Castley to Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag is the gritstone tor that stands over the whole of lower Wharfedale, and Castley is the nearest place to start from. North Yorkshire Council publishes a seven-mile circular from here with twenty stiles and fifteen gates in it, which is a lot of lifting with a big dog; this version takes the lanes instead and has none. It climbs Castley Lane out of the hamlet, crosses the A658 Harrogate Road at the top, then follows Gravelly Hill Lane, The Sleights and Merrybank Lane north to the foot of the crag, where a signed footpath skirts the northern edge of the rocks. The council's own leaflet gives the rule for the whole route as keeping dogs under close control.