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 Start: Burley in Wharfedale station
Finish: Menston Station
Distance: Approximately 3.5km, or just over 2 miles
Difficulty: Several stiles, fairly steep uphill section, muddy in places
Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer map 297 covers this walk
Pubs en route: The Hermit Inn, Burley Woodhead and The Menston Arms, Menston
Exit Burley-in-Wharfedale station and turn left to walk along Hag Farm Road, continuing past all the houses until you reach the stile in the picture opposite. This should be on your right.
Cross the stile and walk across the field to a second stile, then straight on until you reach a third, where the path continues through the woods. It can be rather muddy here.
The path through the woods is well trodden, and when it reaches a huge chestnut tree, it turns uphill to the left, passing through a gate, before following the fence line to a second gate.
 Carry on up the hill through the field - it's fairly steep here - keeping the line of fence posts on your left.
At the top, go through another kissing gate and follow the grassy path
out into a driveway, which leads up to the road, and The Hermit Inn.
It's downhill all the way back to Menston, so this is a good place to stop for lunch or an early evening meal. Alternatively, enjoy a pint. When I visited, they had Timothy Taylor's Landlord, John Smiths Cask, Tetleys Cask and Theakstons Best Bitter for real ale lovers, as well as lagers, wines and a good range of soft drinks.
From the pub, you can retrace your steps back down the steep driveway to pick up the Dalesway/Ebor Way Link path in the field, or if you want a less steep route after a meal, walk 200m down the pavement (Burley in Wharfedale direction), cross over at the signpost saying "Public Footpath Menston" and follow the Dalesway Link from here.
An added bonus if you happen to be doing this walk in late August or early September is that by taking this slight detour, the hazel nut trees along the lane will be just about ready. 
 Go through the kissing gate and cross the field, squeezing through the gap between two tall stones, then heading towards the next gate at Spring Bank Cottages.
Carry straight on, following the path which goes past "Red Walls" and on over two more stiles, through a farm yard until you reach the three-way footpath marker pictured.
Continue straight on, following the overgrown walled path past Bleach Mill House (which was offering tea, coffee and cake, as well as B&B and free range eggs when I passed it) to emerge onto Bleach Mill Lane where the path widens out again.
Walk to the end of the unmade road, and turn left down Menston's Main Street. At the crossroads next to the Menston Arms, turn left, and after 200m, cross the road to walk down Fairfax Road.
At the end of Fairfax Road, cross over, and follow the footpath signposted for Menston Station.
Getting there:
Burley in Wharfedale and Menston stations are both on the Ilkley train line, and have frequent connections from Leeds and Bradford Forster Square.
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