Rock on...

Brimham Rocks have been a popular source of amazement since the railways came to Nidderdale in Victorian times.

We arrived, chatted to Steve Pilkington, the National Trust's car park attendant, and rolled on with the throng, to the rocks.

The acreage of towering Yorkshire gritstone absorbs people. They disappear from sight, children clamber on the smooth friendly shapes, rejuvenated dads get a testosterone boost, mums prance from slab to slab.

From the observation point we registered some of the named rocks, the Turtle, Oyster Shell, Anvil, Eagle and Watchdog, and in the mid-distance the spy station on Menwith Hill and, on the far horizon, York Minster, Knaresborough Church, the Wolds, and the three power stations of Ferrybridge, Eggbrough and Drax.

At the Exhibition Centre, built in 1792 as Lord Grantley's "accommodation for strangers", we learned how the rocks had been shaped, and Sara Thomas, the attendant, told her childhood tales of camping here with her pony.

From Jeremy Tuck, the Trust's property manager, who is to be congratulated on his super- friendly team, we got directional advice - "generally that way".

So we left the chatter at the refreshment kiosk and did just that, explored the place off the beaten track, navigating rock to rock, picking up thread-like paths through the heather. In poor visibility or snow this would be problematic, and there are steep drops.

Once down off the rock zone we tracked to pasture, through the National Trust boundary and into Stewardship land of newly-planted hedges and lovely woods of birch, sedge and coppiced hazel, then forded a steam and had a sandwich stop on the mossy roots of an ash.

A concrete track offered a short route option, but we pressed on, saw dinky dams and streams, cascades and a carved wood crocodile.

A dozen Canada geese waddled on the grass and ducks dropped down on to four-tiered ponds.

Then we hit the Nidderdale Way and an interesting farm or two, a curious mix of grade one listed lodge (rare this), B&B, part-time walkers caf, odds and ends, tips and, most strange, a field full of 20ft-high radio masts connected to people in a caravan with computers, like a mini Menwith Hill.

They were involved in a signaling competition.

Our last leg was on good open track and path and, after a mile or so, the rocks reappeared over the heather.

One could see from the visitors' faces that Brimham had worked its magic. Rock climbers sat possessively below their conquered slabs, the refreshment kiosk glowed in the falling light, the rain came down and the happy throng dispersed.

Directions:

When in doubt, look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1. Brimham Rocks path signed from corner of first car park on left, various routes through rocks to National Trust kiosk/toilets.

2. Right by kiosk/toilets, to left of National Trust sign and two "full-size" rocks, 100 yards, feed left to main grassy path (birch trees to left, heather right), uphill 100 yards. At "Danger Cliff Edge" sign fork right.

3. Thin path(s) in heather approximately parallel to moor/valley edge. Aim for distant balanced egg-shaped rock. Maintain height above bracken, steep drops.

4. Right at balanced "egg" rock. Maintain height on thin path(s) approximately parallel to road (ignore paths to middle of moor), pass just above "full-size" rocks. After about 200 yards, fork left to path through next group of rocks (large but lower, topped with heather) to path through bracken 100 yards to road. Cross road.

5. Concrete track (grass centre, signs), fieldgate to left of house (waymark), across pasture (old hedge to right), fieldgate into wood to path/track. Cross stream (stepping stones).

6. At junction with track, option to turn right for short route. Otherwise, left to track, 150 yards, right to track between houses, bridge over stream, ignore right fork.

7. Fieldgate 100 yards to left of house, keep wall to right, pass above ponds, fieldgate, uphill by wall, fieldgate and left to track (walled at first), pass Park House. At Brimham Lodge, between barns. Track swings right.

8. Right to track at junction with road.

9. Left at tracks junction, gate to path when track swings right, stile/fieldgate to moorland path (waymarked), right to road, 50 yards, left back to Brimham Rocks.

Fact file:

Distance: Five miles.

Time: Three hours.

Location: The Yorkshire Dales.

Start: Car park.

Right of way: The route is along public rights of way, and in the Brimham Rocks open access area.

Date walked: Saturday, October 25, 2003.

Road route: Seven miles from Ripon and four from Pateley Bridge, signed off from the B6265.

Parking: Pay and display.

Lavatories: At rocks.

Refreshments: Kiosk at rocks. November and December, Sundays only.

Tourist and public transport information: Ripon TIC 01423 780688. Exhibition Rooms at rocks, November and December - Sundays only.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 298 Nidderdale.

Terrain: Rock outcrop, moor and pasture.

Points of interest: There are 370 rock climbing routes here, as detailed in Yorkshire Gritstone.

Difficulty: Moderate in good conditions.

Dogs: Suitable.

Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 16:09 Friday, October 31, 2003