Burley in Wharfedale Stepping Stones

Directions to Burley Stepping Stones

1. Beginning from Grange Park Roundhouse facing the Red Lion Pub, turn right down Main Street (you will pass Burley Fisheries and The Queens Head pub on your right). Walk as far as the pedestrian crossing and cross the road. Turn right and and take an immediate left onto Iron Row.

2. Continue to walk down Iron Row, passing under the underpass, until you rise to Great Pasture Lane. Facing you at this point is the newly renovated Greenholme Mills. Iron Row was the route taken by the Mill workers in the village to work at the Mills in the late 18th/ Early 19th Century.

3. Turn left down Great Pasture Road and walk as far as the houses keeping the mill to your right (be wary of residents’ vehicles at this point). After approximately 200m, at the point where Great Pasture Road makes a sharp left there is a newly resurfaced path and wide metal gate to your right leading into the trees. Take that path.

4. In the trees, the track heads straight on joining a wide dirt track ahead. (There are geocaches to find here and conkers in early Autumn)

5. Follow the track, keeping the fields on your left and The Goit (mill ponds) on your right. After about 400m, the track begins to bend to the left and will lead you to the weir. A prominent wide track appears to your right, take this and head down to the river. You will be able to see the river ahead. This is the access point down to the stepping stones and to the stony shores of the Wharfe. ❗ The far banks of the River Wharfe are PRIVATE PROPERTY. Please be respectful to the landowners and stick to all permissive routes. As of July 2021 due to repeated instances of antisocial behaviour, the landowners have fenced off the far banks of the Wharfe. Only the permissive route is accessible and should be used.

6. Short Option (stepping stones submerged): After a good old fashioned stone throwing session, double back on yourself and turn right at the end of the short track you used to access the stepping stones. Here you need to turn right. Follow the wide track, which turns into an access road (Leather Bank) for the residents’ properties. Follow this for around 500m until you see the underpass which will lead you back to the village.

7. Take this underpass and walk until you reach Main Street, Burley in Wharfedale again. Turn left and walk back along the pavement into the centre of the village again, where you will see the Roundhouse, where you began.

8. Longer Route to Askwith, (crossing stepping stones): Cross the stepping stones to the far bank, where you need to keep left and head up the bank. The grassy path heads away from the river and through a gate. You will then pass through several fields heading gradually uphill, sticking to the public footpath and keeping the perimeter of the field roughly to your left. Along here there is a trail of geocaches to find along the way!

9. After passing through three gates, you will reach a large wooden five bar gate which is under trees. Head through that gate and then through a metal gate at the end and then turn left onto the road in Askwith. The pub is on your left.

10. If you don’t wish to go to the pub, at the metal gate, turn right onto the road and continue for a short distance. You will see a row of terraced houses to your left and a pubic bridleway sign next to the speed limit road sign on your right. Turn right here. There are more geocaches to find along here.

11. Continue along the track until you see some stables to your right. Just after these, there is a gate and a public bridleway sign head right through the gate following the signpost. Continue along the path until to go through another gate.

12. Turn left and head downhill through the field following the path, which largely sticks to the left perimeter, heading down and then right along the edge of the hedgerow (keeping that to your left). Then continue downhill to a stile and back to the stepping stones!

13. Skip to point 6. to complete your route!

    Last walked July 2024.