A walk starting and finishing in Skipton town.

We leave town heading east along some lesser known paths and visit the interesting 'Wilderness' with its shell grotto and stepping stones. Then it's through a housing estate, across a dual-carriageway, and through a wood. This gets us to Embsay.

After a short section across a field, we talk a pretty, quiet back lane to the Grassington Road.

Across a couple of fields then more quiet lanes to the pretty villages of Stirton and Thorlby. Across the A65 then the canal towpath back into town.

Don't let the 'A' road crossings put you off. They're not normally too bad.

As often with these walks, we start at the Freddie Trueman statue by the canal junction.

From there walk up to Coach street then turn left on to the Broughton Road towards the town centre. Go over the zebra crossing by the Post Office, then around the corner on to Keighley Road, then over another zebra crossing and into the unimposing backstreet that is Devonshire Place - you'll see the Yorkshire Building Society on the corner.

At the end, bear right - not up the steep slope but round the back of 'Central Garage'. Ahead you will see the pretty Waller Beck (a.k.a Wilderness Beck and Skibeden Beck). Go up the steps and follow the path through the beckside gardens.

Cross the footbridge, go past the kiddies' playground, then over another footbridge and continue on a further path. At the end of this section go up some steps, through a tight kissing-gate, and up on to Duke Street. Go left.

Go straight across at the crossroads and carry on down past the pretty(!) garages onto Shortbank Road, where you go across the road and a few yards down to the left down.

Here you should see the entrance to 'The Widlerness' - formerly the garden of Skipton's first Grammar School. We are going to leave town on the dirt footpath leading up between the Wilderness and the houses, but it's worth taking five minutes to explore here.

You should see both the old packhorse bridge and a narrow foot bridge in front of you. (It was closed the day I took the photos because a car had recently crashed through the wall!) Cross the narrow bridge and look back over the beck and you will see the 'Shell Grotto'. Not many shells these days, but interesting nonetheless. Did you know there are TWO shell grottos in Skipton?)

A the far end of the Wilderness there are stepping stones. Stepping stones in Skipton town centre! Who knew?

For more information about the Wilderness see their excellent web site.

When you've had your fill of the Wildeness, continue out of town on the dirt path behind the houses. You should pass beneath the railway then eventually go up some steps on to Airedale Avenue. Go left, downhill, then bear right into the cul-de-sac.

When the road ends continue along the footpath then under the railway bridge at the end. On the Otley Road go right then shortly left up Kingsway.

Walk all the way up to the top then go right then left then right then left until you are on the A6131. Cross over and walk up till you see the Park Home site. Turn off left down the gated track between two walls. (At the time of writing a new housing estate is under construction here. Hopefully the path will remain.)

At the end descend to the dual carriageway then cross carefully. On the far side our route is the narrow footpath adjacent to the fence and up the hill. At the top there's a bench. Follow the pretty path as it winds through the wood then down the other side.

At the bottom, when the path bends right, we turn off left through a small gate into farmland. Cross the little field then pass through the gate next to the garden fence and exit down the concrete road. Over the cattle grid and under the railway then turn left on the main Skipton/Embsay road.

In a few yards you will see a gate onto a concrete footbridge. Cross the field, pass through a little gate at the top, then across another small field which often has goats (sheep?). When you reach Brackenley Lane turn left.

This lane has pretty views and takes you all the way to the Grassington Road. En-route we pass beneath the railway again, go over Eller Beck, and pass a natural burial ground. At the end carefully cross the Grassington Road and pass through the stile opposite.

Follow the path across a couple of fields (passing through a rather tight 'pinch' stile) until you reach tarmac again, then turn left down towards Stirton.

Eventually you will come to the Stirton crossroads. If your walking companion is annoying you, there are some stocks here, where you can leave them to contemplate their sins. Turn right.

Walk down the quite lane into the pretty hamlet of Thorlby. Notice the old 'Tin Tabernacle'. There are often alpacas and donkeys in a field as you leave the village.

Shortly after leaving Thorlby take your time and cross the busy Gargrave Road, then down the gated farm road opposite to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Cross the swing bridge then it's left to Skipton.

You will pass the moorings at Niffany and the swing bridge into Aireville Park.

Wave as you pass my flat, then it's back to where you started.

I hope you enjoyed the walk.