IT’S BEST to this walk from Surprise View which is on York Gate, just west of the Royalty pub.

At the end of the car park you will emerge immediately onto Surprise View which is on the crest of the tall upland ridge of the Chevin.

The starting point is also virtually the summit, and offers expansive views over the Wharfe Valley from a mix of woodland and moorland, including a bird’s-eye view of Otley.

A broad path runs right along the top of Beacon Hill Moor, ignoring branches before dropping to join Miller Lane.

Head along this gently declining, enclosed track to East Chevin Road. Cross to a firm path into the woods of Danefield, rising right to Lower Shawfield car park.

Just yards to your left is a major fork: head away on the main track, Chippendale Ride, into the plantations.

Rising to a junction beyond a tiny beck, keep straight on.

This broad way runs a straight, near-level course through the trees, later absorbing a branch from below before reaching the end of the trees at a path junction.

Turn left through a kissing-gate and immediately fork right. A path curves down through open country to the crest of the lower grouping of Caley Crags.

Resume left on the crest: in deeper trees a kissing-gate puts you onto a broader track, keep straight on.

At a major fork take the lower track slanting down to a junction, just past which it enters further massive boulders of Caley Crags.

Beyond these the path drops steadily down and along to a junction just before crossing a stone bridge.

This path continues as a broad carriageway back onto East Chevin Road at Danefield Gate.

Turn briefly up the footway and cross to East Chevin Quarry car park.

A broad path rises away to run beneath quarried cliffs, easing out before moorland slopes are revealed below.

Further, woodland is re-entered and the path meets a broad track descending from the foot of Beacon Hill Moor.

Turn uphill for a direct return, but for the full route bear right down the track, deeper into woodland to reach a crossroads with a steeply descending path.

Just 100 paces further is the White House café.

Retrace your steps to the crossroads where more than 200 steps offer a direct ascent to the foot of Beacon Hill Moor.

The steps go straight up to the waiting rocks on the Beacon site.

However, for further pleasures turn right on a broad path along the top of White House Plantation, shadowed by vaccary wall slabs.

These abruptly end, but the path and trees remain. Some seventy strides beyond a broad path junction turn up a thin path immediately after an old wall.

This rises through dense bilberry bushes to join a higher-level path.

Doubling back along it past the Chevin’s anonymous highest point the rocks are quickly gained.

Here you can enjoy a final panorama aided by the presence of a rangefinder.

This walk is found in Paul’s book Short Scenic Walks – Ilkley & Washburn Valley (£3.99 - hillsidepublications.co.uk).