14th January 2018 - Hebden Dale and Crimsworth Dean
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.5 miles
Total ascent: 1717 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 4.5 hrs
Route description: NT Hardcastle Crags car park-Hollin Hall-Shackleton-Walshaw-Pennine Way-Walshaw Dean Lower Reservoir-Walshaw Dean Middle Reservoir-Dean Gate-Walshaw-Calder/Aire Link-Nook-Lumb Hole Waterfall-Crimsworth Dean-Hollin Hall-NT Hardcastle Crags car park
After last Sunday's sunshine and snow it was the turn of January's other face to show itself today. Dull, grey, cold and uninspiring. I'm not going to travel far in that sort of weather so I drove across to Calderdale for a walk on the moors above Hebden Dale and Crimsworth Dean. Not a memorable day but at least I got out for a few hours for some fresh air and exercise.
From the NT Hardcastle Crags car park I walked north up the track past the estate office at Hollin Hall before taking the track on the left up to the hamlet of Shackleton. I then followed this track up Hebden Dale to Walshaw and then on to Walshaw Dean where it joins the trail of the Pennine Way. The trail then took me to Walshaw Dean Lower and Middle Reservoirs before I left it for the path of Dean Gate up and across Wadsworth Moor and back down to Walshaw. From Walshaw I took the Calder/Aire Link path across Shackleton Knoll and down into Crimsworth Dean, where I continued down the hillside to visit Lumb Hole Waterfall. I then made my way back by retracing my steps uphill for a short distance to a path down Crimsworth Dean to reach the track down to and past Hollin Hall and to the car park.
Total ascent: 1717 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 4.5 hrs
Route description: NT Hardcastle Crags car park-Hollin Hall-Shackleton-Walshaw-Pennine Way-Walshaw Dean Lower Reservoir-Walshaw Dean Middle Reservoir-Dean Gate-Walshaw-Calder/Aire Link-Nook-Lumb Hole Waterfall-Crimsworth Dean-Hollin Hall-NT Hardcastle Crags car park
After last Sunday's sunshine and snow it was the turn of January's other face to show itself today. Dull, grey, cold and uninspiring. I'm not going to travel far in that sort of weather so I drove across to Calderdale for a walk on the moors above Hebden Dale and Crimsworth Dean. Not a memorable day but at least I got out for a few hours for some fresh air and exercise.
From the NT Hardcastle Crags car park I walked north up the track past the estate office at Hollin Hall before taking the track on the left up to the hamlet of Shackleton. I then followed this track up Hebden Dale to Walshaw and then on to Walshaw Dean where it joins the trail of the Pennine Way. The trail then took me to Walshaw Dean Lower and Middle Reservoirs before I left it for the path of Dean Gate up and across Wadsworth Moor and back down to Walshaw. From Walshaw I took the Calder/Aire Link path across Shackleton Knoll and down into Crimsworth Dean, where I continued down the hillside to visit Lumb Hole Waterfall. I then made my way back by retracing my steps uphill for a short distance to a path down Crimsworth Dean to reach the track down to and past Hollin Hall and to the car park.
Route map
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On the track up Middle Dean
Looking across Hebden Dale from the hillside hamlet of Shackleton
Walking the track up Hebden Dale to Walshaw...
Branches covered in moss and lichen give me something interesting to photograph
The hillside hamlet of Walshaw
Looking up Hebden Dale from Walshaw
I continue to follow the track up Hebden Dale towards Walshaw Dean
Looking across Hebden Dale
Joining the trail of the Pennine Way has brought me to Walshaw Dean Lower Reservoir..
..and then Walshaw Dean Middle Reservoir
Walshaw Dean Middle and Upper Reservoirs as I take the path up and across Wadsworth Moor
Gloomy Gorple and Widdop Moors
Hebden Dale appears as the path reaches its top and heads down to Walshaw..
Hints of brightness at the top of Hebden Dale as I arrive back at Walshaw
and again as I take the path from Walshaw across to Crimsworth Dean
Looking south to Calderdale
This grouse was very obliging in letting me get close enough to take a photo of it
The ruined farm of Coppy
Heading down to Crimsworth Dean
The ruined farm of Nook
Looking up Crimsworth Dean before..
..I take the path down to Lumb Bridge..
..and Lumb Hole Waterfall
I finish by taking the hillside path down Crimsworth Dean to pick up the track back to the car park