Burnsall to Troller's Gill

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: Burnsall (SE 032611) – Limited road parking plus pay and display cp.		Ordnance Survey Map OL2 Yorkshire Dales -  Southern and Western Areas. Buy this map from List of OS Maps   Note: If you use OS Maps on-line, you can download this route via this link.
Distance: 7.3 miles	Date of Walk: 13 September 2023
Ascent: Descent: See Walking Time Calculator	908ft (277m) 906ft (276m)
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Introduction: This is a short walk but through interesting scenery in the shape of the limestone gorge of Troller’s Gill. According to legend, all sorts of evil creatures including a monstrous black dog called Barghest live in this gorge but I was unmolested when I walked through it! The gorge is not on an official footpath route according to the OS map so it is often an eerily silent place but walkers are catered for by stiles at the top. The going is rocky but not difficult. It just takes a little care to avoid turning an ankle. This route also provides for a very pretty walk alongside the River Wharfe.

Start the walk in the Dales village of Burnsall. There is a car park although on quiet days, it is possible to park on the main street by the river where there are benches to sit and feed the ducks or put on boots.

Start: Turn right over the road bridge and immediately over the bridge, turn right at a fingerpost signposted Dalesway and Appletreewick. Walk across the pleasant river meadow ignoring the request for pedestrians to pay £2.00 (2023 price. Note the route is a public footpath for which there should be no charge) and follow the Dalesway along the very pretty riverside path. The footpath runs on the top side of the banking by a bench. Continue for about two miles, passing straight through a farmyard, until you reach a road near Howgill (SE 060593).

As you get to the road, keep straight ahead for a few yards before turning left along it, otherwise you will end up in someone’s drive! Just past the old Weslyan Chapel (Chapel House), turn right through gated stile on to footpath signposted Skyreholme (SE 061594). Keep to the higher ground climbing gradually (do not go down to the stream).

Cross a gated stile above a caravan park and bear left along the farm drive to exit into road at Howarth Farm (SE 064602). Turn right.

At the next road junction (where there is a bench for lunch!) turn left, following the fingerpost for “New Road 1 Mile” (SE 069607). Follow the road around a right hand bend and just before the entrance to Parceval Hall, turn left to follow the south west bank of Skyreholme Beck (SE 068610).

Ignore the first path off to the left after 100 yards or so and at the next junction, fork right, just after going through a walkers’ gate (SE 068617). This is where you leave the official footpath route which is shown on the OS map, to take advantage of Access Land (SE 086616)

You approach and enter Troller’s Gill after crossing a stile. Skyreholme Beck obviously once used to flow through this gorge and was no doubt responsible for creating it but the beck now emerges at the foot and the gorge itself is dry. Please note that I have walked this gorge several times over the years and never seen any water flowing through it. However, it can flow through after exceptionally heavy rain and if this happens, do not try to pass through but return to the official footpath referred to in the last paragraph.

At the top of the gorge is a ladder stile. Once over this, follow the valley. The beck re-appears and you eventually come to a precarious looking plank bridge across it. Cross the bridge (SE 071623) and go through the walkers’ gate.

A short steady climb now until the track splits. Follow the gravel track until just before it bends sharp right, turn left to follow the well trodden grassy route to the road.

Turn left on road. Ignore the first footpath on right. Take second where finger post points to Hartlington one and three-quarter miles along a broad track (SE 623620). It forks at a farm – take right fork.

At the next group of farm buildings, fork right down the walled track (Kail Lane on OS map) (SE 049610). Cross over the road you come to and after about 150 yards, turn right following the Burnsall sign crossing a narrow single plank bridge.

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