Walk 3767 - printer friendly version

Dallow & Lumley Moor Reservoir Circular Walk

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 8.5 miles / 13.8 km

Ascent - 840 feet / 255 metres

Grade - moderate

Start - OS grid reference SE196703
Lat 54.128184 + Long -1.7015709
Postcode HG4 3PT (approx. location only)

This tranquil walk explores a picturesque part of the underrated Nidderdale National Landscape in North Yorkshire. The route uses footpaths, bridleways and quiet country lanes with farmland, moorland, woodland and Lumley Moor Reservoir all included in the walk.

The walk starts from a roadside parking area by the entrance to Harpur Hill Farm (grid ref. SE196703) on the northern edge of Dallow Moor. After parking walk north for 500 metres to reach a road junction. Continue ahead signed to Laverton and just past the junction turn left at a fingerpost to follow a path across moorland. Follow path downhill and enter farmland. Path runs with a wall on your right to reach a track in the hamlet of Dallow (grid ref. SE197714). Turn left and follow the track as it swings left between buildings. Keep ahead when the track forks. Stay on the bridleway as it passes through woodland and descends into Dallowgill crossing a footbridge over North Gill (grid ref. SE190714).

The bridleway swings right and climbs out of Dallowgill. Continue along the track as it bends left and then right to join a lane (Greystone Head). Bear right along the lane soon passing the isolated former church of Dallowgill St Peter. Continue ahead past the entrance to Outdoor Education Centre on the left and continue for 700 metres along what becomes a single-track road beyond Lady Hill Farm. After crossing a stone bridge, turn left over a stile with adjacent short fingerpost (grid ref. SE204722). The path runs to the right of the first building and then passes to the left of the main building (Low Ray Carr) before entering trees and crossing a footbridge over the infant River Laver. Exiting the trees the path runs past Belford Aqueduct before joining a byway (grid ref. SE207727).

Turn right along the byway which is part of the Ripon Rowel Walk. The track soon becomes tarmac lane, by Low Belford Farm, climbing gently out of the valley. Keep ahead at the first road junction and continue uphill to a T-junction. Turn right along the main road signed to Pateley Bridge. After 80 metres turn left onto the signed public bridleway (Wetshod Lane). After 450 metres you reach a junction (grid ref. SE214713). Turn left along track leaving the Ripon Rowel Walk to a metal gate. Take the first stile on the right and follow path. After 70 metres, the path heads half left and after 250 metres, turn right through a gate to reach the shores of Lumley Moor Reservoir. Turn right and follow the path to complete an anticlockwise circuit of the reservoir returning to where you started the circuit. Retrace your steps to Wetshod Lane and turn left to rejoin the Ripon Rowel Walk.

The route soon bears slightly right across Grange Allotment (open access land) and then continues along Drift Lane which runs between walls to reach a road (grid ref. SE215700). Turn left and continue for just over a kilometre to a T-junction. Turn left and return to the start.

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