Brimham Rocks

Brimham Rocks stand on a moor above Nidderdale, a scatter of millstone grit blocks that ice, wind and rain have cut into columns, mushrooms and balanced stacks over a very long time. Paths wind between them and people have been climbing on them for generations. The National Trust holds the site. From the top of the outcrops the view runs out across the dale and the moor beyond.

What you actually see

• The balanced stacks - grit blocks left standing on narrow bases.
• The weathered shapes - columns and overhangs cut by ice and weather.
• The scrambling - the routes people work up and between the rocks.
• The dale view - Nidderdale and the moor from the higher outcrops.

When to go

April to October is the easiest visiting. Heather on the moor colours in late summer. Winter brings ice on the rock and mud on the paths.

Honest expectations

The car park fills early at weekends and in school holidays. There are real drops among the rocks and no barriers; children need watching. Paths are muddy for much of the year.

Nearby

Nidderdale runs west, and Harrogate is southeast.