[1] Leave Newfield Hall along the drive. Turn right on the road towards Newfield Bridge, which is visible across the fields.
The road is narrow and has some heavy traffic.
Immediately before the bridge turn right through the gate onto the Pennine Way. Follow the path, keeping the River Aire within easy sight to your left, crossing several stone stiles and wooden steps over the dry stone walls.
Take care as this path can get muddy.
(A) Note the characteristic field boundary of the dry stone wall which has been used for centuries. Note the different types of lichen that take many years to grow in clean air.
When you reach a road, turn left and cross over the bridge.
(B) Note on far bank is the converted Airton Mill now flats (Riverside Cottages). The mill was originally owned by the monks of Bolton Abbey to grind corn. It was later converted to a cotton mill. It has had various other uses including by Reckitt and Colman during the Second World War to produce Dettol.
Immediately after these cottages turn right into the drive / parking area and cross to leave by a gate in the far corner. Continue along the path between the River Aire on your right and the overgrown mill stream on your left, crossing wooden and stone bridges.
Watch out for the stone slab bridge over a culvert. The overgrowth hides the drop and there are no sides or rails with the stone getting slippery in the wet.
(C) Note the old mill stream (now overgrown) with evidence of broken sluice mechanisms.
When the bridge over the river comes into view pass through a wooden kissing gate and over a stone stile then turn left on a path with good surface and wooden seat.
[2] Continue on this path for short distance to a road. Turn right on the road for short distance to the first gate on your left. Do not cross gate but instead turn sharp left over the stone stile into a field. Cross the field diagonally to another stone stile, keeping the farm buildings to your left.
Continue straight across the fields, using wooden ladders and stone stiles until you reach the road. Turn right for short distance to a grass triangle, where you turn left then right onto a track between two houses, keeping the painted gate to your right.
Note the small village of Airton is to your east. It is said to be the largest village in Yorkshire without a shop or pub.
[3] At the road turn right then left at the grass triangle with a bench on it signposted to “Bell Busk”.
Continue to fork and turn right onto a stone driveway signposted “Kirk Syke Farm”. Pass the farm on your right and cross the ford via the wooden bridge. Immediately turn left over a wooden stile.
[4] Cross the field to a gate in the valley. Pass through the gate, then head obliquely right aiming to pass below a copse on your right. Continue to the gate and on to the road. Turn left here.
Very soon turn right on the road to Newfield bridge, then retrace your outward course back to the entrance of Newfield Hall.
Beware narrow road with some heavy traffic.