Sunhar one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Sunhar here.

Before deciding to walk from Harrogate to the Sun Inn, it is important to work out how you will get back again because there is no accommodation or public transport from there. Options include walking on to Blubberhouses and catching the very limited summer Saturday service only to Harrogate or walking to Hampsthwaite and catching one of the more frequent buses to Harrogate that run most days. Other alternatives are to walk on to somewhere else, walk back again or arrange for a lift or taxi.
The route is very pleasant for the most part but the middle section from Pot Bank to Long Liberty Farm may not be quite as pleasurable as the rest. There are refreshments to be had at Harlow Carr Gardens and very reasonably priced good meals to be had at the Sun Inn (check opening and food availability times).
The route was walked in reverse (from Harrogate). It starts at the station and descends through the shopping area and the war memorial to the Valley gardens. The route through the valley Gardens is scenic at any time of year. It climbs through the formal gardens then through a grassy area then bears right at the signpost on to the good quality gravel path signposted to Harlow Carr Gardens. It passes through woodland, crosses a road and enters The Pinewoods. At the highest point there is a viewpoint on the right-hand side with a telescope and information board. From here the path descends to meet the road near Harlow Carr Gardens. Turn right then left and go downhill past the old Harrogate Alms (unfortunately now closed). The path goes along the boundary of the gardens at the bottom of the road entering a lovely wooded area with sulphurous stream down on the right. It passes the Ringway Footpath on the right and curves left and ascends through Cardale Woodland. Shortly before reaching the road at Pot Bank the definitive right of way passes through two gates and through the garden of a house but they have posted a short diversion round their property to the left which most people use.
The diverted path emerges on the road at Pot Bank. There is a short length of road to walk along before taking the not very obvious path marked by a yellow post on the first bend. This path cuts off the hairpin bend of the road but is fairly steep and overgrown. It emerges on the road again just before the bridge. The walk along the road from here is dangerous unless you use great care (eyes and ears) both over the bridge and perhaps more so the other side where it ascends steeply to a blind summit with no grass verges. The road can be quite busy.
At the top of the short hill, it turns left, passes in front of a house then passes several other buildings. Just before a wood where the farm track bears left, the footpath bears slightly right. It is signposted but easily missed. At the end of the wood, it turns left through a dilapidated gate. From here it passes through several grassy fields via some steep and difficult stiles. It is an apparently very little used path and there is no trace on the ground. The path curves slowly to the right and becomes more obvious because it is extensively used by cattle. The further you go the more obvious the path because it is composed of many years of accumulation of cattle sludge. The sludge issue becomes more and more obvious until just before Whin-Hill Farm it is difficult to prevent it from filing your boots, even in dry weather. It has a deceptive crust on it but when you sink through it…!
From here the path passes through Prospect Farm where an amusing notice warns you that there are loose dogs, but not to run away from them. There was indeed a dog but although it came up to us it seems friendly. The path then goes through Central House Farm and then several large fields most of which contained cattle. At one point a large herd of cattle with young were right over the path. Fortunately they were docile.
After Long Liberty Farm the route is more pleasant. It passes above Beaver Dyke Reservoir, now drained and a wood, then beautiful John Gaunt Reservoir. It then passes along an ancient roadway (Bank Slack) to Bank End Farm and from here you can see the Sun Inn over the fields. The path is well marked and crosses what appears to be a bog but that is in fact dry. It emerges at the foot of a steep grassy ascent and passageway leading to the front of the Sun Inn.

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