1st March 2025 - Wolf Stones and Stanbury Moor
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.9 miles
Total ascent: 1654 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Harehill Lane-Harehill House-Millennium Way-Keighley Moor Reservoir-Oakworth Moor-Pennine Way-Wolf Stones-Pennine Way-Ponden Reservoir-Pennine Way-Ponden Slack-Ponden Clough-Ponden Kirk-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Pennine Way-Near Slack-Buckley-Millennium Way-Hob Lane-Millennium Way-Oldfield-Oldfield Lane-Harehill Lane
I stayed local for my walk this weekend as I made the short drive across the moors to Bronte Country. Starting from Harehill Lane above Oldfield, my route took in Oakworth Moor and Wolf Stones to the north of the Worth Valley, and then Stanbury Moor to its south. It's all very familiar territory that I've walked across many times over the years. The first of March is the first day of meteorological spring, and it certainly felt like it in the sunshine that I enjoyed through the morning and into the early afternoon. Cloud was building up by then, and it tended to cloud over during the walk from Stanbury Moor back to Harehill Lane. It was a nice day for being on the moors though, and it was good to feel warmth in the sun again.
From where I parked in the layby on Harehill Lane on Hare Hill Edge I took the track up to Harehill House to join the trail of the Millennium Way, which I followed west across Oakworth Moor to Keighley Moor Reservoir. The trail was left here for a path that links up with the Pennine Way, which I followed north towards Wolf Stones, before leaving it to head for the trig point. After taking in the view I returned to the Pennine Way and followed it down into the Worth Valley to Cragg Bottom Road, then down to and around Ponden Reservoir and towards Ponden Hall. Just before reaching Ponden Hall I left the Pennine Way for a track on the right that I followed up onto the moorland of Ponden Slack. A footpath was taken from here up to and along the northern edge of Ponden Clough to Ponden Kirk, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I made my way from Ponden Kirk along a path up Middle Moor Clough to the Alcomden Stones, then across Stanbury Moor past the trig point and to Top Withins to join the Pennine Way. I then followed the Pennine Way north to the moorland of The Height, but before reaching Upper Heights I took a footpath down to the track at Near Slack, which I walked east along past Buckley Green and onto the trail of the Millennium Way. I then followed this trail down to Hob Lane, up to Oldfield, and finally, up to where I parked in the layby on Harehill Lane on Hare Hill Edge.
Total ascent: 1654 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Harehill Lane-Harehill House-Millennium Way-Keighley Moor Reservoir-Oakworth Moor-Pennine Way-Wolf Stones-Pennine Way-Ponden Reservoir-Pennine Way-Ponden Slack-Ponden Clough-Ponden Kirk-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Pennine Way-Near Slack-Buckley-Millennium Way-Hob Lane-Millennium Way-Oldfield-Oldfield Lane-Harehill Lane
I stayed local for my walk this weekend as I made the short drive across the moors to Bronte Country. Starting from Harehill Lane above Oldfield, my route took in Oakworth Moor and Wolf Stones to the north of the Worth Valley, and then Stanbury Moor to its south. It's all very familiar territory that I've walked across many times over the years. The first of March is the first day of meteorological spring, and it certainly felt like it in the sunshine that I enjoyed through the morning and into the early afternoon. Cloud was building up by then, and it tended to cloud over during the walk from Stanbury Moor back to Harehill Lane. It was a nice day for being on the moors though, and it was good to feel warmth in the sun again.
From where I parked in the layby on Harehill Lane on Hare Hill Edge I took the track up to Harehill House to join the trail of the Millennium Way, which I followed west across Oakworth Moor to Keighley Moor Reservoir. The trail was left here for a path that links up with the Pennine Way, which I followed north towards Wolf Stones, before leaving it to head for the trig point. After taking in the view I returned to the Pennine Way and followed it down into the Worth Valley to Cragg Bottom Road, then down to and around Ponden Reservoir and towards Ponden Hall. Just before reaching Ponden Hall I left the Pennine Way for a track on the right that I followed up onto the moorland of Ponden Slack. A footpath was taken from here up to and along the northern edge of Ponden Clough to Ponden Kirk, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I made my way from Ponden Kirk along a path up Middle Moor Clough to the Alcomden Stones, then across Stanbury Moor past the trig point and to Top Withins to join the Pennine Way. I then followed the Pennine Way north to the moorland of The Height, but before reaching Upper Heights I took a footpath down to the track at Near Slack, which I walked east along past Buckley Green and onto the trail of the Millennium Way. I then followed this trail down to Hob Lane, up to Oldfield, and finally, up to where I parked in the layby on Harehill Lane on Hare Hill Edge.
Route map
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Looking across the Worth Valley to Stanbury Moor and Ponden Clough as I walk up the track to Harehill House
Onto the Millennium Way to Oakworth Moor
Looking northeast to Steeton Moor..
..and north to Keighley Moor
Heading west to Oakworth Moor
Looking across the Worth Valley to Haworth Moor and Stanbury Moor
Heading across Oakworth Moor to Keighley Moor Reservoir
A view across Oakworth Moor to Newsholme Dean
By Keighley Moor Reservoir
Looking back from the path up to the Pennine Way to Newsholme Dean and the moorland around Airedale
Heading up to the Pennine Way
The "Stone" of Old Bess
On the Pennine Way to Wolf Stones
Watersheddles Reservoir and Boulsworth Hill from the gritstone edge of Wolf Stones
There's a great view looking west to Pendle Hill..
The trig point above
At the trig point on Wolf Stones
Looking east across Oakworth Moor
From Pendle Hill to the west, round to Weets Hill to the northwest
and the moors around Lothersdale, and Barden Moor to the north
Heading back south on the Pennine Way
Looking back to Wolf Stones with Pendle Hill to the left
Following the Pennine Way down into the Worth Valley...
Ponden Reservoir from its western end
and again from the Pennine Way above its southern shore
I've left the Pennine Way for a track and then footpath up onto the hillside of Ponden Slack
Looking across the Worth Valley to Oakworth Moor..
..and down past Ponden Reservoir, as I walk up by Ponden Clough
Across the beck at the top of Ponden Clough
Taking in the great view down Ponden Clough from Ponden Kirk
After a break for lunch I take a path up Middle Moor Clough to the Alcomden Stones
Looking back down Middle Moor Clough
Boulsworth Hill above the top of Walshaw Dean from the Alcomden Stones
Looking down Walshaw Dean towards Heptonstall Moor. I can make out a little bit of Gorple Lower Reservoir.
and to the south I can make out Blackstone Edge beyond the western slopes of Wadsworth Moor
Boulsworth Hill and Crow Hill from the trig point on Stanbury Moor. I can make out the top of Pendle Hill through the gap between them.
Looking north across Stanbury Moor to Wolf Stones
Great views across the moorland of Bronte Country to the moors above Airedale..
From the trig point there's a short walk to reach the ruins of Top Withins
I leave Top Withins by taking the Pennine Way north..
Ponden Reservoir below I leave the Pennine Way and take a path down to the track past Near Slack
I then follow a track past Buckley Green
On the Millennium Way down to Hob Lane
By the River Worth after crossing Hob Lane
Looking back to Ponden Clough and Ponden Reservoir
Making my way through Oldfield
A view across the Worth valley as I head up to the layby on Harehill Lane from Oldfield