Trollers Gill via Hell Hole

Trollers Gill is a rocky ravine, which has a disappearing beck!

Yup, this family friendly walk is truly magical and will boggle the mind! With legends surrounding the area, spooky stories, abandoned mine shafts, and little caves, there is plenty of interest to make this an exciting hike for young explorers!

Where is Trollers Gill?

And what it Hell Hole? Apart from a super dramatic name!

Located near Skryeholme, in the Yorkshire Dales, Trollers Gill is a classic family Yorkshire Dales walk….

Ok, perhaps the walk title is a tad misleading because Hell Hole is in fact a tricky to conquer pothole, which by all accounts lives up to it’s name and which sadly has proven fatal in the past.

So, on that note…… Hell Hole is not at ALL child friendly, so absolutely do NOT try and go into it! (unless of course you are a skilled potholer….. but I’m not sure how many 5 year old skilled potholers there are though…..)

This walk will take you right past it and you can see it from the path (it has a handy little sign to tell you where it is), and to be fair, the stories that can be inspired by such a ridiculously dramatic sounding place are enough to keep your little ones entertained for…… well at least until they reach another of the fabulous quirks of this walk!

So a Hole from Hell, abandoned mine shafts, a disappearing and reappearing river, many, many troll holes and a legend that will have you checking above your heads as you head down the (almost always) eerily peaceful Trollers Gill……

Ooh I do love a bit of drama!

❗ A Little Heads Up: The Gill is a rocky riverbed. The river disappears underground and reappears at the bottom, but in times of heavy rain, it will reappear in the Gill and unless you fancy getting wet feet, it will be virtually impassable for kids. We have tried…. and failed!

Walking on a flagged path in the evening

The footbridge over Skyreholme Beck above Trollers Gill

Walk details for Trollers Gill

Distance: 3-4 miles dependant on start point.

Terrain: Rough, easily identifiable paths, the Gill is a rocky riverbed in conditions. There is some moderate ascent on this walk.

Parking: Lay-by/ verge side Parking is available on the B6265 and on New Road. New Road parking will trim a little length off the route. When parking have regard for gates and access points to fields. Do not obstruct the road, or any farm access points.

Public Transport: This walk is not easily accessible by public transport. There is the Nidderdale Dales Bus 822 that runs during Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays but this stops off at Grimwith Reservoir, which will add more to the walk.

Dog Friendly? Yes. Be aware that this is cave country and there are abandoned mine workings in the area.

Location: Trollers Gill - Skyreholme, Yorkshire Dales. The beginning of the walk is near Grimwith Reservoir, although there is limited verge side parking at New Road. Do not block farm access to fields or park in passing places.

Map: OS Explorer OL2 Yorkshire Dales Southern and Western

What 3 Words: Start Point: pulsing.chucked.torched Alternative Start Point: jots.dolly.flippers

Toilets/ Baby Change: No

Nearest Cafe/ Amenities: Stump Cross Caverns Time Cafe or Parceval Hall. There are pubs located in Appletreewick and The Red Lion at Burnsall is a 10 minutes drive.

One of the little caves you can find near Trollers Gill

How to get to Trollers Gill

Beginning at the verge side parking on the B6265 take the gated walled path leading alongside the dry stone walling, walking in a southerly direction. Follow this clear wide track until you reach New Road.
On New Road, turn left for a short distance (just over 50m), then carefully cross the quiet road to the path which heads through the wall over a step over. This is your alternative parking spot.
There is a clear, flagged path that will lead you past Hell Hole. The area has been planted with trees recently, and is encircled by a fence. There is a stile into the area, but please do bear in mind the previous warning that this is not a child friendly area to explore and the pothole has claimed lives in the past! An awe inspiring look but don’t touch kind of place!
Continue, passing Hell Hole on your left, until the path joins another large clear track. There is a little signpost pointing you in the direction of Trollers Gill here. But ignore it and keep on the wide track which winds round Middle Hill, veering to the right. As you come around the corner, up ahead you will see a tangle of iron, and the remains of an abandoned mine shaft. Go take a look, it’s another little quirk to check out! But again, exercise common sense and do not venture in!
Continue to descend on the wide track until you reach the bottom of the hill. Here you will see Skyreholme Beck ahead. Take the path leading to your left, which leads leftwards and upstream of the Beck. Shortly, you will see the beginning of the gorge that is Trollers Gill. Here you will notice one of the brilliant elements of mystery on this walk that my kids love! The river that comes from nowhere! In fact, the river continues underground beneath Trollers Gill and you will see the point at which it disappears at the top!
Head into the gorge and watch your heads! It is here that the legendary Trolls of Trollers Gill like to lob stones at you from the top of the gorge. Nasty little monsters……. Head up the gorge and soak in the immense atmosphere of the place. Watch out for the Demon Dog though, reportedly he has saucer sized eyes, is deadly (of course!) and can turn you to stone at a glance! Some say he was the inspiration behind Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hounds of the Baskervilles! See why I love this walk?!
As you reach the top of the gorge, the river will reappear and you need to find the path that passes to the right of the water. In dry times, it won’t matter as the beck is easy to cross back and forth. There’s a geocache along here….. can you find it? Download the geocaching app to find out more!
Keep following the Beck until you reach a little mini waterfall, and a bridge. Cross it and take the path that heads fairly steeply upwards towards Gill Heads. It is a clear well walked route and it will take you back towards the wide track you joined at the start.
Your return route from here is the one you started on, so head back to the flagged path, wave goodbye to Hell Hole (now on your right) and head back to your starting point!

Last walked January 2023

Trollers Gill after heavy and prolonged rainfall in January

Standing in front of a rocky shelf in Trollers Gill

What’s cool for kids at Trollers Gill?

👻 GHOST STORY Ok, so this walk would be EPIC at Halloween! The mystical disappearing river is a huge clue as to the fact that there are a number of caves under the Gill (Hell Hole pothole being the entrance to one). It is in these caves, that the legendary trolls who gave their name to the Gill, lived. The very same trolls who delighted in throwing stones at unsuspecting passers by. But not only that, the Gill is the home to a Demon Dog (or Barghest) who had saucer like eyes, and razor sharp teeth, a clanking chain collar and who could turn you to stone at a glance. There is a story of a local man, who decided to go and investigate the story of the Demon Dog one night….. In the late 19th Century, he walked to the gorge, found a quiet spot and called up the beast of a dog. The man did not survive the night… reportedly falling victim to the Barghest. Some say that this dog is the inspiration behind Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles! Read more on our Folklore and Legends of the Dales blog.

✨ This walk really opens your eyes as to the hidden world beneath our feet. Skyreholme Beck originates in Dry Gill, which emerges from Stump Cross Caverns and flows intermittently from there. If you want to take an incredible trip to see the world beneath our feet, then head over to Stump Cross Caverns where you can go and explore their fantastically awe inspiring show caves, and get an amazing insight into how these incredible places came to be! Click here to find out more about our trip to Stump Cross.

🎁 There are geocaches to be found on this walk.

💦 The beck is a great place for a stone throwing session! Maybe even a paddle, but if you do exercise proper caution and bear in mind that wild water is dangerous and children should be supervised AT ALL TIMES.

🌳 There is plenty going on with this walk, but if you want some more help to beat the walking whinges, then why not try one of our walking games? Or you can download a free scavenger sheet!

Searching the nooks and crannies of Trollers Gill

The wide stony track leading to Trollers Gill

The wide stony track which leads to the abandoned mine

The old mine entrance

Helpful Information for Trollers Gill

⭐ We hope you enjoy our walks, but please exercise common sense as routes can change with the weather conditions and seasons! The routes have been walked by our own two feet, but you know your own limits. Always take a back-up map, don’t rely on GPS alone, wear appropriate clothing for the weather and take adequate snacks and refreshments with you (although as a parent, I know you already know that bit!)

⭐ Leave no trace! Take nothing away and leave nothing behind, take all rubbish home with you.

⭐ If you choose to paddle, be aware of bio security. Always wear clean dry water shoes (if worn) to avoid cross contamination of species between watercourses, this is a particular issue in the Yorkshire Dales, to help protect the white clawed crayfish.

⭐ If you decide to paddle, be aware that wild water can be dangerous, and water levels will vary season to season. Always supervise children around water. Check out the safety information on the Royal Life Saving Society website.

❗ Potholes are dangerous and under no circumstances should there be any attempt to access them! There are abandoned mines and caves, which are dangerous places to explore. Do not attempt to access without proper expertise or equipment ❗

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