18th January 2020 - Top Withins and Stanbury Moor
Walk Details
Distance walked: 7.3 miles
Total ascent: 863 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 5 hrs
Route description: Penistone Hill Country Park-Haworth Moor-Harbour Lodge-Harbour Hill-Oxenhope Stoop Hill-Dick Delf Hill-Pennine Way-Top Withins-Stanbury Moor-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Pennine Way-Bronte Way-Bronte Bridge-Bronte Way-Millennium Way-Penistone Hill Country Park
At last there's a weekend of reasonably fine weather forecast, so I'm going to make the most of it and go out walking on both days. I've decided to stay close to home for today's walk with a visit to Bronte Country, an area that I've become very familiar with lately. The route I went for started from Penistone Hill Country Park, which seems to be my favourite starting point for a walk around here, and took in Haworth Moor, Top Withins and Stanbury Moor. It was a cold and windy, but bright day, with lots of winter sunshine and great visibility for taking in the moorland views. Very wet underfoot though, not surprising given all the recent rain, and the partially frozen ground high up didn't help any.
From the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park I crossed Moor Side Lane and followed the track west across Haworth Moor towards Harbour Lodge, then took the footpath around Harbour Lodge, up to and under Harbour Hill, and then up onto Oxenhope Stoop Hill. I then walked west along the moorland ridge over Dick Delf Hill to pick up the Pennine Way, which I then followed north to the ruins of Top Withins. After a break for lunch I paid a visit to the Alcomden Stones and the trig point on Stanbury before returning to Top Withins to resume my journey along the Pennine Way. I followed the Pennine Way east until I reached the Bronte Way, which took me down to Bronte Bridge, then east along the northern slopes of Enshaw Knoll to the Millennium Way, which I followed back to Penistone Hill.
Total ascent: 863 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 5 hrs
Route description: Penistone Hill Country Park-Haworth Moor-Harbour Lodge-Harbour Hill-Oxenhope Stoop Hill-Dick Delf Hill-Pennine Way-Top Withins-Stanbury Moor-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Pennine Way-Bronte Way-Bronte Bridge-Bronte Way-Millennium Way-Penistone Hill Country Park
At last there's a weekend of reasonably fine weather forecast, so I'm going to make the most of it and go out walking on both days. I've decided to stay close to home for today's walk with a visit to Bronte Country, an area that I've become very familiar with lately. The route I went for started from Penistone Hill Country Park, which seems to be my favourite starting point for a walk around here, and took in Haworth Moor, Top Withins and Stanbury Moor. It was a cold and windy, but bright day, with lots of winter sunshine and great visibility for taking in the moorland views. Very wet underfoot though, not surprising given all the recent rain, and the partially frozen ground high up didn't help any.
From the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park I crossed Moor Side Lane and followed the track west across Haworth Moor towards Harbour Lodge, then took the footpath around Harbour Lodge, up to and under Harbour Hill, and then up onto Oxenhope Stoop Hill. I then walked west along the moorland ridge over Dick Delf Hill to pick up the Pennine Way, which I then followed north to the ruins of Top Withins. After a break for lunch I paid a visit to the Alcomden Stones and the trig point on Stanbury before returning to Top Withins to resume my journey along the Pennine Way. I followed the Pennine Way east until I reached the Bronte Way, which took me down to Bronte Bridge, then east along the northern slopes of Enshaw Knoll to the Millennium Way, which I followed back to Penistone Hill.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
It's a lovely winter's morning in the Worth Valley..
Looking back to Penistone Hill as I follow the track onto Haworth Moor
On the track to Harbour Lodge
Leeshaw Reservoir below
A heather covered Haworth Moor
This lichen encrusted signpost is where I left the track
The Worth Valley and Haworth Moor from above Harbour Lodge
From Harbour Lodge I take the path beneath Harbour Hill and then up onto Oxenhope Stoop Hill. I can see Top Withins on the hillside in the distance from here.
On Oxenhope Stoop Hill. Looking down the Worth Valley with Ilkley Moor in the distance.
From up here I can now see across the moors around Calderdale..
Dick Delf Hill with Withins Height behind to the right
Looking south across the moors around Calderdale towards Blackstone Edge. There's a lot of standing water up here and it's been cold enough overnight to freeze some of it.
Looking back to Oxenhope Stoop Hill with the windfarm on Ovenden Moor in the distance
Heading for Round Hill and the Pennine Way
A boundary stone
Wadsworth Moor and Widdop Moor to the west
Winter sunshine brightens up the moors
At last I reach the Pennine Way. Looking southwest across Wadsworth Moor and Heptonstall Moor.
I'm going in the other direction though, and the view of the moors of Bronte Country soon opens up
On the Pennine Way to Top Withins..
A colourful moorland view
The ruins of Top Withins
I leave Top Withins for a path to the Stanbury Moor trig point
Looking across Stanbury Moor to Oakworth Moor, with Barden Fell, Beamsley Beacon and Ilkley Moor in the distance
Approaching the trig point on Stanbury Moor
Boulsworth Hill above the Alcomden Stones
Boulsworth Hill in the distance as I reach the Alcomden Stones
Boulsworth Hill above the top of Walshaw Dean from the Alcomden Stones
Looking across Middle Moor to Oakworth Moor, with Barden Fell, Beamsley Beacon and Ilkley Moor in the distance
A pool in the gritstone provides a foreground
Looking down Walshaw Dean towards Heptonstall Moor. I can make out a little bit of Gorple Lower Reservoir.
Boulsworth Hill and Crow Hill
Back at the trig point on Stanbury Moor
Crow Hill and Wolf Stones. I can make out Ingleborough and Penyghent in the Yorkshire Dales through the gap between them.
Boulsworth Hill and Crow Hill
Great views across the moorland of Bronte Country to the moors above Airedale..
Back at Top Withins
Looking across to Harbour Hill
Looking back to Top Withins..
..as I follow the Pennine Way
The signpost ahead is where I leave the Pennine Way for the Bronte Way down to Bronte Bridge
South Dean Beck below Bronte Bridge
Bronte Bridge
Looking across the valley of South Dean Beck to Oldfield
and to Stanbury
Not far to go now with Penistone Hill in sight