18th April 2022 - Earl Crag and Wolf Stones
Walk Details
Distance walked: 14.0 miles
Total ascent: 1756ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Harehill Lane-Harehill House-Tewitt Hall Farm-Grange Lane-Green Lane-Gill Lane-Newsholme-Newsholme Dean-Greystones Lane-Green Aden-Pole Road-Buck Stone Lane-Earl Crag-Buck Stone Lane-Hitching Stone-Hitching Stone Hill-Smallden Head-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 made the short drive across the moors to Bronte Country for my walk today. I'd planned on doing a shorter route than I ended up doing, the walk that I did on the last day of 2021, heading for Keighley Moor and Wolf Stones from Newsholme Dean. However, when I checked the time after crossing Newsholme Dean, and that it was turning into a really nice spring day, I decided to add a few miles and make more of a day of it by taking in Earl Crag. Those extra miles did mean having to walk along roads to get from Newsholme Dean to Earl Crag, but it was worth it for the views from Earl Crag and then from Hitching Stone Hill. After setting off from Harehill Lane under cloudy and rather grey skies, the cloud broke up during the afternoon to give spells of warm spring sunshine, and with great visibility there were fantastic views to take in from the moors.
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 to Tewitt Hall Farm, where I took a bridleway north to the track of Grange Lane. I then walked east along Grange Lane to Green Lane, and 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, and after a walk west along this road I took a bridleway on the right across the moorland of Green Aden to Pole Road. To get to Earl Crag I had some hard yards of tarmac ahead of me with a walk west along Pole Road, and then west up to the top of Buck Stone Lane, where I left the road for a footpath on the right to the top of Earl Crag. Once I'd taken in the view I returned to Buck Stone Lane, crossed it, and took the path opposite across the moor up to the Hitching Stone and Hitching Stone Hill. After negotiating the boggy ground of Smallden Head I made it to a path by a line of grouse butts, and following this took me to a track down past a shooting house and to Slippery Ford Lane, which I walked south along down 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: 1756ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Harehill Lane-Harehill House-Tewitt Hall Farm-Grange Lane-Green Lane-Gill Lane-Newsholme-Newsholme Dean-Greystones Lane-Green Aden-Pole Road-Buck Stone Lane-Earl Crag-Buck Stone Lane-Hitching Stone-Hitching Stone Hill-Smallden Head-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 made the short drive across the moors to Bronte Country for my walk today. I'd planned on doing a shorter route than I ended up doing, the walk that I did on the last day of 2021, heading for Keighley Moor and Wolf Stones from Newsholme Dean. However, when I checked the time after crossing Newsholme Dean, and that it was turning into a really nice spring day, I decided to add a few miles and make more of a day of it by taking in Earl Crag. Those extra miles did mean having to walk along roads to get from Newsholme Dean to Earl Crag, but it was worth it for the views from Earl Crag and then from Hitching Stone Hill. After setting off from Harehill Lane under cloudy and rather grey skies, the cloud broke up during the afternoon to give spells of warm spring sunshine, and with great visibility there were fantastic views to take in from the moors.
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 to Tewitt Hall Farm, where I took a bridleway north to the track of Grange Lane. I then walked east along Grange Lane to Green Lane, and 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, and after a walk west along this road I took a bridleway on the right across the moorland of Green Aden to Pole Road. To get to Earl Crag I had some hard yards of tarmac ahead of me with a walk west along Pole Road, and then west up to the top of Buck Stone Lane, where I left the road for a footpath on the right to the top of Earl Crag. Once I'd taken in the view I returned to Buck Stone Lane, crossed it, and took the path opposite across the moor up to the Hitching Stone and Hitching Stone Hill. After negotiating the boggy ground of Smallden Head I made it to a path by a line of grouse butts, and following this took me to a track down past a shooting house and to Slippery Ford Lane, which I walked south along down 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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Above the layby on Harehills Lane and looking across the Worth Valley to Penistone Hill
Moorcock Farm and the moorland of Park Allotment and Nook Allotment
A footpath across a field will take me to the bridleway to Tewitt Hall Farm
Following the bridleway east towards Tewitt Hall Farm
I leave that bridleway and take another one north to the track of Grange Lane
Heading east along Grange Lane
At the end of Grange Lane I turn right onto Green Lane and then left onto Gill Lane to the hamlet of Newsholme
Past Newsholme and on the bridleway down into Newsholme Dean
Looking down Newsholme Dean towards Keighley and Airedale
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 a break on the way up. It's a nice spot with a view down Newsholme Dean and to Branshaw Moor.
At the top of the bridleway, and looking back across Newsholme Dean to Nab Hill in the distance
Leaving Greystones Lane for the bridleway across the moorland of Green Aden to Pole Road and I can see the moors around Airedale to my left..
Heading west along Pole Road. This change of plan does mean quite a bit of walking on hard tarmac to look forward to.
Passing the southern end of America Lane and I get a view across Airedale
and again as I pass Starr Farm
Walking up Buck Stone Lane
Looking back down Buck Stone Lane. Thankfully I'll soon get some respite from the tarmac.
At the top of Buck Stone Lane, and Pendle Hill appears in the distance
At the western end of Earl Crag and it was worth the walk to get here. Looking east towards Lund's Tower at its other end.
Wainman's Pinnacle with Pendle Hill in the distance and the village of Cowling below
The moors around Lothersdale
The moors around Airedale along with the villages of Cross Hills, Sutton-in Craven, Steeton and Silsden
A final look along Earl's Crag to Lund's Tower
After returning to Buck Stone Lane I cross it and take a path up the moor to the very hard to miss Hitching Stone
According to folklore this boulder was flung to its present location by a witch who lived on nearby Ilkley Moor. She was so annoyed at having her view spoilt by it that she "hitched" it up with her broomstick and threw it across the valley. The hole remains to show where the broomstick had been inserted..
Pendle Hill in the distance from Hitching Stone Hill
Looking north to the moorland around Malhamdale and Wharfedale in the distance. It's a beautiful spring afternoon.
After a bit of pathless heather bashing I reach a path by a line of grouse butts at Smallden Head. From past experience I know that following this will take me to a track down to Slippery Ford Lane. I have a great view across the top of Hitching Stone Hill to the surrounding moorland...
Following the track past the "Shooting Box" and down to Slippery Ford Lane..
Heading south down Slippery Ford Lane to Morkin Bridge and the track up to Keighley Moor Reservoir
By Keighley Moor Reservoir
Looking across Oakworth Moor from the path up to the Pennine Way..
..and ahead of me the moorland up to Wolf Stones
Newsholme Dean and the moorland around Airedale to the east
On the Pennine Way and the gritstone edge of Wolf Stones appears ahead, along with Pendle Hill
Boulsworth Hill to the left
A moorland pool provides me with a subject for a photo
Watersheddles Reservoir and Boulsworth Hill from the trig point on Wolf Stones
and again from the gritstone edge of Wolf Stones
Pendle Hill in the distance to the west
The trig point above me, and I'm going to head back up to it now
A long distance view to the north across Ickornshaw Moor to Ingleborough, Whernside, Penyghent, Buckden Pike and Great Whernside
Looking east across Oakworth Moor
After returning to Keighley Moor Reservoir I follow the Millennium Way east across Oakworth Moor
Looking across the Worth Valley to Stanbury Moor
To my left the moorland of Park Allotment and Moorcock Farm, with the moors around Airedale in the distance
Stanbury Moor and Ponden Clough as I make it back to the layby on Harehills Lane