This is a short walk I did with a friend and the again with my husband and dog back in March this year, when the weather was actually nice!!!
Start from the village of Hampsthwaite just outside Harrogate and start off with a cup of tea/coffee and something nice to go with it at Sophie’s village cafe – also a BB. You can sit outside and watch the world go by or there’s a garden around the back.
http://www.sophiesbedandbreakfast.co.uk/
Make your way from the cafe to the left of the village green for a short walk along the road towards Birstwith. You will walk past a path on your right leading to the village church which we will visit on the way back. Further on up the road you will pass a layby then you will spot a barn on your right and a footpath sign. Cross over the field and walk by the side of the river – this is the Nidderdale way. Everything is quite straightforward then. You eventually walk by the side of a food factory and cross over the road at Birstwith. We the made our way onwards past a weir and some open land….
Alongside the river again and you will reach an old pack horse bridge. You can cut your journey short here by crossing over the bridge walking up the hill, turning right and follow Nidderdale way back on the other side of the river.
We continued on alongside the River Nidd on our right until we had to climb over a wall and walk to our right along a little toll road past an old railway cottage and a little further on we crossed over the field just beyond the cottage and joined an old dismantled railway line.
There’s a field on the right where there were some gorgeous horses. At the top of the hill turn right down hill towards a small copse of trees. You will pass through a farm yard which isn’t a farm any more but stables. After this you will bear right past a small cl caravan site down to the river again. Follow the river until you get back to Birswith and get back on the road. Turn left to go to the pub which is well worth a visit for the beer and the food. Had been recently refurbished when we went. We had a nice lunch. At the Station Hotel.
Thats it really just follow your steps back past the food factory and return to Hampsthwaite. However take that path that I mentioned earlier to have a look at the church and graveyard its very interesting.
And back to the village green.
