Knaresborough: River and Rocks
Time: 3¼ hours 6½miles
This walk to the south and west of Knaresborough visits some of the least frequented sites around the town, including a shrine and a saint’s cave. It also includes sections by the river and an amble around the town’s Conyngham Hall woods and parkland.
Is This Walk For Me?
While much of this walk is on hard surfaces, there are several rough paths, especially at Direction Points 6 and 7. These and some other sections beside the river can be slippery and muddy in wet conditions. There are also several steepish climbs, although none are long. There are no stiles.
Getting There
The recommended starting point is Knaresborough station, to which trains run half-hourly from York. If driving, Knaresborough is 18 miles from York via the A59. The best parking option is at Conyngham Hall beside the river. Start the walk from Direction Point 13 after walking back to the main road.
Refreshments
There are numerous options in Knaresborough, both on and off route. Otherwise, the only opportunity is the Watermill Café at Direction Point 6.
Directions
1/ Exiting the station, turn left climbing Kirkgate. At the junction, turn right, soon going right again into a parking area with the police station to the left. Go left towards the public toilets, taking the tarmac path left of the twin castle ruins downhill. At the metal signpost, go left up steps into Bebra Gardens. Continue ahead for 20 metres, then turn right downhill to a paddling pool. Take the steps to its right. Turn right down more steps, reaching a road at the bottom.
2/ Turn left on the road, keeping right where it divides. Continue to a main road.
3/ Cross directly over into Abbey Road. Pass Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag and crags to the left. Remain on the quiet road to just beyond a house named Borrowdale on the right. Here, either continue along Abbey Road to Direction Point 5, or take the more adventurous route below in Direction Point 4.
4/ Ascend the signed footpath on the left. At a junction by a wooden fence, go right on a narrow path, still uphill. Climb a few steps to reach the top and turn right with houses to the left and a drop to the right. Ignore all paths left until a play area is passed – beyond this, turn left. Cross the tarmac drive to Nidd View, keeping ahead through a wooden gate into trees. Go over a track, going downhill still in trees. At the next path crossing, turn right (not up steps ahead) downhill to return to Abbey Road.
5/ Turn left (or continue if you remained on Abbey Road from Direction Point 3), soon passing St Robert’s Cave on the right. Keep ahead to a main road.
6/ Turn right across the bridge. Immediately over this, turn right between concrete blocks on a tarmac path. Pass the Watermill Café, beyond which, go left for a few metres on tarmac, but then head right parallel to the river, keeping all the mobile homes to your left. Where the tarmac ends, take an enclosed path climbing through trees high above the river. Briefly re-enter the mobile home park, continuing on a signed path which drops back down to the riverside.
7/ Now follow the riverside path through woodland, ignoring all ways off to the left. Eventually leave the river and trees, going between fences over fields. At a house, keep right of a dilapidated outhouse as waymarked, but in 20 metres, go to the left of a fence. At signposts, keep right by the river until a path junction on the left signed Calcutt. Here, turn left, leaving the river, continuing on a tarmac drive that leads to a road.
8/ Cross over and turn left. In 30 metres, turn right into Forest Moor Road. Walk on the pavement for about 200 metres to a track on the right. Turn right onto this (footpath sign, right-hand arm confusingly removed). Follow the track as it goes left, reaching a gate. Through this, follow the left field edge to find a three-way footpath sign.
9/ Turn half left with the hedge to the right. Continue to the railway crossing. Over this, follow the obvious path with the golf course to the right, eventually dog-legging right and left to a road. Turn right, reaching the main road (A59) in 250 metres.
10/ Cross at the lights and turn right for 200 metres to Bilton Hall Drive. Turn left, remaining on this until the cycle track. Here, turn right, heading downhill. Go through two gates.
11/ Immediately after the second gate, turn left into trees, forking left in five metres. Now continue on the edge of the trees. At a junction just beyond a bench, go right, but in a few more paces at the corner of an open area, turn sharp right with a grassy area to the left. Keep ahead (signed Wooden Bridge) on the main path. At the crossroads, turn right over the bridge.
12/ On the other side, go sharp left beside the river at the bottom of a steep bank. Follow the path as it soon doubles back and climbs. At a tarmac drive, keep ahead, passing to the right of buildings. Keep on the tarmac between metal fences until the A59 main road.
13/ Cross at the lights and turn left. In a short distance, take the path right (signed ‘Town centre’). Keep ahead on the walled lane. Turn left immediately beyond the church, taking the walled alleyway ahead that leads back to the station.
What To See
Knaresborough has many attractions: the castle, the gorge and viaduct, Mother Shipton’s Cave and the town. The walk passes the Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag (open summer Sunday afternoons only), St Robert’s Cave (freely accessible just off Abbey Road), and Knaresborough’s Grade I listed parish church. The popular Conyngham Hall park is also freely accessible. Further information on all these can be found online.
Disclaimer
Walks are undertaken at your own risk. Due care must be taken in following the walk, particularly after poor weather. Whilst every care is taken in compiling the description, changes may have occurred since publication. Neither the walk author nor Your Local Link can accept any responsibility for errors or omissions.
By Tony Chalcraft
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