Wentbridge house to little smeaton and return
Nothing much beats a walk through the woods, farmlands and villages of West Yorkshire. The fresh air, nature’s colours (whatever the season), history at every turn. And the feeling that each step must be doing you good. (Excuse enough for a gin or a pint at the end).
Here’s an idea for a stunning trail that sets a moderate challenge over a couple of hours and leads you back to an award-winning restaurant and bar.
Your starting point is the historic village of Wentbridge (outside the equally historic Wentbridge House to be precise). The 5.2-mile walk will take you alongside the River Went, through the glorious Brockadale Nature Reserve, to Little Smeaton and back.
Make sure to wear sturdy walking shoes or boots, as the trail can be muddy depending on the weather and require some clambering. Remember to carry a water bottle and consider a light waterproof jacket and hat. You never know what the English weather may deliver!
Please note that dogs are welcome on this walk but must be on a lead.
- From the car park at Wentbridge House, turn left and walk down the main road until you reach Jackson’s Lane. Turn left into the lane, where you’ll soon come upon St Johns Church. Keep on the lane, to the left of the house, and then look for a footpath on the right which heads into woodland. It descends to a track which turns left and goes under the A1.
- Marvel at the viaduct while you’re here. Opened in 1961 as the A1 bypassed Wentbridge village, it was the biggest structure of its type in Europe at the time. On the other side of the viaduct there’s a set of steep steps (about 150 in total) that climb up to the east side of the roadway. Scale these and you’ve negotiated possibly the toughest bit of the walk.
- From the busy A1, turn right on to a farm track, the continuation of Jackson’s Lane. Follow this lane towards Timbertops Equestrian Centre, and turn briefly into Leys Lane. You’ll pass a house on the right before entering Brockadale Nature Reserve on a walking trail (not the road for cars).
- Brockadale’s 145 acres are home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including 30 species of butterfly. The meadows come alive with wildflowers in summer. Look for kingfishers, woodpeckers and owls in the trees. Walkers have also reported seeing deer and badgers. As a special challenge, you could search for a truncatellina cylindrica, an extremely rare and tiny snail found nowhere else in Yorkshire.
- Enjoy your walk through the nature reserve and consider how peaceful it is these days. In the 1400s, Robin Hood and his outlaw gang may have held you for ransom, while, in the 1500s, locals were hunting witches. The ghost of Mary Pannal, sentenced to death for witchcraft in 1603, is said to haunt the area. Shake off those thoughts, though! The Brockadale path will eventually descend to a boardwalk and footbridge over the River Went. Don’t cross it but continue up to the left and go through a gate. Follow the path to approach the hamlet of Little Smeaton.
- Walk past an old chapel, now a house, to join Chapel Lane. Make a sharp right turn to pass a telephone box, into Hodge Lane. Walk down to the river, cross the bridge and take a stile on the right. Follow the footpath around the edge of St Peter’s Church to find yourself on Kirk Smeaton’s Main Street.
- You’re now on the way home; the rest of the route should be an easier walk. From St Peter’s Church, head west along Main Street, passing the Shoulder of Mutton pub. When Main Street turns left, you head right on to a footpath. The path soon veers left and then runs fairly straight, alongside but above the River Went.
- Re-entering Brockadale Nature Reserve, the path eventually descends to the river. You’ll pass under the A1 viaduct again, and then the path rises to a stile and continues on to Wentbridge, emerging on to the main road opposite Wentbridge Lane. Turn right and cross the bridge that gives the village its name. Look for the blue plaque that commemorates the area’s link with Robin Hood.
- And … you are back where you started, at Wentbridge House, where you can relax in the elegant comfort of the Brasserie and toast your achievement with an artisan gin, a refreshing beer or a glass of wine. No doubt you’ll have worked up an appetite, so it’s good to know there’s a range of nourishing, wholesome dishes on the menu … simply prepared and served with the personal attention to detail for which Wentbridge House is renown.
Book for a meal at Wentbridge House by calling 01977 620444. Book a stay at Wentbridge House online by clicking here.
