Mike Cooper's Permian Way

Route Five

Darrington to Potterton

(See Book Five for description and photographs.)

Explorer 289. Leeds.

Spital Gap Lane takes you to the edge of Pontefract where you meet Street Furlong Lane. Turn right here. At SE473 217 a track goes off to the right. This is Lower Taythes Lane and goes north to meet the A645. Turn right, cross over and bridleway continues north under a railway bridge.

The Kottingley Loop leaves to the right at SE476 232 at Sowgate Lane. Otherwise cross Sowgate Lane and continue northwards over a railway bridge past new houses to meet Ferrybridge Road next to the motorway bridge. Right here and under the two motorway bridges.

Explorer 290. Again.

Continue along Pontefract Road, left at Castleford Lane to meet the B6136. Go right here, under the railway, to the old toll house and turn left to reach the old bridge.

Distance: 5.8 km.

Knottingley Loop.

At SE 476 232 turn right onto Sowgate Lane and pass beneath the two motorway bridges carrying the M62 and the A1(M). Then shortly afterwards you go under a railway bridge before reaching a residential road. Ignore the approach road from the right and carry on up to the footbridge over the Ferrybridge bypass, the A162. Once over the footbridge take the roadside path up to Pontefract Road.

Knottingley.

On reaching Pontefract Road turn left and walk on until you get to Warren Avenue on the right. Take this up to Simpson’s Lane, turn left and carry on to the junction of Hazel Road and Spawd Bone Lane. After a few hundred metres eastwards along Spawd Bone Lane there is a footpath sign on the left that leads through an underpass beneath the railway and alongside a playing field. On reaching Marine Villa Road, a superstore appears on the left.

On reaching the main road – the A645 - take the roadside path eastwards to where, a well signed path goes off to the right leading down to the Aire and Calder Navigation. This takes you through the “Amphitheatre” to the canal and under Jackson Bridge. A footpath goes up some steps past a school out onto Ropewalk. Turning left here will take you back to Jackson Bridge and the Town Hall. A right turn will bring you to the turning to Chapel Street where the war memorial is situated at the entrance to St. Botolph’s church.

Our route continues along Chapel Street until just past the church. A path heads westwards along its north side. This takes you to the road leading to the King’s Mill. Just before reaching the gate to the mill, the path cuts down to the canal tow path.

Continue along the canal bank to the lock and cross over on the footbridge. Turn right at Gold Lion and pass beneath the road bridge to reach the old toll house.and rejoin the shorter route.

Distance: 6.1 km.

Cross the old road bridge. Follow the riverside up to Brotherton. Turn left at Low Street, pass the church on to Church Street and High Street and left down a ramp passing a small industrial estate.

Explorer 289. Again.

The path goes down to the River Aire. Go right and follow the river as far as Fairburn Ings RSPB reserve. Turn right and follow the causeway northwards to Fairburn at Cut Road.

Distance: 4.2 km.

Turn left at Caudle Hill and very soon a track leaves to the right. This forks and the path goes right. Follow this to Ledsham passing Wormstall Wood. On meeting the road turn left, pass the church and reach the pub.

Distance: 2.9 km.

From the pub continue north-westwards along Park Lane. Ignore the path on the left to Ledston Luck and where the tracks divide the path continues ahead between them. Go through the wood and into Ledston Park. The path goes north-westwards curving slowly to the left, through another small bit of wood to a track. Turn right and go up to the A63. Cross over and take the path through Peckfield Plantation. At the far end a track leads to the old Great North Road at Micklefield. Turn left and follow this through New Micklefield up to Old Micklefield.

Distance: 4.7 km.

Explorer 289.

In Old Micklefield, just past the pub, a side road goes off to the right. It crosses the A1(M) after which we turn left and follow the road up to the kennels at Hartley Wood Cottages. The path continues passing Huddleston Old Wood to Huddleston Hall.

Distance: 3.0 km.

From Huddleston Hall go eastwards along Laith Staid Lane. Pass beneath the railway bridge.

Explorer 290. Again.

When level with Sherburn church a path goes up the hill to base of the church tower.

Leave the churchyard and turn left. Go down Kirkgate to the crossroads and turn left onto Finkle Hill. Continue northwards to meet the A162 at a roundabout. Carry on along the roadside under the railway bridge and just past the nursery school a field path goes to the right. It leads to Saw Wells Lane by another railway bridge. Go left and up to Barkston Ash. Go right along Church Street and just after a bend a minor road goes to the left to Scarthingwell. Pass the church and continue up to Scarthingwell Lane and turn left to go back to the A162. Go left here and after about 300m a path leaves on the right on the west side of the road. This takes you to Saxton.

Distance: 9.2 km.

Explorer 289. Again.

On reaching Saxton turn left and shortly at the side of Village Farm a path takes you across the fields to the Crooked Billet. Cross the road to Lead church and a bridleway goes northwards at the side of Lead Hall Farm. After about 400m a path goes left and the bridleway continues northwards.

Distance: 1.9 km.

This is where the Tadcaster Loop leaves the main route. See later.

The main route via Aberford.

The path follows Cock Beck to cross the A1(M) on the outskirts of Aberford where Field Lane leads up to the Arabian Horse pub.

Distance: 3.6 km.

Almost opposite is Becca Lane, a bridleway that leads to Becca Park but there is a parallel permissive path along Becca Banks for a way. Follow the bridleway to just beyond Becca Home Farm after which a footpath turns off westwards. This comes out on Potterton Lane. Turn right here up to the A64.

Distance: 4.3 km.

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