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To view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click here. Introduction: This walk largely takes place on the 2000 acre Mountgarret Estate, famous for its grouse shoot. It follows some of the same route as my South Stainley Circular walk but is slightly longer. It is one of my easiest walks, in terms of ease of route finding, its lack of gradient and the fact that the majority of it takes place on broad well maintained tracks. There is a prevalence of signs informing you of where to go and not go! Some of it follows part of the Ripon Rowel Way. It is a walk of pleasant rolling countryside and woodland. The route does not go through the majority of Burton Leonard but it is an attractive village should you want to wander round. The attractive village of Brearton is about half way round the walk, with a pleasant looking pub, the Malt Shovel and a village green with a bench for a picnic, next to the 19th century St. John the Baptist church. Bronze Age relics have been found in the area and it is said to have one of the best examples of medieval agricultural landscapes, with fields ploughed in long narrow strips. The walk starts at Burton Leonard (thought you could equally start from South Stainley). Burton Leonard is easily reached by turning south off the A61 at Wormald Green, half way between Ripon and Ripley (signposted). Follow the road into the village and turn right on to Scarah Lane, alongside the village green. After 150 yards or so, there is a rough parking area on the right from where the walk starts. It is opposite a white house with an arched door in the garden wall. If full, you could park by the village green. Start: There is a finger post at the village end of the parking area follow its direction, entering the Mountgarret Estate (SE 325637). Follow the right hand boundary of the field, down to the trees then the broad track through the trees. There are pleasant views west here.
At the end of the trees, the track bends right to a fingerpost. Turn left, along the left hand boundary of the field. Turn right at the corner following the Permissive Footpath fingerpost.
After about a hundred yards, go left, staying on the broad track, guided by another permissive footpath fingerpost. Keep following this track until a sharp left hand bend with a clear “No Public Access” sign. Branch off right on the corner following a public footpath arrow. Walk straight down the field and at its end, cross a stile following a yellow footpath arrow, along the left hand boundary. Look out for a stile on the left. Cross and turn immediately right to follow the right hand boundary.
Arrive at St Wilfrid’s Church at South Stainley and turn left here along the broad stony track (SE 306632). Eventually, it changes to tarmac.
When the track splits, go right over an attractive bridge, crossing Stainley Beck (SE 311629).
Essentially, you now follow this track, avoiding any turns off until you reach a road. On the way, pass the old drive to Stainley Hall Farmhouse which goes through two significant gateposts, looking somewhat lost, in the field to your left. At the 20mph sign, again, stay on the track straight ahead. The tarmac gives way to concrete. At the road (SE 316611), turn left for around a hundred yards then, go left again, over a stile following an old style metal footpath sign (SE 316610). The turn is opposite the entrance to South Susacres Farm. The footpath initially runs alongside a hedge on the right. At the corner of the hedge, keep straight ahead in your original direction, following the line of trees down the centre of field. At the far side of the field, cross a stile and head for the left hand corner of the next field where there is another stile. Cross this and go immediately right to cross another. Follow the right hand boundary of the field. Reach a tarmac lane and turn right. This leads you to the main street of Brearton, opposite the Malt Shovel pub. Turn left and walk through the village, passing the village green where there is a bench should you want a sandwich stop. By the green, is St John’s Church built in 1836.
Just after the bend in the road, turn fight to follow a public footpath fingerpost to briefly cross a field, cutting off a corner (SE 324612). Head for the diagonally opposite corner of the field where you join a tarmac lane (Warren Lane). Turn right. Along this lane on the right there is an unusual ‘Kneeling Tree’.
Follow the lane until it ends at a gate into a field. Continue through the field, parallel with the trees on the left and passing under some power lines. At the end of the field, go over a stile and turn immediately left following the climbing path through the trees (SE 343618). Join a tarmac track (Green Lane) and follow it, until it dips down to Robert Beck. Just before crossing the stream, turn left (SE 337628).
Follow this for almost a mile. Look out for the large farm complex of Lime Kilns Farm on the right. As you draw level with this, turn right to follow a public bridleway along a concrete drive (SE 323625). As this turns left, keep straight ahead, crossing a footbridge alongside the ford.
After the footbridge, turn left for half a mile. At the triangular patch of grass with a bench on it, turn left back to the parking. If you need to buy any hiking equipment/clothing before your trip see the Hiking Store All information on this site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.
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