11th February 2024 - Wolf Stones
Walk Details
Distance walked: 10.0 miles
Total ascent: 1312 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 5 hrs
Route description: Harehill Lane-Harehill House-Tewitt Hall Farm-Turnshaw Road-White Lane-Green Lane-Gill Lane-Newsholme-Newsholme Dean-Greystones Lane-Coppy Lane-Slippery Ford Lane-Morkin Bridge-Keighley Moor Reservoir-Oakworth Moor-Pennine Way-Wolf Stones-Pennine Way-Oakworth Moor-Keighley Moor Reservoir-Millennium Way-Harehill House-Harehill Lane
I hadn't planned on going for a walk somewhere today, but when it turned out to be much brighter than I expected it to be with some blue skies and sunshine when the sun rose this morning, I changed my mind and made the short drive across the moors to the Worth Valley and Bronte Country. I'm certainly familiar with these moors, it's not the first time that I've done this route on the spur of the moment, and I've walked across Keighley and Oakworth Moors and up to the trig point on Wolf Stones many times. Sometimes it's nice not to have to think about checking a map to make sure that you're sticking to a planned route. I set off from Harehill Lane at 1100 with a mixture of cloud and winter sunshine, which lasted into the early afternoon but unfortunately not for when I was at the trig point on Wolf Stones, that was dull and cloudy. It looks like there had been more snow around here last week than on Pendle Hill, judging from the difference from yesterday's walk. Either way, it's far too mild to last much longer.
From where I parked in the layby on Harehill Lane I took the track up to Harehill House, then the footpath onto the moor towards Moorcock Farm. I soon reached a footpath on the right at a gate, which I took and followed across fields to a bridleway where I turned right and followed it east and south past Tewitt Hall Farm to reach the track of Turnshaw Road. I turned left and took Turnshaw Road east and then the track and road of White Lane to its junction with Green Lane. After a brief walk east along Green Lane I took Gill Lane north to the hamlet of Newsholme, then from there the bridleway north down into Newsholme Dean, across the packhorse bridge over Dean Beck and up to the end of a track at some cottages. I then briefly walked up this track (a bridleway) until I reached a bridleway on the left, which I took and followed west up the northern slopes of Newsholme Dean to Greystones Lane, which I walked west along to Coppy Lane, and then south along Slippery Ford Lane to Morkin Bridge. I left the road behind here and made my way up the track to Keighley Moor Reservoir, then from the southern end of the dam I took the path west up the moor to reach the Pennine Way, which I followed west towards Wolf Stones, leaving it for the final climb to the trig point. After taking in the view I returned to the Pennine Way, and retraced my steps back to Keighley Moor Reservoir, where I picked up the Millennium Way and followed it east across Oakworth Moor to the moorland just north of Harehill House. From here I took the footpath to Harehill House, and then the track back down to Harehill Lane and where I was parked.
Total ascent: 1312 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 5 hrs
Route description: Harehill Lane-Harehill House-Tewitt Hall Farm-Turnshaw Road-White Lane-Green Lane-Gill Lane-Newsholme-Newsholme Dean-Greystones Lane-Coppy Lane-Slippery Ford Lane-Morkin Bridge-Keighley Moor Reservoir-Oakworth Moor-Pennine Way-Wolf Stones-Pennine Way-Oakworth Moor-Keighley Moor Reservoir-Millennium Way-Harehill House-Harehill Lane
I hadn't planned on going for a walk somewhere today, but when it turned out to be much brighter than I expected it to be with some blue skies and sunshine when the sun rose this morning, I changed my mind and made the short drive across the moors to the Worth Valley and Bronte Country. I'm certainly familiar with these moors, it's not the first time that I've done this route on the spur of the moment, and I've walked across Keighley and Oakworth Moors and up to the trig point on Wolf Stones many times. Sometimes it's nice not to have to think about checking a map to make sure that you're sticking to a planned route. I set off from Harehill Lane at 1100 with a mixture of cloud and winter sunshine, which lasted into the early afternoon but unfortunately not for when I was at the trig point on Wolf Stones, that was dull and cloudy. It looks like there had been more snow around here last week than on Pendle Hill, judging from the difference from yesterday's walk. Either way, it's far too mild to last much longer.
From where I parked in the layby on Harehill Lane I took the track up to Harehill House, then the footpath onto the moor towards Moorcock Farm. I soon reached a footpath on the right at a gate, which I took and followed across fields to a bridleway where I turned right and followed it east and south past Tewitt Hall Farm to reach the track of Turnshaw Road. I turned left and took Turnshaw Road east and then the track and road of White Lane to its junction with Green Lane. After a brief walk east along Green Lane I took Gill Lane north to the hamlet of Newsholme, then from there the bridleway north down into Newsholme Dean, across the packhorse bridge over Dean Beck and up to the end of a track at some cottages. I then briefly walked up this track (a bridleway) until I reached a bridleway on the left, which I took and followed west up the northern slopes of Newsholme Dean to Greystones Lane, which I walked west along to Coppy Lane, and then south along Slippery Ford Lane to Morkin Bridge. I left the road behind here and made my way up the track to Keighley Moor Reservoir, then from the southern end of the dam I took the path west up the moor to reach the Pennine Way, which I followed west towards Wolf Stones, leaving it for the final climb to the trig point. After taking in the view I returned to the Pennine Way, and retraced my steps back to Keighley Moor Reservoir, where I picked up the Millennium Way and followed it east across Oakworth Moor to the moorland just north of Harehill House. From here I took the footpath to Harehill House, and then the track back down to Harehill Lane and where I was parked.
Route map
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Stanbury Moor and Ponden Clough from above the layby on Harehills Lane..
..and looking across the Worth Valley to Stanbury and Haworth Moor
Moorcock Farm and the moorland of Park Allotment and Nook Allotment
A footpath across a very wet field will take me to the bridleway to Tewitt Hall Farm
Following it east towards Tewitt Hall Farm
Past Tewitt Hall Farm and I join the bridleway of Turnshaw Road and follow it east
Looking across the Worth Valley towards Haworth and Brow Moor
I leave Turnshaw Road and head north on the bridleway of White Lane
At the end of White Lane I cross Green Lane and head north along Gill Lane to the hamlet of Newsholme
Past Newsholme and on the very muddy bridleway to Newsholme Dean
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Following the bridleway down through woodland into Newsholme Dean..
A choice of means for crossing Dean Beck
I leave the valley by taking a bridleway that heads west up its northern slopes to Todley Hall Road..
I stop for my lunch break on the way up. It's a lovely spot (which I've used before), in the sun and out of the wind, with a view down Newsholme Dean and to Branshaw Moor.
At the top of the bridleway, and looking back across Newsholme Dean
and to the top of Newsholme Dean and Keighley Moor
Heading west along Greystones Lane
Newsholme Dean from Greystones Lane
Greystones Lane becomes Coppy Lane, which I'll follow to Slippery Ford Lane
Heading south along Slippery Ford Lane to Middle Slippery Ford Barn, then to Slitheroford Farm, and then down to Morkin Bridge
Looking back to Grey Stones Hill and Newsholme Dean as I walk up the lane to Keighley Moor Reservoir
Sunlit moors around Newsholme Dean as I reach Keighley Moor Reservoir
By Keighley Moor Reservoir
From Keighley Moor Reservoir I take the path up Oakworth Moor to the Pennine Way
Looking back east across Oakworth Moor
and across the Worth Valley to Haworth Moor as I reach the Pennine Way. That must have been some drift a few days ago.
A sunlit Oakworth Moor
Following the Pennine Way and the gritstone edge of Wolf Stones appears ahead
Watersheddles Reservoir and Boulsworth Hill from the gritstone edge of Wolf Stones
Looking west to Combe Hill, and maybe I can just about make out Pendle Hill in the distance
The trig point above
Watersheddles Reservoir and Boulsworth Hill from the trig point on Wolf Stones
Looking east across Oakworth Moor
Heading back to Keighley Moor Reservoir
and then east across Oakworth Moor towards Hare Hill
Looking across the Worth Valley to a gloomy Stanbury Moor
I return to Hare Hill and where I set off from this morning
Looking down the Worth Valley to Haworth as I make it back to the layby on Harehills Lane