRE
Watchet
Glastonbury
Alton
Amesbury
Braunton
Crawle
Street
Bridgwater
New
Alresford
Barnstaple
Haslemere
Mere
Liphook
Hor
Wilton
Winchester
Wincanton
SOMERSET
Bideford
Salisbury
Hay
Billingshurst
South Molton
Taunton
Hartland
Petersfield
Shaftesbury
Romsey
Wellington
Midhurst
Great Torrington
Eastleigh
Pulborough
Yeovil
Ilminster
Sherborne
Southampton
WEST SUSSEX
Hurst
Tiverton
Havant
Lyndhurst
Arundel
Crewkerne
Blandford Forum
Fareham
Chard
Chichester
Bude
Hythe
Ringwood
Worthing
Holsworthy
Brockenhurst
Gosport
B
Bognor Littlehampton
Axminster
Honiton
Crediton
Wimborne Minster
Regis
Lymington
Portsmouth
DORSET
Bridport
New Milton
Okehampton
Cowes
Dorchester
Exeter
Seaton
Ryde
Poole
Boscastle
Selsey
Newport
Lyme
Bournemouth
Sidmouth
DEVON
Wareham
Tintagel
ISLE
Regis
Launceston
Freshwater
OF
metres
N
SOUTH
AYRSHIRE
Ballantrae
rne
duff
AYRSHIRE
Maybole
Dalmellington
Girvan
NORTHERN ENGLAND
Mull of Kintyre
WIGHT
21
NORTH YORKSHIRE
KNARESBOROUGH
Buy maps at
www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapshop
Ordnance Survey mapping ©Crown Copyright in association with Memory-Map/Bauer Media’s Media Licence number AM86/09
5
4
3
Start
1
2
continue to where route of a
disused railway crosses road at
edge of new Bilton estate. Turn
R along what was once main
railway line from Harrogate to
north. Housing on outskirts of
Harrogate is left behind and in
another 800m you reach a belt
of woodland and a barrier
across route ahead. You have
reached Nidd Viaduct which
carried tracks across wooded
Nidd Gorge. Although viaduct is
well-maintained with a Tarmac
surface, it is not accessible.
4 6.6km/4 miles
Take R turn on to permissive
path along edge of trees.
At corner this path dives into
trees and picks its way down to
river, crossing footbridge over
Bilton Beck on way. Here path
rejoins Harrogate Ringway
through Nidd Gorge. Route now
keeps close to river through
twists and turns of wooded
gorge. Soon pass weir and
former Scotton Mill on
opposite bank. About 1.6km
beyond Scotton Mill a
footbridge comes into view –
a rare crossing opportunity.
5 10km/6¼ miles
Cross bridge and turn R along
opposite bank. For next 1.5km
route keeps along north bank of
Nidd, albeit occasionally being
made to climb away from river.
However try to keep to riverside
path for as long as possible,
until way is barred by gardens.
Turn L as indicated and climb
away from river to emerge on
Lands Lane. Go R and walk
round corner to B6165 Ripley
road. Cross to opposite
pavement and walk down into
Knaresborough. At traffic lights
cross to R and walk downhill
past craft centre towards river
and car park.
Route created using
Memory-Map V5 Northern
England – OS 1:50,000
Contact 0844 811 0950
www.memory-map.co.uk
© Country Walking December 2009