The Mines Of Greenhow ~ Hard Walk

Distance Covered: 6 miles Time to Complete Walk 3 hours

Suitable for dog walking: Yes - keep on a lead when in fields with livestock

This walk takes you to the remains of the lead mines at Greenhow which is an open air exhibit and fascinating to discover this hidden gem of a place. The walk takes you past disused mines and a beautiful landscape. Then join the Geology Trail onto the Nidderdale Way, passing above a beck down below surrounded with bluebells. Then walk through caravan sites and then make your way back to Toft Gate Lime Kiln. A great walk for all the family.

General Safety Tips: This is classed as a hard walk due to requiring a good level of orienteering and the ability to spot a destination in the distance. Also you may need to make a diversion if you come across cows with calves in fields. A good level of fitness is required due to inclines which although gradual tend to be on the latter part of the walk.

You must take a walking stick and wear boots with grips on descending the gravel track of the Geology Trail. 

As mentioned cows with calves may be in fields - stay safe and look for a diversion - a diversion is mentioned in the details of the walk below.

The Mines Of Greenhow Walk

Getting There

From Middlesbrough, head onto the A19 towards Thirsk. At the Thirsk turn off head onto the A168 to the Dishford Road and through Ripon. Follow the Studley passing Fountains Abbey on your left. Head through Pateley Bridge and look for a left turn off onto the car park which is the Toft Gate Lime Kiln carpark which is free parking.

Maps of the Mines Of Greenhow Walk

The Walk

From the carpark cross over the road and go over a stile into a field slightly to your left.

Head onto the grassy track in the field and down through a gate.

Head down to the left of a barn to a small gate.

Head down to a kissing gate which leads onto a road.

Turn left and follow the road to a junction with another road.

Turn left onto the road and head to another road junction.

Turn right and follow the road down into the village of Greenhow.

As you reach the bottom of the hill in the village look for a green gate on your right.

Head onto a rough track at the back of the housing and follow this with the beck to your right.

Head through a small gate.

Keep on the path and head over a stile.

Head over a broken wall.

At this point you may feel a bit lost but we are heading towards the path above the gravel path below and eventually onto the main gravel path further on. Keep on the rough path noticing the path on the other side which you are heading to.

Follow the path to the left and look for a makeshift bridge to your left which takes you over the beck and onto the path on the other side.

On this path keep as close as possible to the beck on your right as you make your way across the edge with great views of the landscape on your right.

The path can seem faded and confusing, however keep ahead on the edge and then head left away from the beck towards the main gravel path below.

Turn left and follow the main gravel path to a gate with a stile near a tree.

Turn right heading towards a house.

Before you reach the house turn left following the gravel track.

Follow the track as it bends and ends at another gate with a stile.

Turn left and follow the gravel path again.

Keep on the path as it narrows.

Soon you arrive at the main lead mines exhibition and can read more about it on the information board.

Follow the path to your left near the house and a brick wall.

Make your way carefully down the track to the bridge below. 

Cross over the bridge and go through a gate and join the path to your right.

Join the path from your left which is the Nidderdale Way and follow it to your right.

Follow the path as it has some pleasing views of the beck below.

The path is a pleasant one as it goes through a number of caravan sites.

Follow the path for a mile and look for a toilet block to your right and a gate over a footbridge.

Over the bridge look for a path to your right.

Follow the path as it head through two walls towards a house.

Follow the path over a footbridge.

Keep on the grassy path as it climbs.

Head over a gap in the wall to your left and keep ahead and then go through another gate on your right into another field.

Go over a stile into the field ahead.

In the next field there may be cows with calves. Always try to avoid walking in fields with cows and calves and look for a diversion. If there are no cattle head over the gate and follow the path ahead to your left and onto a road. If you need to divert, head up the field you were previously in and climb to the top right hand corner. Turn right and follow the path to a gate and a road.

Turn right and head down the road passing the farm on your right. If there was no diversion this is the road you should be on.

Just after you pass Low Waite Farm on you right, head left onto a track.

Just before a cattle grid branch off on the right which is a track that climbs to Coldstonefold Farm.

Head through a gate and continue the climb.

At the top continue on the tarmac road ahead.

Soon you will come to the gate you went through at the beginning of the walk. Head through it passing the barn and back to the car park above.

Greenhow

Greenhow is a village in North Yorkshire, England, often referred to as Greenhow Hill. The term how derives from the Old Norse word haugr meaning a hill and a mound, so Greenhow literally means 'Green's hill or mound'.

It is situated about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Pateley Bridge on the road heading towards Grassington, and is mainly in the civil parish of Bewerley. However, the western end of the village lying to the west of Kell Dyke, commonly known as Craven Cross, lies within the civil parish of Appletreewick in Craven. It is one of the highest villages in Yorkshire, at an altitude of between 1,310 and 1,380 feet (400 and 420 m), and one of the few villages in the United Kingdom lying at over 1,300 feet (400 m).

Greenhow is an old mining village that was a major supplier of lead. Sir Stephen Proctor bought the Manor of Bewerley, including the mineral rights in 1597. He was also responsible, as part of a settlement with John Armitage over disputed land, for the founding of the actual village of Greenhow. Prior to this date the only settlement recorded on the Hill itself was Kell House, where monks of Fountains Abbey lived while guarding the abbey's lead interests.

In 1613, an agreement sought to protect the Greenhow miners' rights: "…there may be cottages erected for the miners and mineral workmen upon the said waste … and also for the keeping of draught oxen and horses for the maintenance of the mines, always leaving the tenants sufficient common".

Joseph Kipling, the grandfather of Rudyard Kipling was the minister at the Methodist Chapel at Greenhow and Rudyard himself is known to have visited the village. There is a 'Kiplings Cottage' next door to the 'Miners Arms', but it is not known whether his grandfather actually lived there.

The church in the village (St Mary's) is reputedly the highest parish church in England still in use, though services are now only fortnightly on Sunday evenings plus major feast times.

To the east of the village is Coldstones Quarry, operated by Hanson. The quarry is unusual in that it is located on high ground and is not easy to observe from above like most other quarries in the Yorkshire Dales. The quarry produces 600,000 tonnes (660,000 tons) of limestone aggregate per year, with most being used in West and North Yorkshire. Small amounts of fluorspar are also won from the limestone which is sent to Derbyshire for processing. A large public artwork, The Coldstones Cut, has been created by the artist Andrew Sabin, and was opened in 2010.