Riding Mill Walk Five

A circular walk via Broomley, Hindley and Healey

Length: 8 miles / 13 km  (Time: 3½ hours)

1. Starting from the Old Playground, cross Whiteside Bank and take the footpath that runs past Wentworth Grange to the A68. Cross the road, carrying on past the smallholding and through Shilford Wood. Passing two fields, crossing the Roe House Farm track, and then a third field, join the road towards Broomley. (For those wanting to avoid the road to Broomley, turn left at the Roe House Farm track and follow the track until it meets a road, turn left and follow this minor road to Broomley).
2. At the far end of Broomley there is a cross roads with the main road turning to the right. Head straight along the unsurfaced byway, which passes open countryside before descending into woodland and reaching the Stocksfield to Ebchester road at Five Ways.
3. Turn right and follow the road through the hamlet of Hindley. At the end, turn right on to the road signposted Riding Mill and then immediately left at the sign for Wheelbirks Ice Cream Parlour. This minor road becomes a track between high hedges until it reaches the first of several gates. Continue in a straight line, with the field boundary a short distance to the right until the A68 is reached.
4. Crossing the A68, look for a finger post diagonally to the left. This permissive path bypasses the Low Fotherley farm and joins the public footpath shortly afterwards. Keep the fence to the right until its corner and then look for a ladder stile in the field ahead. Crossing the stile, head for the gate ahead. The track runs for a short distance between stone walls until a second gate. Carry on straight ahead, joining a farm track and passing a farm house. Follow the track as it turns right and then left. When the track turns right again, carry straight on through a gate and across the field, with a fence to the left. At the end, cross the stone wall.
5. Look for a ride through the woodland and follow this to the end. The path is indistinct and care is needed to dodge the gorse and find the plank bridge over the ditch. A step stile leads into a field. Cross this diagonally to the right to a gate into the next field. Carry straight on to another gate and on to the road at Healey.
6. Turn right, past the church, and then left at the T junction. Follow the road to Healey Barn and then go through the gate on the right at the finger post.  Follow the path through the plantation until the next road is reached. Turn left and go a short distance to the High Plains road. Taking the first ladder stile on the right, proceed downhill with the hedge to the left. On reaching Church Lane (an unsurfaced track at this point) turn right. Turn right again at Long Rigg and then follow Church Lane at the bottom until the Old Playground is reached.