B6161

Shawfield Head

The B6161 is a rural B-road in central Yorkshire.

The road starts in Lower Wharfedale, by turning off the A658 across the river from Pool. The road heads west for about half a mile before bending sharply to the right and following the River Washburn through Leathley. River and road then separate and the B6161 climbs out of the valley to the northeast, becoming quite steep at one point, although the views are excellent.

The road zigzags across the moors, reaching a summit at Briscoerigg before descending into the village of Beckwithshaw. At the far end of the village street the B6162 heads off to the right from a mini-roundabout; it quickly reaches Harrogate. The B6161 continues north and remains rural. It descends the steep hairpin Pot Bank to cross a stream but the climb on the far side is far shallower.

Shortly the road meets a roundabout which provides access to the Army Foundation College and Forest Moor, then another valley is crossed before the road meets the A59 at another roundabout. On the far side the road continues for another mile or so into Killinghall. It runs along the main street of the village before ending at a T-junction on the A61.

Safety warnings. Almost every hollow on this route has a watercourse crossed by a narrow bridge, where overtaking is unsafe. Most of the stone walls on these bridges do not have reflective markers. The exception is the crossing over Saltergate Beck between Army College and junction with A59, which retains full road width and can be driven safely at the legal limit. The other hazards, hairpin bends at Leathley Bank and Pot Bank (Oak Beck crossing) require caution.