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The Maps have been reproduced from Memory-map Software which uses OS Digital Maps.

Route details: click here for a printable route

Turn left out of car park D steep tarmac. Turn right at crossroads (SE022354, 0.7 km) into Lee Lane. Follow track past Leeshaw Reservoir. Turn left up Bodkin Lane at 1.8 km. Steep uphill past Bodkin farmhouse, gradient easing to reach gate at 2.8 km. Continue climbing to reach second gate at 3.2 km (SE006340).

Through gate, continue climbing on sunken track. Pass Top of Stairs to reach gate at 1.2 km. Continue on track, turning into tarmac before steep downhill to cross Grain Water Bridge at 2.1 km. Keep on Old Road along Crimsworth Dean to reach A6033 at 4.2 km (7.4 km total, SD994304).

** (Limer's Gate can get extremely wet after heavy rain, so the alternative below may be a little easier)
Turn left onto A6033 (care: major road). Turn right onto Limer's Gate bridleway at 1.0 km (SE006340). Next 0.3 km is very steep, and bike is best carried. Distances will need correcting (subtract 0.3 km) if you do carry. Reach top of Spinks Hill Edge at 1.3 km to join moor land single track. Keep on track to 2.1 km where BW markers lead off to right. Keep on well defined track to trig point at 2.3 km (SE010304). Bear left here towards standing stone on immediate horizon. Follow well defined track to meet old stone bridge across Catchwater Drain at 3.0 km (SE014301). Turn right, following bridleway marker to cross Back Clough at 3.9 km. Keep SO, with wall and fence on left to reach X-tracks at end of wall at 4.5 km (11.9 km total, SE019289).

Bear left at X-tracks on more well defined track going downhill. Zigzag at top to drop steeply. Reach walled track with more zigzags, dropping to wider track by Catherine House at (0.8 km. Care! Gate at bottom.) Turn left onto track, passing under spectacular archway at 1.2 km. Immediately Turn right and follow tarmac along valley side to reach Cat-I-Th-Well Inn at 3.6 km. Descend a little more, then steep uphill. Turn left at 4.0 km part way up climb. On into centre of Wainstalls at 4.4 km (16.3 km total, SE047285).

Turn left then immediately Turn right. Turn left again at top of lane, then very soon fork left at 0.2 km onto Lumb Lane, SP to Moorcock Inn. Still on tarmac, drop briefly, then climb to Moorcock Inn at 0.9 km. Onto double track, forking left at 1.5 km (if you reach terraced houses under Spring Dam, you missed the fork). Climb on track, passing ruined Haigh Cote farmhouse at 2.2 km. Keep on track, climbing more steeply before reaching tarmac at Withen's Hotel (3.0 km, SE045306). Leave north corner of car park to join wide causeway down to Ogden Reservoir dam at 5.1 km (SE065306). Across dam, then climb on tarmac, swinging right to reach end of Back Lane on left at 5.7 km (22.0 km total, SE069309). Refreshments at Rock Hollow Cafe on A629 just past end of Back Lane.

Follow walled track to reach gate at 1.3 km. Keep on track, keeping broken wall on right. Cross wall at 1.8 km, keeping gulley on left. Keep on track leading out onto Thornton Moor, reaching summit around 2.8 km. Track remains well defined, becoming walled and dropping steeply to reach Sawood Lane at gate at 3.5 km (25.5 km, SE043333).

Turn left onto Sawood Lane, dropping then climbing steadily. Track remains well defined, becoming White Moor Lane before reaching tarmac of Nab Water Lane at 1.4 km. Turn right on tarmac, climbing before dropping steeply to reach A6033 at 3.1 km. Care! Steep downhill to main road - brake early! Turn right, following main road into Oxenhope. Turn left by phone box at 3.7 km into Shaw Lane. Follow lane, straight over at crossroads, climbing to car park at 5.6 km (31.1 km total).

Wet Route Alternative instead of Limer's Gate

Limer's Gate can get extremely wet after heavy rain, so this alternative may be a little easier:

** From Junction of Old Road and A6033, Turn right onto A6033, dropping quickly. Fork left at 1.2 km, SP to Old Town. Turn left onto bridleway at 2.0 km. Climb on track to reach gate just before Delf End at 3.4 km. Hairpin right under disused quarry, dropping with wall on right. Fork left onto bridleway at 4.3 km. Pass Old Hold (white house on right) at 4.7 km before forking left where track splits. Follow track, climbing then descending to X-tracks at 6.1 km. Keep straight on going downhill onto main route.