4.13mi Brockadale & Little Smeaton Circular Walk

Jun 18, 2023

2 min read

Updated: Oct 23

This 4.13-mile circular walk explores the countryside around Brockadale and Little Smeaton, near Pontefract in West Yorkshire. The River Went runs through a narrow valley of limestone slopes, woodland and meadows, giving this part of Yorkshire a very different character from the surrounding farmland.

Brockadale Nature Reserve is known for its wildflowers and butterflies. The recorded loop is a separate route around the area, not necessarily the same as any of the reserve's own suggested trails.

Walk at a Glance

Distance: 4.13 miles
Route: Circular
Area: Brockadale and Little Smeaton, near Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Start and finish: See the original Komoot route for the exact point
Terrain: Countryside paths, limestone valley, grassland and woodland
Main features: River Went valley, Brockadale countryside and Little Smeaton

The Walk

The route is a circuit in the countryside around Little Smeaton and Brockadale. Its recorded track extends west into the Went valley before turning back, with the start and finish close together.

The River Went has cut a distinctive valley through the local magnesian limestone. Brockadale's wooded sides and grassland slopes are part of the landscape associated with the route.

Unlike open farmland on the surrounding plateau, the Went valley contains ancient woodland, riverside habitat and flower-rich grassland. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust manages Brockadale Nature Reserve here, where the natural terrain includes narrow paths and changes in level.

Wildlife at Brockadale

Brockadale is particularly well known for its limestone wildflower meadows. Cowslips and wood anemones can be found in spring, while clustered bellflower, field scabious and rock-rose are among the summer flowers recorded by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

The reserve also supports butterflies, including marbled whites and dark green fritillaries. These are species associated with the habitat; their appearance will depend on the season and conditions.

A Bit of Local History

The Brockadale landscape owes much of its character to the local band of magnesian limestone. It forms steep-sided slopes along the River Went, while woodland and riverside meadows occupy parts of the valley bottom.

Historically, the steeper slopes were difficult to cultivate and were often grazed instead. That pattern of land use helped retain limestone grassland plants which disappeared from many other intensively farmed areas.

Today Brockadale is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust continues to manage the woodland and meadows as part of the area's natural heritage.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust – Brockadale Nature Reserve