WALK 04 · NIDDERDALE
Pateley Bridge to Brimham Rocks
A walk to the strangest rocks in Yorkshire
Brimham Rocks is usually visited by car, ten minutes from Pateley Bridge by road. Fewer visitors realise it is also a perfectly reasonable walk: a 4-mile round trip up through Glasshouses and onto the moor, arriving at one of the strangest landscapes in Yorkshire on foot rather than through a car park. The climbing is steady rather than severe, and the rocks themselves are free to explore once you arrive.
Key facts
- Start point
- Pateley Bridge town centre
- Parking
- Park in Pateley Bridge (Showground Car Park or Recreation Ground Car Park) and walk from the town centre. There is also a National Trust car park at Brimham Rocks itself if you would rather drive and just explore the rocks.
- Terrain
- Quiet lanes and field paths climbing out of Glasshouses onto the moor, with a final stretch across open moorland to the rocks themselves. Some gentle but sustained climbing.
- Dogs
- Dogs are welcome on leads throughout, both on the approach lanes and at Brimham Rocks itself.
Highlights
- +Fifty acres of extraordinary balanced rock formations shaped by 300 million years of weathering
- +Named formations including The Idol, The Dancing Bear and The Druids Writing Desk
- +Wide views back over Nidderdale on the climb up from Glasshouses
- +A proper there-and-back walk to a genuine landmark, rather than just a loop around town
The route
Leave Pateley Bridge heading east along the valley floor towards Glasshouses, following quiet lanes rather than the main road where possible. This opening stretch is gentle, following the natural line of the dale.
From Glasshouses, the route climbs more steadily up field paths and tracks onto the higher ground above Summerbridge. This is the main effort of the walk, but it comes with steadily improving views back down into Nidderdale as you gain height.
The path brings you out onto open moorland, with the first of the famous formations appearing on the skyline well before you reach the main cluster. There are no set paths once you arrive at Brimham Rocks itself, so take your time finding The Idol, The Dancing Bear and the other named formations among the fifty acres of moor.
Return the same way, or extend your visit by spending an hour or more exploring the rocks before heading back down to Glasshouses and Pateley Bridge. The walk back feels noticeably easier with the climbing done.
Good to know
- Refreshments
- A seasonal kiosk operates at Brimham Rocks. Glasshouses and Summerbridge have a small shop and pub between them if you need a stop on the way.
- Entry to the rocks
- Free to explore on foot. Only the car park requires payment if you drive instead of walk.
- Driving instead
- If you would rather drive, see our full guide to Brimham Rocks for visit information and directions.
- Best season
- Heather turns the moor purple in July and August. Clear autumn mornings give the best long-distance views.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Read our full visitor guide for opening times, facilities and more detail.
