14th April 2024 - Bride Stones Moor and Standing Stone Hill
Walk Details
Distance walked: 14.6 miles
Total ascent: 2137 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Clough Foot, Widdop Road-Pennine Bridleway-Edge Lane-School Land Lane-Land Farm-Pennine Bridleway-Burnt Edge Lane-Moorcock Road-Dukes Cut-Redmires Dam-Kebs Road-Bride Stones Moor-Eastwood Road-Windy Harbour Farm-Todmorden Centenary Way-Crossley New Road-Eastwood Road-Great Rock-Calderdale Way-Blackshaw Head-Calderdale Way-Hudson Mill Road-Hebble Hole Bridge-Pennine Way-Standing Stone Hill-Pennine Bridleway-Pennine Way-Clough Foot, Widdop Road
I decided to stay local this weekend and have a long walk in the South Pennines, and after working out where I was going to start from, the top of Hebden Dale, and the area I was going to walk across, the moorland to its west, I just had to come up with a route. What I worked out involved visiting Bride Stones Moor using the Pennine Bridleway, and a combination of other bridleways and footpaths to get there, then for most of the route back the trails of the Todmorden Centenary Way, Calderdale Way, and Pennine Way. Most of it was already familiar to me from the numerous walks that I've done in the area in recent years, but I did manage to take in some footpaths and bridleways that I hadn't used before. The forecast was a day of improving weather after early showers cleared. I set off from Clough Foot on Widdop Road with cloudy skies, and for the first hour of the walk the odd brief shower passed through, but from then on the skies brightened to sunny spells for the rest of the day, though the sunshine was pretty hazy at times during the afternoon.
From where I parked my car at Clough Foot on Widdop Road I took the Pennine Bridleway, and followed it south across the dam of Gorple Lower Reservoir, then down Edge Lane and School Land Lane to Land Farm, before following it south to the cottages at the top of Brown Hill Lane. A bridleway took me south from here to Burnt Edge Lane, where I turned right and walked up the track of Moorcock Road to its top, then left onto the track of Dukes Cut. I walked south along this to a footpath on the right just before the air traffic beacon which I took across the disused Redmires Dam and south to Kebs Road. Across the road I took the footpath along the track to the right, then the footpath on the left onto Bride Stones Moor and to the trig point. After a break for lunch and to take in the view I took the path to Eastwood Road, briefly walked east along it, then took the lane on the right down to Windy Harbour Farm. The trail of the Todmorden Centenary Way was then followed east across the hillside until I reached Crossley New Road, which I walked up, and then briefly east along Eastwood Road to Great Rock. From here I joined the Calderdale Way, which I followed north to Hippins Bridge, then up to and through Blackshaw Head, then down through fields to take the bridleway down to the track of Hudson Mill Road. After a short walk east along this I took a footpath on the left down to Colden Water, crossed it via Hebble Hole Bridge, then took the Pennine Way north, up through Colden and onto Hot Stones Hill, then northwest across the moor towards Standing Stone Hill. I left the trail to visit the trig point on Standing Stone Hill, taking a path up by a line of grouse butts, before returning to it via the Pennine Bridleway on the western side of the hill. Once back on the Pennine Way I followed it north back to where I parked my car at Clough Foot on Widdop Road.
Total ascent: 2137 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Clough Foot, Widdop Road-Pennine Bridleway-Edge Lane-School Land Lane-Land Farm-Pennine Bridleway-Burnt Edge Lane-Moorcock Road-Dukes Cut-Redmires Dam-Kebs Road-Bride Stones Moor-Eastwood Road-Windy Harbour Farm-Todmorden Centenary Way-Crossley New Road-Eastwood Road-Great Rock-Calderdale Way-Blackshaw Head-Calderdale Way-Hudson Mill Road-Hebble Hole Bridge-Pennine Way-Standing Stone Hill-Pennine Bridleway-Pennine Way-Clough Foot, Widdop Road
I decided to stay local this weekend and have a long walk in the South Pennines, and after working out where I was going to start from, the top of Hebden Dale, and the area I was going to walk across, the moorland to its west, I just had to come up with a route. What I worked out involved visiting Bride Stones Moor using the Pennine Bridleway, and a combination of other bridleways and footpaths to get there, then for most of the route back the trails of the Todmorden Centenary Way, Calderdale Way, and Pennine Way. Most of it was already familiar to me from the numerous walks that I've done in the area in recent years, but I did manage to take in some footpaths and bridleways that I hadn't used before. The forecast was a day of improving weather after early showers cleared. I set off from Clough Foot on Widdop Road with cloudy skies, and for the first hour of the walk the odd brief shower passed through, but from then on the skies brightened to sunny spells for the rest of the day, though the sunshine was pretty hazy at times during the afternoon.
From where I parked my car at Clough Foot on Widdop Road I took the Pennine Bridleway, and followed it south across the dam of Gorple Lower Reservoir, then down Edge Lane and School Land Lane to Land Farm, before following it south to the cottages at the top of Brown Hill Lane. A bridleway took me south from here to Burnt Edge Lane, where I turned right and walked up the track of Moorcock Road to its top, then left onto the track of Dukes Cut. I walked south along this to a footpath on the right just before the air traffic beacon which I took across the disused Redmires Dam and south to Kebs Road. Across the road I took the footpath along the track to the right, then the footpath on the left onto Bride Stones Moor and to the trig point. After a break for lunch and to take in the view I took the path to Eastwood Road, briefly walked east along it, then took the lane on the right down to Windy Harbour Farm. The trail of the Todmorden Centenary Way was then followed east across the hillside until I reached Crossley New Road, which I walked up, and then briefly east along Eastwood Road to Great Rock. From here I joined the Calderdale Way, which I followed north to Hippins Bridge, then up to and through Blackshaw Head, then down through fields to take the bridleway down to the track of Hudson Mill Road. After a short walk east along this I took a footpath on the left down to Colden Water, crossed it via Hebble Hole Bridge, then took the Pennine Way north, up through Colden and onto Hot Stones Hill, then northwest across the moor towards Standing Stone Hill. I left the trail to visit the trig point on Standing Stone Hill, taking a path up by a line of grouse butts, before returning to it via the Pennine Bridleway on the western side of the hill. Once back on the Pennine Way I followed it north back to where I parked my car at Clough Foot on Widdop Road.
Route map
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From Clough Foot I set off along the Pennine Bridleway to Gorple Lower Reservoir
Crossing the dam of Gorple Lower Reservoir. It's a bit breezy and there's a brief shower passing through (hint of a rainbow). The quicker the weather improves, which it's forecast to do, the better.
Looking back to Gorple Lower Reservoir with Widdop Moor beyond, as I head south up the Pennine Bridleway
At the remains of Reaps Cross
Following the Pennine Bridleway south down Edge Lane..
Farmland around Noah Dale to my right
I leave Edge Lane and follow the Pennine Bridleway down School Land Lane
The Pennine Bridleway passes Land Farm Gardens
From Land Farm I follow the Pennine Bridleway south..
Looking down Colden Clough with Midgley Moor in the distance
Making my way up to the cottages at the end of Brown Hill Lane, which is where I'll finally leave the Pennine Bridleway
Looking across Colden Clough from the top of Brown Hill Lane
Making my way along the bridleway up Moorcock Road
Looking back along Moorcock Road and across Calderdale
As I approach the top of Moorcock Road the moorland of Hoof Stones Height and Black Hameldon come into view
A brief step onto access land gives me a view of Gorple Hill and Boulsworth Hill to the north
At the top of Moorcock Road and the track of Greenland Road heads north
Bleak moorland rises from the top of Noah Dale to Hoof Stones Height
From the top of Moorcock Road I follow the track of Dukes Cut south
I leave Dukes Cut for a footpath across to the disused Redmires Dam..
Bride Stones Moor ahead as I take the footpath to Kebs Road
After crossing Kebs Road I follow the path to the trig point on Bride Stones Moor
At the trig point on Bride Stones Moor
Taking in the view from Bride Stones Moor. Starting with, looking north across Hoar Side Moor to the top of Boulsworth Hill in distance.
High Brown Knoll and Midgley Moor in the distance to the east
Looking across Calderdale to Stoodley Pike
and south to Langfield Common and Shore Moor, with the moorland around Blackstone Edge in the distance on the left
Finally, the view west to Cliviger and Thieveley Pike
From Bride Stones Moor I had a short walk east along Eastwood Road before walking down the lane to Windy Harbour Farm
This impressive piece of artwork stands by the path below Windy Harbour Farm
From Windy Harbour Farm I take the Todmorden Centenary Way and follow it east across the hillside, from which I have views across Calderdale to Stoodley Pike and Langfield Edge.....
When I reach Eastwood Road I have a brief walk along it to Great Rock, where I'll take the Calderdale Way on the left
Onto the Calderdale Way, and heading north to Hippins Bridge
To my right, a view down Calderdale to Hebden Bridge
Above Staups Lane at Hippins Bridge. I'll cross the bridge and take the Calderdale Way through Hippins Farm.
On the Calderdale Way up to Blackshaw Head
Looking back to Staups Moor
and again, after crossing Badger Lane in Blackshaw Head
Following the Calderdale Way down into Colden Clough
To my left, the countryside that I walked through earlier in the day
I briefly join the Pennine Bridleway down to Shaw Bottom
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and then take the footpath down to Hebble Hole Bridge over Colden Water, where I'll join the Pennine Way...
Looking up Colden Clough after crossing Hebble Hole Bridge
Following the Pennine Way up to Smithy Lane
Looking back across Colden Clough from the Pennine Way above Edge Lane
Hebden Dale appears ahead as the Pennine Way crosses the top of Hot Stones Hill
and I then follow the trail across the moor towards Standing Stone Hill..
I've left the Pennine Way to visit the trig point on Standing Stone Hill
Boulsworth Hill and Widdop Moor to the north
and Shackleton Knoll and High Brown Knoll to the east
Leaving Standing Stone Hill I head west towards Reaps Edge and Heptonstall Moor to join the Pennine Bridleway
Which I follow down to Gorple Cottages
Back onto the Pennine Way, down to and across Graining Water...
Looking up Graining Water to Widdop Moor
and back to Standing Stone Hill and Gorple Cottages
Onto Widdop Road, and I have a short walk up to where I parked my car at Clough Foot