(S/E) From The Chevin Country Park Hotel - Lodges - Spa reception, walk out to the road (York Gate) and turn left. After 200 yards, a byway (Miller Lane) crosses the road at right angles, with a parking area on the left. Just beyond the byway, go through a stone squeeze stile on the right into Springfield Wood.
(1) Beyond the wood, cross a field to two stone uprights near a wall corner on your left. Nearby, look for the Knotties Stone, a cup-and-ring marked rock just off the path to the right.
(2) Follow the path left along the wall, passing the car park on the left, to the remains of Jenny's Cottage and the rocks of Surprise View. Retrace your steps to the car park path, and take the path opposite, which leads obliquely down the slope below Surprise View before heading down to a wider track by a wooden carving, with the stones of the Vacca Wall running away to your left.
(3) Cross this track onto a stone-stepped path that leads steeply downhill. Cross another couple of transverse paths in the vicinity of the White House (refreshments) continuing downhill. On meeting a tarmacked driveway, carry on down the narrow walled path ahead, still heading downhill.
This leads between houses out to a public road (Birdcage Walk).
(4) Cross Birdcage walk and take the path opposite, which leads shortly to a footbridge over the A660 Otley bypass. On the other side, walk down cobbled Station Road into Otley town centre. Walk past the pillar box below the churchyard wall.
(5) Beyond the churchyard gate, divert left into Church Lane briefly to view the Navvies' Memorial. Returning to the main road (Kirkgate), continue past the marketplace and Jubilee Clock to the junction with Westgate. Cross straight over into Manor Square and follow the road round to the right past the Chippendale statue and adjoining plaque on the Old Grammar School.
(6) At the next bend, bear left and walk down Bridge Street to the River Wharfe. Cross the river via the footbridge to the right of the roadway and turn right into Wharfemeadows Park.
Follow the riverside path past the weir, and past a children's play area.
(7) Continue along the river past a skate park and tennis courts to White Bridge, where you return to the southern bank of the river. Turn left beneath a pipeline (signposted "Gallows Hill Nature Park") and follow the path downstream with the river on your left.
After about half a mile, the path leaves the trees at the end of the nature park and runs alongside open fields.
(8) After two fields, turn right through a hand gate and follow the fence to the main road (Pool Road). Turn left along the pavement, then shortly leave the main road to follow the old road on the left, which leads between Knotford Lagoons (fishing lakes).
(9) When you return to the main road (Pool Road), cross carefully and take the footpath through the gate opposite. Walk up the side of the field then bear right to a gate, where you pass through into the next field. Follow the field edge right to a metal kissing gate and continue to a stone squeeze stile and metal hand-gate. Behalf-left across the next field to a bridge under the old railway line.
(10) Pass under the bridge and turn left to a stile, with the disused railway on your left. Part company with the railway and cross the field diagonally right to a stile by a gate in the far right-hand corner. Beyond this, follow the left-hand edge of a series of fields to reach a driveway, which you cross via a couple of wooden stiles.
Climb a stile in the fence on your right and cross a paddock to some farm buildings.
(11) Follow the track right and left between the buildings, and above a pond on the left. After a stile and gate, the track continues above a wall with views ahead to the Wharfedale Viaduct. By a footpath sign, leave the track before it starts to descend, and climb an indistinct path up a steep bank on your right to a waymark post.
Beyond this, continue below a wood to a stile. A short section of walled path leads along the bottom of the wood and into a field. Climb to a stile in the top right-hand corner, in front of a terrace of cottages with dormer windows in the roof, at the junction of Old Pool Bank and the main road (Leeds Road).
(12) Turn right along the pavement beside Leeds Road, passing a stone bus shelter with a pitched roof. After 150 yards, cross into a driveway signposted "Chevin Forest Park" (Quarry Road). Follow the driveway (ignoring a signposted footpath up steps on the left) to a couple of houses at the end. Take the path ahead, beyond the houses, into the trees.
Keep right of a fenced level area to a board for Chevin Forest Park Local Nature Reserve. The narrow path continues with occasional steps above and between crags and boulders, with wide views over the Wharfe valley. Beyond some power lines, join a wider path by a bench and continue above Caley Crags, ignoring paths off to the left.
After a gate, another track joins from the left and you pass the ruins of Keeper's Cottage. At a fork, take the left-hand track, which climbs to a viewpoint before descending to a wooden footbridge over a stream in a ravine.
(13) Climb the hill beyond then continue through open grassy areas to a car park. Just before the car park gate, turn right at a “Permitted Bridlepath” fingerpost and take the left-hand fork.
Follow this path downhill over a couple of footbridges, parallel to East Chevin Road on the left, until it meets the road at a Public Bridleway sign. Cross into the track opposite (Miller Lane) and follow it past a house. 36 At Miller Lane Gate, turn left and follow the track to the road (York Gate). Turn left to return to the hotel entrance on the right. (S/E)
