40 mins -Menston to The Hermit
Via Bleach Mill Lane
Pleasant amble to the pub with lovely views
With Menston Primary School on your left, head along Main Street for about 1 km. You will cross over the bottom of Derry Hill Road and pass the 2 pubs on your left hand side. After another 200m, the road will turn sharply left.
Waypoint 1:
You will be see a small playground on your left. Cross the road (carefully) and then head along Bleach Mill Lane.
After 50m the road curves sharply to the left. This road continues as tarmac with houses on both sides, but after the last house on your right, the tarmac stops and the road becomes metalled.
This is still Bleach Mill Lane, from here it winds its ways through the fields towards Burley. Continue along this rutted road for about 1 mile until it ends at the last house (Bleach Mill House) just after a duck pond on the left hand side.
Waypoint 2:
Here your only option is to take the path on your left – this is marked as a public footpath and skirts along the side of Bleach Mill House.
This narrow section of path continues with the house on your right hand side and then immediately crosses a small footbridge across a stream down from the Moor.
Waypoint 3:
The path now forks, either left steeply up the hill towards the Moor, or straight on with a drystone wall on your right hand side. Go straight on and keep the drystone wall on your right hand side and towards a large metal gate with Hagg Farm beyond.
Pass through this gate and follow the main path heading directly to the right of Hagg Farm itself. Then pass through the metal gate next to the big wooden farm gate with Hagg Farm just on your left, and continue through the (sometimes very) muddy field.
Waypoint 4:
You will reach a rusty old metal gate in the top corner of the field.
Waypoint 5:
Go through the rusty gate and follow the path for 50 metre crossing over Stoney Lane and through another old rusty gate into the field.
The path now traverses the hillside moving gently uphill. Immediately after the path crosses the remnants of the old drystone wall that used to separate 2 fields, take a left following the path that goes directly up the hill. The Hermit should be in sight.
Waypoint 6:
Go through another swing gate at the top of the field and then follow a short section of 20m or so with a wire fence on your left and a hedge on your right.
You will come out on a driveway. Follow the tarmac driveway steeply up the hill that curves up to your right and then you will find yourself at the entrance to the pub car park. This is a steep walk and you will have earned your reward!
