View site as:

Wentworth Castle and Worsbrough Country Park and Mill Circular

Difficulty Leisurely

Walking time 3 hours

Length 11.0km / 6.8mi

Route developer: Christine Whittaker

Route checker: Steve Hughes

Start location Worsbrough Country Park Car Park, Barnsley
Route Summary An extremely pleasant walk through a municipal country park to an early 19th century reservoir, and on to Stainborough's historic (listed) parkland and Castle. Enjoy the 1st Earl's historic monuments, the wildlife, and of course the Wentworth Deer.
*move mouse over graph to see points on route
Getting there

By car: Worsbrough Country Park Car Park, off Park Road (A61) Worsbrough. 2 miles from M1 Junction 36.

By public transport:  Regular buses from Barnsley and Sheffield stop outside Worsbrough Country Park entrance. http://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/

Description

[1]  From the car park follow the sign to the old corn mill museum/visitor centre. Pass left of the centre and pond then right up to the reservoir. At the reservoir turn right onto the path along the left side of the reservoir.

(A) Worsbrough Mill Museum/Cafe and Country Park - The oldest part of the mill dates from about 1625 and forms the two storey stone building known as the Old Mill.  The reservoir, completed in 1804 and enlarged in 1826. http://www.worsbrough-mill.com

[2]  Towards the end of the reservoir, regain the main track and soon turn right over a stone bridge, continuing ahead over wetland, then uphill to a path  junction.  Turn left on a track across the open fields towards houses. At the hamlet, with Rockley Old Hall gate on your left, turn right up a lane and go over the M1.  At the road junction with Rockley Lane ahead, turn right and follow the road almost to a junction to Round Green Village on the right. Take the signed path over a stile on the opposite side of the road. Take the path diagonally left over a field to a cottage (and obelisk built in 1734 - Thomas Wentworth's monument to Queen Anne - his patron).  Go over a stile and through a metal gate ahead and follow the path towards and then along a wall.  After the next stile turn right through a gate into woodland and go left following the Parkland Trail. Continue to  follow signs through the trees bearing left until you see the temple.

[3]  At the temple (known as the Rotunda, which was built in the 1740's and is based on the Temple of Vesta in Rome) go left through a gate in the deer fence and pass in front of the temple to follow the path ahead keeping trees on your left.  Turn left at the end of the trees skirting the woodland.  After 2 gates you will see a statue on a Corinthian column in the woodland slightly to your left (this is a monument to William Wentworth's father in law, the Duke of Argyll - a statue of Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom).  You may wish to bear left here to visit the monument and then return. If not, turn immediately right and go up the grassy tree lined Great South Avenue to the end - the South Lawn and Palladian wing of Wentworth Castle.  (If you wish to visit the castle, garden or visitor centre, turn right, go through a gate and turn left to another gate, then left again. Retrace your steps to return).

(B) Wentworth Castle/Cafe/information with its grade1 listed landscape (parkland and gardens). The house was once owned by Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl Strafford (2nd edition). Not to be confused with Wentworth Woodhouse nearby, or the original 1st Earl of Strafford who was Charles 1's right hand man, found guilty of high treason by parliament and beheaded on Tower Hill in 1641.  Apparently the execution was very popular, attracting an incredibly large crowd! The fact that there are two great houses close by, both using the name Wentworth is the result of 17th century family squabbles over inheritance.  http://www.wentworthcastle.org

[4]  From end of the Avenue turn left and follow the fence around the house to a gate.  Continue on a path skirting the gardens, passing a pond on your left and a cottage on the right, until you reach the village of Hood Green.  Continue to a main road junction where you turn right, but soon cross to follow path on the left down steps.  Continue downhill over several fields, over a (now disused) narrow gauge rail track, bearing right down to a  footbridge and stile. 

[5]  Keep ahead up to and over a footbridge and shortly the path emerges onto a disused railway line, now the Dove Valley Trail (part of the Trans Pennine Trail).  Turn right and follow the Trail, eventually crossing the M1, before coming to a car park on the left. 

[6]  Here cross the road ahead to regain the Trail. Then, as the reservoir comes into view on your right, bear right off the Trail, onto a path down to the reservoir.  Follow signs back to the museum around the reservoir. 

POI information

 

 

Notes

Map:  OS Explorer 278

Refreshments and Information: Worsbrough Mill Museum  http://www.worsbrough-mill.com

 and Wentworth Castle http://www.wentworthcastle.org.  Also pubs in Worsbrough Village.

Local Ramblers Group: Barnsley  www.barnsleypenistoneramblers.org.uk     

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to The Crowood Press. http://www.crowood.com/default.asp  for their permission to include this walk on the Ramblers Routes website.  The walk is based on a walk from their book ‘100 Walks in Yorkshire’ - part of their 100 walk books series - an updated version is soon to be published.  The Ramblers of South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire have been asked to assist in updating a number of the walks.

  • The obelisk - Thomas Wentworth
    The obelisk - Thomas Wentworth's monument to Queen Anne (his patron).
    By - Christine Whittaker
  • The Temple (or Rotunda) - based on the Temple of Vesta in Rome.
    The Temple (or Rotunda) - based on the Temple of Vesta in Rome.
    By - Christine Whittaker
  • The Statue of Minerva - a monument to the Duke of Argyll - William Wentworth
    The Statue of Minerva - a monument to the Duke of Argyll - William Wentworth's father-in-law.
    By - Christine Whittaker
  • Wentworth Castle Palladian Wing - the recently restored conservatory can be seen on the left.
    Wentworth Castle Palladian Wing - the recently restored conservatory can be seen on the left.
    By - Christine Whittaker
  • Worsbrough Reservoir - built in 1804.
    Worsbrough Reservoir - built in 1804.
    By - Christine Whittaker
This route has been viewed 22 times

Reviews

Be the first person to review this route!