Pateley Bridge Circular Walk: Via Brimham Rocks

Pateley Bridge is a cute market town located in Nidderdale AONB, famous for the oldest sweet shop in England. Ah, but that’s not why I was there today. Today I wanted to try out this walk taking me from Pateley Bridge, all the way to the famous rocks and back.

Looking across the green with a path running across it, and a mass of Brimham rocks on the other side, partway through the walk from Pateley Bridge.

Looking through a gap in the trees, to a cute bridge over the river, on the walk out of Pateley Bridge.

I had been to Brimham Rocks a week prior, and was blown away by it. Although it has been touristised, that didn’t take away from my amazement on the place. If you would like to try a walk that just takes you around the rocks and moor, then check out my guide here.

What I’m going to do today, is first give you an overview of what to expect on this walk from Pateley Bridge, with some useful tips, a map, and full logistics. Then I will proved a step by step route description with lots of photos. At the end I will provide suggestions for other local walks.

What to expect on this circular walk from Pateley Bridge

This walk takes you first along the river out of Pateley Bridge, surrounded by trees, bushes, and prettiness. Then it’s uphill, past some pretty houses and lamas, with a bit of road walking. As you near Brimham Rocks, there will be some mud to navigate before reaching the impressive rocky wonderfulness.

Looking along the river, surround by masses of green leafy trees, near the start of the Pateley Bridge walk.

A lama looking at the camera, on the Pateley Bridge circular walk.

Brimham Rocks filling the screen, partway through the walk from Pateley Bridge.

The walk back to Pateley Bridge is a shorter route, and is mostly downhill (with one surprise big uphill), and an adventurous river crossing.

How long is the walk?

The walk from Pateley Bridge, to Brimham Rocks and back is 9 miles (not including exploring around the rocks).

Is the Pateley Bridge circular walk challenging?

I would rate this walk from Pateley Bridge as easy-moderate. The route itself isn’t too tough, apart from some mud, one steep surprise hill, and a river crossing over a fallen tree. The length brings it up to moderate level.

A fallen tree trunk over the river, surrounded by woodland greenery.

I have read that it can be a very muddy route, to the point that it’s not recommended to do after rain. I did the Pateley Bridge circular walk after a long stretch of dry, and whilst most of the route was ok, there was still one section with impossible mud.

Is the walk dog friendly?

There are a few stiles and grazing sheep about, at various points on the walk. So you would need to be able to navigate those.

Parking in Pateley Bridge

Pateley Bridge has a whole bunch of car parks. You have to pay for them, but one is free. I chose the free one obviously. It’s called Park Road car park. Post code is HG3 5JS. There are very limited spaces in this one though.

Logistics

Start/Finish: Pateley Bridge
Where is it: Pateley Bridge is located in Nidderdale AONB, in Yorkshire.
Distance: 9 miles
Time: Just over 3h (add more if you want to explore more around the rocks)
Difficulty: Easy/moderate
Terrain: Dirt, mud, gravel, grass, mud again, tree, river crossing stones.
Elevation: It is a bit hilly, but most are gentle….apart from one.
Amenities: Pateley Bridge has lots, you should be able to find anything you need. Brimham Rocks has a cafe and public toilets.
Time of year: I did this circular walk from Pateley Bridge in late spring

A driveway type path, leading to a cottage, on the walk from Pateley Bridge. There is a stone wall and hedge on the right, and flowers and bushes on the left.

Map for the circular walk from Pateley Bridge

You can find my more detailed route map for the circular walk from Pateley Bridge on AllTrails.

For more from Nidderdale, you can read about the best walks I recommend here.

Route description for the Pateley Bridge circular walk via Brimham Rocks

To get to the start of the route out of Padley Bridge, walk over to the bridge, and turn left.

A pavement, lined with a stone wall, and a gap in the wall leading to the river and trees. — Go through that gap there

A small path lined with short walls. There are green leafy trees overhanging the right wall, and a small cafe on the other side of the left wall.

Walk along the river out of Pateley Bridge

You will now be following this river for roughly two miles. The trail starts off very well maintained, as you walk out of Pateley Bridge. Sometimes under tree cover, sometimes a bit more open. This wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I had envisioned a rough and rugged trail alongside the river.

A path lined with green grass, bushes and trees, on the walk out of Pateley Bridge.

A path leading to green leafy trees. There is a large field with overgrown green grass on the left side of the path, and a strip of grass along the right.

The further you go, the more green it gets, as you pass by a cute bridge with an impressive manor on the other side. I can only assume this is some sort of hotel. If this is someones home, I’m super impressed.

A wide path under the woodland trees, on the way away from Pateley Bridge. The path is lined with short curving stone walls. The trees have bright green leaves.

A big Manor House on the other side of the river, surround by green bushes and trees, on the walk from Pateley Bridge.

Keep following the trail, amongst lots of bushiness and trees, past the big pond, to reach the road. At the road, cross straight over and through the wall on the other side.

A wide path through the woodland trees, near the start of the Pateley Bridge walk. There are green bushes on the right, and a stone wall on the left.

Looking across the large pond to a shed and lots of green leafy trees on the other side.

Glasshouses and the hook

Once through the wall, you need to stay straight, heading towards the little conservatory type thing.

A gravel driveway, with a brick house on the left, and a small conservatory straight ahead.

This is where I majorly freaked out. As I was approaching, I could see through the window a massive hanging hook. Like in horror movies. I envisioned someone coming to get me and hang me on that hook. Could this be it? My end would come on the Pateley Bridge walk?

The route takes you around the side of the little building, and feels like you are walking in someones private area. Maybe they kidnap walkers who enter? This was not good for my anxiety, so I power walked through. I don’t have photos for this bit because I wanted to get away as quick as possible, but if you pick up the trail once through, you should end up here:

A stone signpost with an orange arrow pointing along the trail ahead.

The fields, flowers, and rugged

The trail will then take you along the edge of a series of fields, and through stone walls. I found this bit to be quite pretty. There were lots more flowers lining the trail.

A narrow dirt trail, lined with grass on the right and a big grass field on the left. There is a wire fence separating the path from the field.

A rugged dirt path leading uphill, surround by green leaved flowers and big trees.

A narrow dirt path with a wire fence and green grassed field to the left and big bushes overhanging the trail on the right, partway through the walk from Pateley Bridge.

A wooden stile over the wire fence. — Go over this stile

A large grass field with a stone wall on the other side, and big trees overhanging the wall. — Head to the wall, once over the stile

A dirt path, with a wire fence and field on the left, and trees overhanging the path on the right.

The further you go, the more rugged it becomes. First a bit higher up from the river, then right up next to it again. This is much more how I expected the walk from Pateley Bridge to be.

A bridge archway partially hidden by the trees and green leaves, on the riverside wall from Pateley Bridge.

There is a little water with stepping stones crossing coming up. I suspect that after rain, this will be a little tougher to navigate.

A wooden stump signpost with a yellow arrow pointing right.

A few stepping stone over the stream of water.

The wide dirt path leading up a short hill, with the bushes and trees ahead. — Go up there after the water crossing

You need to keep on this riverside trail all the way to the end, where there is a wooden bridge crossing.

A rugged dirt trail with green leaved trees and bushes over hanging the trail on the right, and a wire fence and field on the left.

A narrow dirt trail running along the left side of the river, on the walk from Pateley Bridge. There is a steep hill grass bank up the left side of the trail.

The dirt trail curving around the left of two big leaning tree trunks.

A wooden bridge over the stream of water. There are big green leave son the right side of the bridge, and a grassy area on the other side. — This is looking back the other way over the bridge

Once over the bridge, the trail will take you to the left, and out into a field. Keep going to reach the road.

A large field, with a cute house up the hill on the other side when walking away from the riverside section of the Pateley Bridge walk. There is a mass of green leaved trees behind the house.

A stone wall, with the road on the other side. There is a side road leading up the hill. There is a wooden trail signpost pointing up the side road. The side road has some voluted bushes on the left side of it, and a grass hills field on the right side. There is a house at the top of the right sided field, with a mass of green leaved trees behind it.

The lamas, pretty cottages, and road

At the road you will find a wooden trail signpost. Follow the arrow up the side road ahead, passed some houses, to reach the woodland trail.

A road curving to the left, with a cottage ahead on there right side, partway through the walk from Pateley Bridge. There is a stone wall on the left side of the road, and overgrown grass on the right, leading up to a grass hill. there are pretty light pink and red flower bushes in front of the cottage.

A wooden stump sign post with blue arrows with a gravel path leading through a mass of green leaved bushes and trees to the right.

As I made my way along this woodland trail, very suddenly I saw the lamas. It was a shock, but also a delight.

I can’t guarantee the lamas will be out when you do this walk from Pateley Bridge, but I hope they are.

Continue up the road, lined with pretty houses, then when you reach the main road, turn right.

A dirt driveway redlined with green bushes on the right, and a stone wall on the left, with part of a stone walled cottage visible on the other side of the wall.

A road leading uphill, with flower bushes and red post box on the right, and a stone wall and big bushes and trees on the left. There is a cyclist at the top of the road, cycling up.

It’s a bit of an uphill now along this road. My least favourite thing on walks. Uphill roads. Actually, shingle is my least favourite thing. Uphill roads comes second. Luckily, it’s not too far before the road levels off.

You should soon see a house on the roadside ahead. The trail is the driveway type road to the left of it.

A road leading straight towards a stone walled house. the road is lined with white flowers, overgrown grass and a stone wall. There are masses of woodland trees behind the house.

A path leading off the main road, with part of a house visible on the right side, and bushes and trees on the left side.

Continue up the drive, where you will have your first view to Brimham Rocks ahead in the distance.

Keep going until you reach the next cottages and ‘writers retreat’. You will know what I mean when you are there. I wonder if it’s an Airbnb? Or it could just be their own little place? Well whatever it is, I want it.

The potential muddy bit

Just past the writers retreat, you will have a junction. Before heading out on this Pateley Bridge circular walk, I had already decided I would take the left. Both go to Brimham Rocks. However, there was an arrow here telling me to go right, so I figured I would do that. There is probably a reason it wants you to go that way.

A wooden stump signpost nestled in the green plants, with a blue arrow pouting ahead along the trail, towards a metal gate.

Continue on, as the trail guides you to the left and along a dirt trail through the trees. It hadn’t rained for a while, and was a sweltering hot day, so the ground was dry. However, I could see how this bit could be a mudfest. This must be what I had read about.

A muddy path with bushes lining the right, and a stone wall and trees on the left.

A wide muddy path lined with trees on the left, and a wore fence and green grass field on there right.

After the ‘muddy’ bit, there is a green stretch with bluebells (time of year dependant), then dirt trail again, to reach the next signpost.

A grass trail, with bluebells on the right, leading to a mass of woodland trees.

A dirt path, with a grass strip on the right, and a wore fence and wooden stile on the left. There is a wooden stump trail signpost on the right side of the path.

The woods and the real mud

At the trail signpost, it tells you to go straight, however, I decided to take the stile on the left. The straight trail takes you more to the car park side of Brimham Rocks, and I wanted to just head straight to the good stuff (which is the stile direction). However, if it has been raining, you might want to go straight….

If you go over the stile, then go straight across the field and into the woods on the other side.

A dirt trail leading through thew woods.

All was lovely, walking through the woods, until I hit the mud. It didn’t faze me at first, as I figured I could just walk around.

I will tell you now, you cannot walk around. The grass was just full on bog. It didn’t look like it, but as I tried to navigate through, my foot was being sucked right in, and I had to catch myself before I sunk in over my ankle.

After trying and trying, I realised, the easiest way was to just walk through the mud, which was just half boot deep.

This is what it’s like when the weather has been dry. Imagine what it’s like after rain.

The first rocks

If you have made it this far, once you reach the stone wall, follow the arrow to the right, and up the very rugged bit of trail passed some big rocks.

A wooden stump signpost on the grass, pointing right up the hill. past big rocks.

A rocky path leading up through the bushes.

It can be easy to lose the trail here, so just make sure you keep the big rocks to your right, and field to your left.

A rocky path leading uphill, surrounded by green leaved plants and think trunked straggly trees. there are tufts of grass between the rocks.

Looking across a large grass field, with a mass of woodland trees on the other side, and a farm house on the other side of the field on the right.

You should pass by a big rock with a white arrow, which guides you to the farm.

A big rock on the right, with a white arrow pointing along the trail on the left, guiding the way to Brimham Rocks, on the circular walk from Pateley Bridge.

I don’t have good experiences with farms, and at this point, I kind of wished I’d taken the other route, but I was here now, so had to suck it up.

Follow the white arrows through the farm, and then take the driveway road to lead you away from it. Then when you reach the main road, turn left.

A wooden fence and gate, with farm buildings on the other side.

A gravel driveway, lined with grass, and masses of trees ahead.

A wide path lined with green leaved bushes and trees. — This is the main road

Brimham Rocks

You are close now. Keep going along this road. You need to keep an eye out for the missable little trail. It’s this one here to the right:

The main path leading to the left, with a small trail leading off it to the right. the main path is lined with green leaved bushes and trees.

Follow this up, passing by more big rocks, until you reach an open green area. When you get there, turn right, and this will lead you up to the stars of the show.

Brimham rocks partially hidden by green leaved plants and bushes, partway through the walk from Pateley Bridge.

A narrow dirt path on the left, with a green patch of grass with bluebells to the right, all surround by bushes and trees.

Looking over the bluebells and grass to one of the big rocks the other side of the green, partway through the circular walk from Pateley Bridge.

Looking up to some of the big Brixham Rocks, partway through the walk from Pateley Bridge.

Remember this bit, as you need to come back to this spot when you start the walk back to Pateley Bridge.

Passed these big rocks, you will reach a trail, where you should see a big building over to the left. At this point you can go left or right. I decided to go left, which leads up to the main path around Brimham Rocks.

A small green hill with a few smaller rocks, and a house in the distance up a hill.

At this point, I would suggest not following my map, and just exploring at your own will.

As I had done lots of exploring the week before, I just took a small loop through, and sat on a rock for my snack.

If you want to see a bit more of what Brimham Rocks has to offer, including how to find the famous Idol Rock, then check out my Brimham Rocks and Moor walk guide here.

Start the walk back to Pateley Bridge

To walk back to Pateley Bridge, as I said earlier, you need to find you way back to that trail you got here on. It might be easier to retrace your steps. I got back to it from the other direction. This is what it looks like for reference:

A path curving to the left, with a bench next to it. There are green bushes and trees surrounding the path ahead. — I took that trail ahead to the right

Looking down some rocks to a small path leading through the bushes and trees, on the walk back towards Pateley Bridge from Brimham Rocks.

A rugged path with a grass hill on the left, and big rocks to the right, and an opening ahead. — Then turned left to go down there

When you reach the green, stay straight, heading into the woods and down the hill to reach the road. At the road, turn right.

A large grass ahead, with trees on the other side. There is a big flat rock on the middle of the green. There are people walking into the woods on the other side.

A narrow dirt trail through the grass, surrounded by a few trees. There are bluebells all over the grass.

A track type road, lined with grass and trees to the right, and a grass strip and stone wall to the left, and views of fields in the distance. — Back on the road

You now need to follow this road as far as it will go.

A fork in the dirt road, with the right one leading to a farm, and the left one lined with stone walls. — Go left here

A gravel road lined with green leaved bushes and trees.

A track type road with green leaved bushes and trees to the right, and a stone wall to the left, on the circular walk back to Pateley Bridge. There are hill fields ahead in the distance.

The end is at a cottage. Just before the cottage, there is a wooden gate through the bushes on the left.

A small wooden gate nestled within the bushes, and a green grass field on the other side.

Through the gate, continue down the hill, and into the woods.

A grass trail leading downhill towards the woods at the bottom. the trail is lined with bushes on the right, and a wore fence on the left, with a large grass field on the other side of the fence.

A wooden gate leading into the woods. The gate is surround by green leafed pants.

In the woods, there are a few trails you can take. For this route back to Pateley Bridge, stay straight, to walk downhill through the woods, all the way to the river.

A thin trail leading through the overgrown grass, under the woodland with thin trunked trees.

Once I reached the river, I had a look around for the stones to cross. Nothing seemed right, and then I realised it was the tree. I needed to walk across the fallen tree.

That was fun.

After the tree, follow the trail to the right, which will lead you up to a stile.

A barely visible trail, engulfed by the green leaves of the plants, in the woods with trees with straggly branches.

A wire fence and wooden stile, leading to a steep grass hill on the other side.

The surprise hill

Over the stile, there is a cheeky surprise hill. There is no easy way, you just need to go up, keeping to the right edge of the field. As you get higher, take a look back and you should see Brimham Rocks poking over the trees in the distance.

Looking up the steep grass hill, with a gorse bush on the right.

Looking down the grass hill, to a hill of trees in the distance, and Brimham Rocks poking out the top, on the walk back to Pateley Bridge. There is a stone wall lining the left side of the hill. — The view looking back

Keep going, with the stone wall to your right, all the way to the farm building at the top.

Looking up the grass field, with a stone all on the right and the rooftop of a farmhouse visible ahead to the left.

A partially broken metal gate with a farm building to the left and stone wall to the right.

Go through the gates on the side, and onto the driveway road, and keep going up. Then at the junction, you want to make a V backwards.

A driveway track, curving ahead, lined with stone walls. There are trees on the other side of the stone wall on the right, and shed visible at the end of the trail ahead.

A gravel road split, with there right one leading up a small will towards two gates. — Looking back at the V. Take the trail to the right.

There are two trail options in the backwards V. Take the right one, past the bench.

A narrow dirt trail through the grass on the left, with a wooden bench on the right. there is a stone wall on the other side of the bench and a wooden gate through the wall.

Views, roads, Lamas, and horse

The trail along here is quite pretty, lined with a stone wall and bushes, and a lovely view in the distance. I don’t have a photo of the view, because the sun was so bright, it didn’t photo well.

A very thin trail lined with a tall stone wall on the left and bushes to the right, on the walk back to Pateley Bridge.

After a bit of level walking, you will start to head downhill. Then when you reach the driveway road, turn right.

a road curving ahead, with a big hill rising up on the right side, and fields down to the left. — This is the right turn onto the road

I think there is a lama farm here. I wondered if it was the lamas from earlier. My bearings were completely off, so I wasn’t sure.

As I made my way along the drive, I looked down the hill and saw a field of Lamas and cows together. Lama and cow friends.

Looking down across the grass fields, to a field in the distance with cows and lamas, on the circular walk back to Pateley Bridge.

A yellow sign on a wooden stump saying 'pack llama xing'.

Continue along the road, past the smallest speed bump, to reach the main road, where you continue straight down it.

A small sign on the left side of the gravel road saying 'speed humps'.

The gravel path leading onto the road which is lined with stone walls. there is a grass field on the other side of the left stone wall, and some rooftops visible on the other side of the field. further ahead, the road is lined with trees.

As you walk down the road, keep an eye out for the trail to the right.

A metal gate pin the stone wall on the left, with a wooden trail sigpost pointing through it. There is a driveway leading to a house on the right.

This will take you along the edge of undulating fields, with an undulating stone wall. There are more lovely views from here. I also saw a horse, facing the wall. Like the naughty corner.

A curving stone wall along the undulating grass field, when walking back to Pateley Bridge.

A large field with a stone wall across it ahead. There is a horse standing facing the wall.

When you reach the end, there is a big metal gate. Go through it, then up to the next big metal gate.

A metal gate in thew stone wall. there are sheep standing in front of the wall, on the grass.

At the second gate, I didn’t like the direction the white arrow was telling me to go. There were dogs that way. Who weren’t happy. I got flashbacks to the dog chase from the Sutton Bank walk.

Checking my map to see if there was another way, I realised that the arrow is deceptive. You don’t go that way. Instead, turn left.

A metal gate with a shed on the left side. There is a white arrow on the shed wall, pointing through the gate into the small field.

A metal gate in the small grass field, with the shed on the left.

This will lead you through another couple of gates to reach the road.

The final stretch of the Pateley Bridge circular walk

At the road, turn left. It’s now a big downhill. Downhill roads, I like. Keep going, all the way down, then straight over at the junction, and down some more.

Looking down along the long road, lined with bushes with white flowers on the right, and a stone wall on the left.

A church on the left side of the road, near the end of the Pateley Bridge walk.

A road leading straight ahead, with a stone wall on the left, and bushes overhanging the stone wall on the right. There is a view over the left stone wall to rooftops and a tree covered hill in the distance.

I knew I was heading to Glasshouses. The location of the hook. I wanted to avoid the hook this time, so stayed on this main road all the way to the bridge.

Just before the bridge, it’s a right turn, which will be the riverside trail you came out on at the start of the walk out of Pateley Bridge. Now you simply follow this trail, which will lead you all the way back.

A wide path lined with a stone wall on the left and bushes and trees on the right, near the end of the Pateley Bridge circular walk.

a wide path lined with big trees on the right, and bushes on the left, on the walk back into Pateley Bridge.

More walks near Pateley Bridge

I mentioned earlier, the Brimham Rocks and Moor walk. That one explores the rocks in more detail, then takes you across the moor, where you will find even more rocks. I do recommend it, and if you are feeling energetic, you could add that loop onto this one from Pateley Bridge, which would add about 2.5 miles to the walk.

Also fairly local is Hackfall Woods. They are wonderful to walk around, with follies, waterfalls, grotto and castle ruins. The landscaping at the woods was done by the same guy that did Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal. I really enjoyed walking around Fountains Abbey, and got to see lots of deer.

If you like rocks, then you might like Druid’s Temple. You can easily walk to them in a few minutes from the car park, or you could try this circular route and make a bit more of a day of it. I did the bigger circular as I wanted to make it an adventure. On a hunt for the hidden temple. Like Indiana Jones.

If you want something easy, then there are a few reservoirs in Nidderdale, with walking trails around them. My favourite is Scar House Reservoir, which is a bit further north. That one has nice moody vibes. Or if you go a bit further south in Nidderdale, you will find Thruscross, Fewston and Swinsty Reservoirs.

Thruscross was my favourite of the three, as it has some moorland walking for variety. Fewston and Swinsty are more family friendly, but also more popular, hence more crowded.

For more, and to read a side by side comparison of them all, check out my Nidderdale Walking guide here.

Pin it for later: Pateley Bridge Circular walk guide

Pateley Bridge to Brimham Rocks walking guide.

For more ideas of thing to do in Pateley Bridge, other than walking, you can check out the Visit Harrogate website here.