(S/E) Cross the stream at the bottom of the Shibden Mill Inn car park and walk up the concrete driveway beyond, passing a farmhouse on the right. After a wayside memorial and a crossing path, just as the track enters the trees, take a path on the left that follows a wall below the wood.
Beyond a gate, follow the slabbed path across open fields.
(1) Pass a dwelling and join the driveway beyond. Walk between the houses of Shibden Fold and follow the drive to the right (ignoring the grassy path straight ahead). Follow the drive round a left-hand bend to emerge on the main road (Godley Lane) by a petrol station. Turn right.
Cross at the traffic lights and go through the gate into the Shibden Estate. Turn immediately right, up a path signposted “The Lodge”.
(2) At the Lodge turn left and follow the drive downhill. Beyond a stone-domed hut on your left, pass to the right of Shibden Hall. Beyond the Hall, continue on a path that leads down some steps and then curves to the left around an ornamental pond. Take the path to the right, signposted to the Boating Lake. On reaching the playground, walk across the grass to the lake, and turn right past the boathouse.
(3) At the end of the lake, go down the steps on your right and follow the beck downstream. Take the first footbridge on your left and cross the miniature railway twice to enter a wood. Swing left and follow the path parallel to the railway. Keep to the right of the engine house to meet a driveway that joins the road beyond the car park.
Turn right and walk up the road to the junction with Old Godley Lane. Take a few steps to the left then go up some stone steps in the wall opposite.
(4) Swing left below a high retaining wall to a further flight of steps onto the A58 (Godley Lane). Cross carefully, turn right and take the first left (Staups Lane). Keep right at Staups House (dated 1664) and follow the now Cobbled lane.
(5) At the top, turn left into a driveway marked “85”. Go through a gate at the end of the drive and follow a pleasant paved path through fields. When you meet a metalled road, turn left to return to the Shibden Mill Inn.
(S/E)
