Almscliffe Crag

2 miles (2.5 km)

This short circular walk climbs to a splendid viewpoint in North Yorkshire, near Harrogate. You can start the walk from the village of North Rigton, just to the east of the hill. The area around the village was used for scenery at the end of Yorkshire Television dramas, The Beiderbecke Affair, The Beiderbecke Tapes and The Beiderbecke Connection.
From the village you can pick up footpaths heading west up to the crag. The�large outcrop of Millstone Grit stands at a height of almost 700ft, offering lovely views over the surrounding Wharfe Valley countryside. You will often see rock climbers traversing one of the impressive, large rocky outcrops. If you look to the south you can get a great view of one of the architectural highlights of the area at Arthington Viaduct. The historic Grade II listed structure dates from 1845 and is (460�m) in length, with 21 semi-circular arches on high�piers.
After taking in the views you can descend the same way or return via Crag Lane to turn it into a circular walk. Back in the village you can reward yourself with refreshments at the very fine Square and Compass pub.
To continue your walking in the area you could head north to Pannal Hall and pick up the Harrogate Ringway long distance trail. The waymarked footpath will take you on a tour of the countryside and villages surrounding the town.

Almscliffe Crag Ordnance Survey Map - view and print off detailed OS map

Almscliffe Crag Open Street Map - view and print off detailed map

Almscliffe Crag OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Almscliffe Crag Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

The Square & Compass in North Rigton is a nice place to go for some refreshments after your walk. They do good food and if the weather is fine you can sit outside on the terrace and enjoy views of the village. You can find the old stone pub at Rigton Hill with a postcode of LS17 0DJ for your sat navs.

Dog Walking

The crag is a nice place to go for a dog walk and the Square & Compass pub mentioned above is also dog friendly.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

You can visit the crag by public transport by catching the train to Weeton station. The station is located about a mile to the south in the village of Huby. During Monday to Saturday daytimes, there is generally a half-hourly service southbound to�Leeds�and a half-hourly service northbound to�Knaresborough�with one train per hour onwards to�York. A pleasant country lane can then be followed from Huby to the crag.