Brimham Rocks boundary walk
Enjoy a circular walk around the boundary of Brimham Rocks and discover panoramic views of the Yorkshire countryside. This route passes through woodland, farmland and open moorland, offering a glimpse of the rock formations that give Brimham Rocks their name along the way.
Boggy terrain
Large sections of south moor (between stops 2 and 4) are wet and boggy making the paths extremely difficult to pass during the winter months.
Total steps: 6
Total steps: 6
Start point
Brimham Rocks car park
Step 1
From Brimham Rocks car park, walk down the road you entered along, then turn right down a track marked Private Road to Druids Cave Farm (before the public road). After about 60m, there's a footpath to your left – just before the track passes between a gap in a wall with a National Trust boundary marker. Take this path and then the right fork, and continue keeping the wall just on your right. In about 350m the ground will dip down sharply to a farm track with a gate to your right. Turn left here to the road about 30 paces away.
Step 2
Across the road a little to the left is a large rock, and to the left of that is a footpath. Follow the path for about 125m and continue straight on where another path forks to the left. The track then becomes narrow and rutted in places – watch out that you don't twist an ankle. About 650m from the road, you'll reach a larger path with a public footpath marker post, turn right here. You are now on the Nidderdale Way. After about 400m you'll pass through a copse of silver birch trees. Emerging from the copse you'll see a gate, a stile, and the National Trust Boundary marker.
Step 3
About 10m before the gate and stile, take the path to the left slightly downhill. When you reach a wall – which is the boundary of the National Trust – follow the path to the left. In about 25 paces cross the bridge over a spring, then after another 15 steps the path swings left. Follow the path across a gulley on a duckboard bridge, the path then turns sharp right. Follow the gently rising path through silver birches and onto the open heather and bracken moorland. The wall you can see about 200m to your right marks the National Trust Brimham Rocks boundary. You can now also see Brimham Rocks ahead, and in another 400m, you'll reach the public road that runs right through the property. To your sharp right there's concrete track marked private.
Step 4
Go through the gate and cross over the road. Head through the next gate marked with a red arrow. Follow the path up for roughly 525m until you reach Mushroom rock. Turn left and follow the path for 12-200m. Turn right at the waymarked post and follow the path down until you a gate. Head through the gate and follow the path down to your right for 200m. Once at the next waymarker head left up the farm track for roughly 750m. Be sure to take in the views across Nidderdale. Once at the end of the track you will see a stile marked with a red arrow, with a farm gate straight ahead.
Step 5
Climb over the stile and after a few paces you'll see three paths. Take the middle path leading diagonally up towards the silver birch wood that can be seen ahead. The path takes you into the wood and climbs in a somewhat zig-zag fashion into the rocks and ferns of Brimham. When you reach a main path turn right. (You are close by the Idol and the Druid's Writing Desk, both of which are well worth a look.) Keep on the path passing behind the visitor centre on your left. When you reach the road coming down from behind the visitor centre, follow it around a sharp left bend. At a stone gulley which crosses the road, you'll see a grassy path leading downhill.
Step 6
Take the grassy path, and in about 120 paces shortly after a slight bend to the left, turn sharp right by the waymarked post. After another 50 paces or so there are three paths heading downwards. Take the middle path through silver birch and rowan trees to reach a farm track. Turn left along the farm track and in about 550m you'll reach the Brimham Rocks entrance road which you can follow back to the car park.
End point
Brimham Rocks car park
Trail map
More near here
Circular walk at Brimham Rocks
This short walk will show you the highlights of Brimham from the dramatic rock formations, to the heather moorland.
Moorland and meadows walk at Brimham Rocks
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Pastures and panoramas walk at Brimham Rocks
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Get in touch
Brimham Moor Road, Summerbridge, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 4DW
Our partners
We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.
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