Weekend Walk; Pannal Circular

Pannal is a village to the south of Harrogate and lies in a pleasant valley drained by the River Crimple, which gave its name to the synthetic yarn Crimplene developed at a local ICA laboratory. The river is followed in the early and final stages of the walk. The mill pond encountered in Pannal served one of two corn mills in the village. At the end of the route stands St. Robert’s Church, built in the 14th century by monks of the Trinitarian Order at Knaresborough Priory. Look out for kingfishers along the Crimple, flocks of wintering redwings and fieldfares in the fields.

1. From Pannal Main Street walk along Mill Lane just uphill from the bridge. At the end continue ahead past the mill pond with the River Crimple on your right. At houses keep ahead to a gate and follow the path past a cricket ground to a road.

2. Cross with care to a stile and follow the obvious course of the Harrogate Ringway to cross another road with care. Head uphill beside The Warren woodland and at the end of the trees turn right. Go uphill then down to find a gate into the woods. Take the obvious path down to a road.

3. Turn right briefly and cross with care to a signposted path past Maw Hill Farm. At another road turn right briefly to follow a signposted path on the left, keeping to field edges and passing through a series of hand gates. The path eventually bears right from the field edge, aiming to the left of a solitary tree. From here the path descends to a bridge over Clark Beck.

4. Leave the Harrogate Ringway by joining the road, crossing with care and turning left to walk uphill past houses in Rossett Green. Just before the basketball court of a sports centre take a path on the right leading out to another street of houses. Cross with care and turn right, then left at a Give Way sign.

5. In a dip cross with care to follow a clear path beside Stone Rings Beck with leads back to the Harrogate Ringway. Turn right and walk downhill. On the other side of a bridge don’t take steps curving up to the right but turn left to keep with the Ringway and the beck. Go right near Almsford Bridge and follow the path beside the River Crimple to St. Robert’s Church and back to Pannal Main Street.

Difficulty rating: 1 star

Distance: 4 1/2 miles

Time: 2 hours

Map: OS Explorer sheet 289 (1:25000) Leeds

Parking: Responsible/informal in Pannal village

Public transport: Pannal is on the Leeds-Harrogate railway line & served by Harrogate buses to and from Leeds, Bradford and Keighley. For details contact West Yorks Metro on 0113 2457676 or www.wymetro.com

Refreshments: Pannal

Toilets: For refreshment customers