Silsden to Farnhill and Kildwick

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: Silsden – pay and display car park (SE 042465).		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: 5.8 miles	Date of Walk: 9 May 2025
Ascent: Descent: See Walking Time Calculator	585 ft (178m) 585ft (178m)
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: This easy walk from Silsden provided some perhaps unexpectedly superb views. It shares the first mile and a half with my Silsden to Bradley walk but then crosses Kildwick and Farnhill moors to Farnhill and Kildwick itself then returns to Silsden along the canal.

Farnhill and Kildwick (sometimes known as Kildwick in Craven) sit cheek by jowel either side of the Leeds/Liverpool canal. Farnhill is the larger of the two though is in the parish of St. Andrews Kildwick, which has a historic church. Kildwick Bridge was the ancient crossing point of the River Aire on the road between Keighley and Skipton. There are a number of listed buildings in the village.

Farnhill prospered in the days of textile mills aided by being next to the canal. The site of an old quarry is marked on the moor on the OS map. It also has a number of listed buildings. On Farnhill Moor is a monument to Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, though I did not visit it on this walk.

Silsden will be a place of mystery for many as they whiz past the signposts to it, on their way to the Yorkshire Dales or Lake District, up the A65 or A629 major roads. It is known locally as Cobbydale, as the "River Cobby", in reality a small beck shown on the OS map as Silsden Beck, flows through it. It is served by Steeton and Silsden railway station.

Surrounded by agricultural land originally, it prospered in the Industrial Revolution, with the establishment of various mills and the proximity to the Leeds Liverpool Canal. It began in the 1760s when William West brought the skill of nail making to the town. A sculpture by the town centre car park celebrates this piece of history. Industry developed into clog iron making and a thriving textile industry.

The town’s folk are friendly and it has a fair smattering of independent shops and several pubs.

Please note there are a number of stiles on this walk, some of which are not in a brilliant state of repair. In particular, some of the stones on the tops of the wall, where you might instinctively seek a hand hold, are not stable.

The walk starts from the main car park in Silsden (reasonable price). To get there, turn south off the A65 at Addingham, or north off the A629 at Steeton on to the A6034 and simply follow it to the centre. Alternatively, you could walk the mile or so from Steeton railway station.

Start: From the car park, exit into Wesley Place and turn right to the A6034 (Kirkgate), then turn right. Take the first left and walk along Briggate.

At the end of Briggate, turn left along Skipton Road.

Turn right along Foster Avenue (second right). The tarmac gives way to a rougher track and leads to a fenced enclosure. The footpath is not obvious but is a narrow path at the left hand side of the enclosure. There was a fallen tree obstacle to overcome when I did the walk!

Follow the footpath and look out for a stile on the right hand side which involves crossing the stream (SE 035469). The rocks can be slippery so take care and after heavy rain, crossing may be difficult.

Once over the stile, head for the top of the small hill ahead. From its top, you will see Low Bracken Hill Farm ahead.

At the farm (SE 033471) go through the small gate by the farm house and turn right immediately after the first barn. Ignore the footpath arrows on the corner of the other barn straight ahead.

Through the gate, follow the left hand boundary of the field ahead and at the far side, cross a stile and continue in the same direction to Hole Farm.

At Hole Farm, the path dog-legs slightly left, then right around it. After a few yards, turn right over a stile then left and continues along the left hand boundary to Bridge House (SE 023476), where you join the road. Turn left down the road.

Note there is a stone wall on the right of the road. Continue along the road until it turns at a corner (SE 020472). Turn right here. There is a public footpath fingerpost at the corner but it is not obvious until you are at it and I missed it at first. Set back from the road is a walkers’ gate which you go through.

Follow the wall on the right to the copse of trees and follow the route clockwise round it. As you reach the end of the copse, you will see another copse ahead. The footpath passes along the right hand side of this.

After passing these trees, follow the left hand boundary and look out for a stile on the left. Once over this, head for the left hand corner of the next field and cross another.

Follow the obvious path heading for a plantation of beech (I think!) trees. This plantation is not marked on the OS map. The area is shown as Farnhill Moor.

As you get to the trees, enter the plantation and turn left.  There are a few ‘ad hoc’ paths in here but follow the main one parallel with the wall on the left.

You will arrive at Crag Top Farm where there is the Crag and Coffee, a small take away with cakes and sandwiches etc. (Check its Facebook page for opening information, phone number. Due to its isolated position it is unlikely to have regular opening hours. Its frontage faces away from you as you approach so can be missed!).

There are a few route options from here but continue ahead in the same direction in which you approached it.

As you descend the path towards Kildwick, at any junctions branch left and you will inevitably arrive at a stone wall which you follow down to the village.

Arrive at the road by the entrance to a drive where there is a stone pillar with a stone ball finial on top. Cross the road and proceed down Starkey Lane. At the bottom, turn left along the lane, following the canal. Quickly come to a canal bridge and cross it to turn left along the towpath.

Follow the towpath back to Silsden. You pass under the A6034 which will be obvious from traffic flow and because Silsden Boat Hire is just before it on the opposite side to the towpath.

Less than a hundred yards further on, descend steps from the towpath to Hainsworth Road and pass back under the canal. At the road junction, turn right then quickly left along St John’s Street.

At the top of St John’s Street cross the footbridge over Silsden Beck and at the main road (Kirkgate) turn right to return to the car park.

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.