Burley-in-Wharfedale Walk - River Wharfe and Eastfield Lane

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: The Roundhouse, Burley-in-Wharfedale (SE 166464). Car park at rear of Queens Hall.		Ordnance Survey Map OS Explorer 297 Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley. 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: 3 miles
Traffic light rating:   (For explanation see My Walks page)
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Introduction: This walk explores the eastern edge of Burley-in-Wharfedale, including the site of the Pudding Tree, the old mill dam, Burley Hall and the River Wharfe. There are especially attractive views of Otley Chevin on the section to Otley Golf Course.

The Pudding Tree was an elm tree (now felled and replaced) where every seven years till 1787 a giant pudding was cooked and given to villagers. It contained 30 stones of flour and 30 stones of fruit. It was boiled, sold and eaten under the tree. One wonders how well the centre was cooked!

The dam, built originally to provide power to the corn mill, is now an attractive pool opposite Burley Hall. This was originally the manor house of Burley.  No doubt rebuilt several times in its history, the present building was built to replace a house which burnt down in 1822. It remained in private possession under a series of families, until after the Second World War it was sold to the local authorities for use as a residential home for the elderly. It is now a residential and nursing home.

Start: From the roundhouse in Burley’s park (SE 166464), turn right along Main Street and continue walking to the bend at St Mary’s Church. Turn left along Corn Mill Lane (SE 171463). Note the plaque about the Pudding Tree in the circular stone bed at the corner.

Pass the dam and corn mill. Just past the corn mill, the tarmac peters out. Follow the footpath down to the main road and cross it to continue down the footpath opposite, marked with a public footpath fingerpost, to the river.

At the river, turn right to follow its bank to the end of the field and before entering the next, turn right through the kissing gate (SE 180460). Cross the main road again, taking great care, as this is a fast stretch and at the start of the old Otley Road, turn left on the bend, again following a public footpath fingerpost. Almost immediately, turn right over a stile to follow the yellow footpath arrow.

Climb the short banking and bear left to go past the right hand corner of Laund House Farm and follow its boundary wall anti-clockwise. Keep to the left hand side of the next two fields, passing under some power lines.

You reach Mickle Ing Beck, where a footbridge crosses into Otley Golf Course. Do not cross but turn right to follow the right hand side of the beck along the field (SE 178452).

Go through two metal gates. The last one leads you into the broad track which is Eastfield Lane (SE 175452). Turn right to follow Eastfield Lane down to the old Otley Road, passing Lowland Farm and a number of houses, the last one being The Old Farm.

At the road turn left to the roundabout. Turn left and immediately cross to the ladder stile (which will be visible) and over it into Burley House Field.

Walk straight across Burley House Field, leaving it via a kissing gate in the right hand corner. Note the remains of the stone “ha-ha” which would have provided a barrier to prevent livestock entering the grounds of Burley House, in years past, whilst being invisible from the house side. Turn right along Langford Lane, passing the high stone wall and the rear of Burley House.

At the junction with Back Lane, turn left, to return to the park and the roundhouse. However it is worth a short diversion, after 200 yards or so, to see the garden of the Methodist Church, by turning right through it (permitted access) then left along Main Street.

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