Pathar two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Pathar here.

This is an excellent walk with just one bit of potentially dangerous road walking. It avoids the more dangerous road walking described in PATHAR1 and uses an alternative to the path near Glasshouses described in PATHAR1 that no longer exists.

Well recommended. Buses run between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge stopping at various places en route so you can get back to where you started or even do the walk in sections.

We walked this route from Harrogate Station to Pateley Bridge. It would only be suitable for walkers if being walked from beginning to end.
We crossed Station Parade and headed for Bettys. We then walked down the main road and crossed this junction to continue up Ripon Road (pelican crossings provided safe crossing points on all the roads we had to cross in the town centre). Eventually we turned off Ripon Road and entered Jennifield Estate to join Harrogate Ringway. After crossing the A59 we entered a county lane eventually turning off to the left towards High Warren Farm, through a narrow (24”) gate to be met by a narrow and very muddy path (p1), albeit the weather had been dry for some time. We climbed over a rickety style that brought us out to a fairly busy Otley Road which we crossed and walked up Lund Lane passing a garden in which a model of a canal had been very realistically constructed. We turned right down Myers Green Lane, crossed a couple of stiles and a narrow gated bridge as we crossed pasture land to reach Hampsthwaite. Here we stopped for a drink and snack at Sophies – coffee, bistro and B&B. There is also a pub – The Joiners Arms serving food and drinks 5 days a week including Sunday. We headed for Birstwith via a country road until we came to a farm building on the right where we passed through a gate (p2) and headed down a path to the side of the River Nidd; at parts the path was very narrow-12” (p3). The well signposted route then took us round the food processing mill across a narrow pedestrian bridge (19.5”) We then cross the road and continue along a beautiful part of the walk besides the Nidd through numerous gates and some stiles. At one point we come to a lovely hump back bridge (p4) – We do not cross this but instead take the stile on the left before it (p5) to continue on same side of the Nidd. We passed numerous docile cows in the field immediately before leaving the path by a gate onto Darley Road. In a few yards we turn right to cross the Nidd via the Ross Toll Bridge (p6). We then go up a short steep hill to join the busy B6165 (60mph speed limit) on a sharp bend which you have to be very careful when crossing to reach the narrow grass verge on the other side before turning right onto the quiet Stripe Lane. (We could not see a suitable alternative to this crossing and can only stress that care must be taken.)
This section is the part of the route changed from Pathar1. We then continued up Chapel Lane to Hartwith, past The Old Vicarage (p7) until we reached an old farm that is currently used for storing caravans and mobile homes. We then turned left at what used to be the farm loading bay (p8) to follow a well-established path with beautiful views over Nidderdale (p9) and lots of glorious butterflies (p10). The path is muddy in places but at the time we walked it - 22 July – there had been plenty of rain followed by days of sunshine and high temperatures (27C to 29C) resulting in the path being very overgrown with ferns and nettles. The latter crossing the path from both sides for a distance of about 500yds. (p11). Eventually the path led onto a lane that took us into the centre of Summerbridge (p12) (avoiding the very dangerous stretch of road - B6162 - in Pathar1.)
In Summerbridge there is The Firs Tea Rooms and B&B (which is open on Wednesday to Friday from 10.30am to 4.30pm; Saturday 10.30 to 5pm; Sunday 11am to 5pm (call 01423 781715 to check post pandemic opening times.) The Flying Dutchman pub in Summerbridge is temporarily closed (check post pandemic situation 01423 780321). We crossed the B6165 opposite the Flying Dutchman pub and went down the B6415 in the direction of Dacre Banks but only for about 100yds before turning right to take the path round the old sawmill. Path starts behind a bush and is difficult to see (p13). This leads to the path on the left hand side of the Nidd. The path narrowed to just 16” and was muddy. A narrow (14.5”) bridge and a couple of kissing gates took us onto a wider farm track past the sign for Whittaker’s Distillery. We had a wide path and easy walking to Harewell Hall where the proposed route was to leave the wide track we were on and follow a footpath to the bend in the river and the down along the bank of the Nidd near the sewage works.
This section is the part of the route changed from Pathar1.
However, from about SE17945 63927 to SE17817 63959 the footpath no longer appeared to exist (p14). It appears to have been on land that has slipped down into the ravine at the side of the Nidd and has been fenced off for some years. We therefore continued on or wide (safe) track (p15) that took us left to Harewell Wood Farm and then down to the bridge at glasshouse. At this point we say a sign saying the path the route was to take us down was closed. (at about SE17115 64326).
Having crossed the bridge we took the sign-posted track on the left that took us onto part of the SIX Dales Trail This provide easy walking along a metalled track on the right bank of the Nidd all the rest of the way into Pateley Bridge where we arrived at the road bridge in the centre. The village has lots of amenities including pubs, cafes, food shops, toilets and for our perspective a bus back via Summerbridge to Harrogate.
Unlike the proposer of this new route who thought that the when the riverside footpath from Glasshouses is repaired it will be a better option than the deviation we both took; we believe that the section of the route mentioned above no longer exists and that the riversde footpath the will exist when repaired will not take the walker to the point on Pathar1 that is required. Therefore, this route as it exists would be our preferred choice.

Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.

Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.

You can add up to 15 photos.