Addingham to Bradley Via Skipton Moor

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: Addingham - Roadside parking on Turner lane (SE065499)		Ordnance Survey Map OL 21 South Pennines. Buy this map from List of OS Maps   Note: If you use OS Maps on-line, you can download this route via this link.
Distance: 11.5 miles	Date of Walk: 8 February 2012
Ascent: Descent: See Walking Time Calculator	1646ft (502m) 1646ft (502m)
Traffic light rating:    (For explanation see My Walks page)
For advice on .gpx files see My Walks page	Click the PDF logo above to give a printable version of this walk without the photos.

To view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click here.

Introduction: Starting from Addingham in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire, this walk starts following the ancient route from Addinham to Skipton but stops short of Skipton and curves south west across a higher part of Skipton Moor to picturesque Bradley in Airedale, an ancient spinning and weaving village. The Leeds/Liverpool canal passes the outskirts of the village and you will catch glimpses of it. One of the best aspects of this walk is the opportunity to indulge in excellent food and beer at the cosy Slaters Arms in Bradley.

The walk starts from Turner Lane (SE065450) in Addingham, a “dead end” road with plenty of parking space just beyond the main housing. To get there, turn off the A65 between Iklley and Skipton at the roundabout at the western end of the bypass on to the B6160 towards the village. Take the first left (Moor Park Way), left again (Moor Park Drive) and left at the end on to Turner Lane.

Start: Having parked, walk back along Turner Lane to its end and turn left on to Moor Lane (SE 066500). Moor Lane is interrupted by the main road village by-pass which you cross and continue along the metalled road as it begins to rise.

Eventually, the tarmac gives way to a stony track which continues to rise until it reaches a minor road where there is an ancient milestone (SE 040511). Cross this road and the track levels out and continues straight ahead, becoming a walled track and passing a conifer plantation on the right before descending through deciduous trees. As you descend amongst these trees towards Skipton look out for a stile on the left with a white arrow and cross this (SE 005510).

Follow the path as it climbs the hill passing beneath a small rocky outcrop. Here, cross a gated stone stile. Go straight ahead across the open moorland, ignoring the path off to the left. Essentially, you are roughly following the wall on the right but the path swings away left at first climbing steadily.

As you join a track from the left, go right. At a fork where a couple of land drains empty into a hollow, take the right fork, your line being towards the power pole on top of the hill.

The path forks at a post with two yellow footpath arrows. Go right.

Cross a stone stile at the top of the hill and follow the wall on the right until it starts to turn away to the right and the path forks, take the left hand fork indicated by a yellow footpath arrow.

The path descends to a stream then up the other side towards another post and some large rocks. There are good views from here towards Pendle Hill.

Cross the next stile and walk diagonally across the next field to another stile in the far corner.

The next field is a large one sloping downhill with a barn built into the left hand boundary wall. Walk diagonally down this field to the far corner heading towards Moor Gate farm. Go through the gateway (SE 020496) at the bottom of the field, and turn right to head towards the next farm (Higher House Farm). Go over the stile/through the gate and follow the farm track down past the farm buildings and Lower House Farm a little further on.

Continue to follow the track as it curves left passing beneath some power lines. This track leads down into Bradley. On reaching the road, turn left along Main Street. If visiting the Slaters Arms, continue along Main Street  and as it curves left to become Crag Lane, you will see the pub. Otherwise, turn left at St Mary’s Church (SE 005483) along Silsden Road (leading to Jackson’s Lane).

Stay on this road as it climbs quite steeply, passing Wishburn Farm. Just past the national speed limit signs, ignore the footpath on the right and the next on the left, both indicated by fingerposts.

As the road bends to the right, look out for a fingerpost on the left indicating a public bridleway (SE 013484). Go through the gate but instead of following the bridleway straight ahead, bear right to walk diagonally across the field and go through the gateway at the top right hand corner, turning right as indicated by the yellow arrows and follow the wall.

Cross a gated stile in this wall and turn left. Go through a gate into the next field and follow the right hand wall in this field. Go right into the next field which gradually narrows and go over the stile at the end. At the end of the next field, turn right to the road (SE 025489).

Turn left at the road then right at a fingerpost for Becka Close Lane (SE 023491). Follow the wall along by the trees on the right then over a wooden stile. Go through another gate then bear left diagonally across the next field to the farmstead Jenkin (SE 029494). Go round the right hand side of it into its lane and turn right.

Go over a cattle grid on to the road, turn right then immediately left indicated by a green public footpath fingerpost. This takes you to Schoolmaster Farm. Pass in front of the farmhouse and stay on the broad track. As it bends to the right (SE 036496), go into the field ahead and cross it diagonally to exit into the road (Walkers Lane). If you miss the way in to the field (as I did!) just stay on the track to the road.

Turn left at the road. Walk along the road, ignoring the first road on the left (Jowetts Lane) until you get to Bank Lane. Turn left here and almost on the junction on the right take the public bridleway indicated by the fingerpost (SE 046492).

You are now in a very long series of narrow fields. Walk along these until you exit at a walled lane where you turn right.

At the road, turn left and as it curves to the left, turn right to cross the by-pass and retrace your steps to Turner lane where you started.

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