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Circular walk from Grassington via Grass Wood, Gaistrill's Strid and the River Wharfe

A delightful circular walk from Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales. The walk passes through the market square in Grassington and then slowly gains height as it follows the Dales Way. After passing through some limestone pavements the walk passes through Grass Wood nature reserve, before dropping down to the River Wharfe, which is followed back into Grassington via Ghaistrill's Strid.

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What to wear and take on your walk

If you are new to walking and want to know what to wear and take on your walk, or just want to know what to consider when buying your walking clothes and equipment then these articles are for you. We'll also take you through our favourite walking boots, walking jackets, walking trousers, rucksacks, backpacks, water bottles, mapping and safety equipment etc. of 2024. Read our articles:

What to wear on a walk and What to take on a walk

 

Parking: In the National Park pay and display car park in Grassington on the B6265 (grid reference SE 003 637).
Directions: Google Maps: get directions here / What3words: capers.built.cups
Walk distance: 5 miles (8 Km)
Estimated walk time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Height climbed: 235 metres
Grade: 2-B: A medium length walk that requires modest uphill walking
Peaks / summits: None
Map: Ordnance Survey - Explorer OL2 (Yorkshire Dales - Southern & Western Area)
Buy this map from Ordnance Survey
Walk features: Birds, Cafes, Flowers, Geographical features, Pubs, Stream or River, Views, Wildlife
Facilities / refreshments: Toilets, cafes and pubs in Grassington
Nearest town: Walk starts in Grassington
Local accommodation: View accommodation close to the start of this walk from Sykes Holiday Cottages or from Holidaycottages.co.uk
Walk Tags: Grassington, Grassington walk, Yorkshire, Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire Dales walk, Bastow Wood, Grass Wood Nature Reserve, River Wharfe, Ghastrill's Strid

 

Market square in Grassington

Market square in Grassington

The lane diversion around the farm at Town End

The lane diversion around the farm at Town End

Leave the car park and turn left back towards the centre of Grassington. Shortly after passing Grassington Primary School, turn right up the cobbled, shop and café lined Main Street and proceed upwards through the market square. Keep on the Main Street up the left-hand side of the market square until the Devonshire Institute is reached - the building with the large white clock face. Here, turn left along Chapel Street and proceed along this for a couple of hundred yards to Town End. The old footpath used to proceed through the farm, but this was diverted in October 2000. Just before reaching the farm, turn right up Bank Lane, following the brown Dalesway footpath sign for "Kettlewell 5½ miles and Grass Wood Lane 1¾ miles".

The lane quickly climbs, then flattens affording views of Bastow and Grass Wood ahead in the distance. After a further one hundred yards down this walled lane, where the lane itself bends around to the right, go left through a metal gate following the footpath sign for "Dalesway - Kettlewell 5¼ miles and Grass Wood Lane 1½ miles". The path heads across a field for a small gap in the wall about one hundred yards away, next to which there is another footpath sign.

Go over the two-stepped stile through the gap in the wall, and head left through the narrow walled field for about twenty yards before turning right following again the footpath sign through another gap in a wall and down two stone steps into another field. About thirty yards from the wall, there is another Dalesway footpath sign for Kettlewell, follow this and head up across the field. At the top of the field, pass through the very narrow gap in the wall, again following the Dalesway footpath to Kettlewell sign.

Upon leaving the wall, head around the right-hand side of the field about twenty yards in from the wall. Follow the wall around to the left as he top corner of the field is reached, and as a wall comes in from the right-hand side pass through a gap in the wall (about a yard wide) where stones are underfoot embedded in the grass. Turn left through this and immediately pass through another gap in the wall. Turn right and thirty yards further pass over the stone stile built in to the wall.

Leaving the wall, the path splits and is now more obvious. Take the left-hand fork and follow the grassy path as it bends around to the left heading over towards the trees. Here, limestone pavements, a common feature of the Dales, can be seen on the way to the woods. There is also now an excellent view back down into Grassington and to Cracoe Fell beyond.

Limestone pavement approaching Bastow Wood

Limestone pavement approaching Bastow Wood

The limestone pavement with Grassington and Cracoe Fell in the background

The limestone pavement with Grassington and Cracoe Fell in the background

View over the wall into Bastow Wood

View over the wall into Bastow Wood

Keep to the right of the limestone pavement and then pull in to the wall, which encircles Bastow Wood. The path slowly climbs, and upon reaching the second main area of limestone pavement, it diverts about thirty yards to the right and rejoins the more major path which was split from about a third of a mile earlier, and almost immediately pass the entrance to a small pot hole.

View ahead to the 'stepped settlements'

View ahead to the 'stepped settlements'

View back to the stile entering the woods

View back to the stile entering the woods

Ahead now are the stepped embankments, on which there used to be ancient settlements consisting of hut circles and field systems. The path continues ahead, slowly drifting back towards the wall. With the stepped hillside about four hundred yards ahead, pass over the wall via a wooden stile on the left. Once over the stile, head away from the wall where the path climbs steeply for a few yards, between two mounds before levelling.

The yard wide grassy path continues on in the same direction heading towards the trees. It then starts to slowly descend winding its way through the trees as it becomes a little rockier underfoot. After a few minutes walking a wall is reached which is scaled by a wooden stile. Climb over the stile and enter into Grass Wood Nature Reserve.

This is a nature reserve run by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. "Grass Wood is an ancient ash woodland over limestone scars. It is one of the very few sizeable mainly broad-leaved woods in Wharfedale. This makes it particularly important for a range of woodland birds when nesting times comes around. From March to June the wood is alive with birds nesting and raising their young. Resident birds range from the secretive woodcock through the familiar chaffinch to the exotic looking green woodpecker. Green Grass Wood is also the home base for a number of returning migratory birds such as pied, spotted flycatchers and wood and willow warblers. During the nesting season please ensure that you and any dogs keep to the paths through the reserve.

Follow the now much wider track downhill to a T-junction, ignore the track off to the right on a left-hand bend. Turn right at the T-junction following the footpath sign for "Grass Wood Lane". Follow this wide track downhill through the trees, where about two hundred yards after a sharp left-hand bend, a road is reached (Grass Wood Lane). Go over the small wooden stile and turn left along the lane.

Initial view of the River Wharfe after leaving the lane

Initial view of the River Wharfe after leaving the lane

Boulder marking the return down to the riverside

Boulder marking the return down to the riverside

After about six hundred yards as the road is rising, pass through the wooden kissing gate on the right into Lower Grass Wood, and follow either of the two paths down to the riverside. There is also a footpath sign here for "Grassington 1½ mile". Upon reaching the river Wharfe, follow the path to the left, heading downstream back towards Grassington. The path at one point climbs a little away from the river bank, where upon reaching a large boulder take the right-hand fork in the path back to the river bank. Pass over a wooden stile on exiting Lower Grass Wood and continue downstream for a further few hundred yards. Here as the river bends around to the left, there is a well-placed seat that affords views down to Ghaistrill's Strid, opposite two houses on the far bank.

Ghaistrill's Strid

Ghaistrill's Strid

Ghaistrill's Strid

Ghaistrill's Strid

View along the banks of the River Wharfe

View along the banks of the River Wharfe

The 17th century road bridge back in to Grassington

The 17th century road bridge back in to Grassington

From the bench, continue towards Grassington, passing over a wooden stile, along a short enclosed path, and then over two stone stiles in short succession. Follow the path along the side of he river heading for the 17th century bridge. Upon reaching the bridge turn left back up on to the road into Grassington, and follow it back around the final half a mile to the car park.

 

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