Middlesmoor

Head straight across the field, passing the car park on your left, to reach a wall-gap in front of you, after which walk straight on alongside the wall on your left to reach a stile beside the top edge of a narrow plantation. Cross the stile and walk straight on to quickly reach a squeeze-stile (plantation ends), after which cross over a small stream then head straight on across the middle of the field (heading towards Smithfield Hall just ahead), through a wall-gate then on to reach Smithfield Hall. Carry straight on passing the house on your right then bear slightly left across the field to a squeeze-stile in a wall, then straight across the next field and through another squeeze-stile then bear left across the next field to join a farm lane. Turn right along the lane to reach Netherside Head Farm.

2. As you reach the farm buildings, bear slightly left along the track passing to the left of the farm buildings to reach a gate across the track just beyond. Head through the gate and follow the track straight on across the hillside for 500 metres to reach a gate across the track beside the edge of How Gill Plantation. Head through the gate then turn immediately right (sign ‘footpath’) and head down the middle of the field bearing slightly left (heading towards Limley Farm in the valley bottom) then, as you approach the bottom of the field, follow the path bending left over How Gill (stream) then on to reach a squeeze-stile in the wall by its junction with a fence (beside a large tree). After the stile, bear slightly left across the middle of the field and through a wall-gap, after which bear left to quickly reach another squeeze-stile then follow the path straight on bearing right slanting down across the field to a wall-gate then straight down to join a road.

3. Head straight over the road through the stile opposite then straight on across the field and through a gate immediately to the left of the large barns (Limley Farm), after which head straight on to quickly reach a squeeze-stile in a wall (immediately after the hay barn on your right) that leads on to the farm lane near the farmhouse. Turn left along the lane passing to the left of the farmhouse (passing behind the farmhouse) up into the farmyard to quickly reach a junction of tracks by a cluster of barns where you head right (waymarkers) skirting to the left around the barns and down to reach the River Nidd. (If the river is in spate, re-trace your steps to the Yorkshire Water road where you turn right and follow this up to reach Scar House Reservoir dam, then follow the route from Point 6 below). Cross the riverbed and through a gate on the other side, after which head straight on alongside the wall on your left for 100 metres then follow the path to the right slanting up the hillside (waymarker post). Follow this path winding steeply up the hillside then, as you approach the wall/fence at the top of the field, follow the path bending sharp left and levelling out. Follow this path straight on across the wooded hillside, with the fence/wall on your right, to soon reach a wide path where you carry on alongside the wall on your right then follow this wall bending to the right along a path (enclosed by walls) to quickly reach a gate (by Thwaite House).

4. Head through the gate then turn immediately left alongside the wall on your left passing to the left of the buildings to join a track. Follow this track straight on heading across the valley slopes of Upper Nidderdale for 1 km to reach Bracken Ridge Farm where you follow the track turning sharply up to the right then left passing above the farm buildings. Carry straight on along the clear track for a further 1.5 km passing Summerstone Lodge, Edge Farm, Nidd Cottage and then Newhouses Edge Farm then carry straight on along the track down to reach a small ford across a stream set in a wooded ravine, and a gate across the track just beyond. Head through the gate and follow the track straight on keeping close to the wall on your right and follow this gently curving round to the right to reach a gate in a wall at the top end of a narrow plantation. Head through the gate and walk straight on alongside the wall on your right for 200 metres to reach a fork in the track where you head right (waymarker post) alongside the wall on your right to quickly reach a gate across the track.

5. Head through the gate and follow the track climbing uphill alongside a small wooded stream on your left (wall on your right) then, as you emerge from the trees, follow the track winding up to a gate. Head through the gate and follow the track up to the left then, as you reach a wall across your path, follow the track to the right to reach a gate in the wall (moorland ahead). Head through the gate and walk straight on along the rough, indistinct track up across the moorland, bearing very slightly right for 150 metres to join a shooters’ track across your path. Turn left along the track and follow it across the hillside then steeply down to reach a bridge across Woo Gill (stream) set in a ravine. Cross the bridge and follow the track climbing up out of the valley to reach a wall (and gate) across your path where you head to the right (alongside the wall on your left) for a short distance then follow the track bending up to the right away from the wall (waymarker). The track soon bends slightly left and all but levels out and leads straight on across the moor to reach a gate in a wall at the top end of a belt of woodland. Head through this gate and walk straight on along the track for 1 km to reach a ‘T-junction’ with a track across your path (Scar House Reservoir dam down to your left). Turn left along this track down to reach the dam wall. Follow the lane across the dam wall.

6. At the end of the dam, turn right (signpost ‘Nidderdale Way’) and follow the lane straight on with the reservoir to your right for about 300 metres then, just before the gate across the lane, turn left back on yourself along a rough stony track (signpost ‘Middlesmoor’). Follow this track climbing up across the valley side then winding steeply up across the outcrops of Woodale Scar on to the moorland of Scar House Pasture. Follow the unenclosed track across the moorland to soon reach a gate across the track at the start of the walled track (In Moor Lane). Follow this walled track straight on gently dropping down for 2.5 km back into Middlesmoor.

INFORMATION

Distance: 7.5 miles (12 km)
Time: Allow four hours
Map: OS Explorer Sheet 298 ‘Nidderdale’
Start/parking: Car park at Middlesmoor
Refreshments: Pub at Middlesmoor. No facilities en route
Terrain: This walk follows farm and moorland tracks virtually all the way, with some field paths. Some sections are fairly steep, notably the ascent to Thwaite House, out of Woo Gill, up on to North Moor and In Moor. Some sections are boggy and there are small streams to cross
How to get there: Middlesmoor lies in Upper Nidderdale at the ‘end of the road’
Caution: This walk follows tracks across open moorland, which are exposed to the elements. Although the tracks and paths are clear for most of the way, always take a map

POINTS OF INTEREST

THE windswept village of Middlesmoor has a commanding position high above the valley, situated on a great promontory of moorland between Nidderdale and How Stean Beck.

The village is a delightful jumble of old cottages and alleyways, which makes it an interesting place to explore with St Chad’s Church hidden away along a cobbled lane.

This site has been a place of worship since Saxon times, however, it was not until medieval times that the village began to develop around a monastic farm that belonged to Byland Abbey.

Inside the church is a carved Saxon cross thought to have been erected in the churchyard by St Chad as a preaching cross.

• Mark Reid is the author of The Inn Way and Walking Weekends series.