26th October 2014 - Cragg Vale
Walk Details
Distance walked: 6.2 miles
Total ascent: 1483 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 4 hrs
Route description: Mytholmroyd-Hall Bank Lane-Stake Lane-Hollin Hey Wood-Upper Birks-Cragg Vale-Paper Mill Wood-Spa Bridge-Clough Foot Bridge-Spring Wood-Erringden Moor-Moorside Barn-Great Jumps-Wood Top-A646-Rochdale Canal-Mytholmroyd
Not the best of weather again this weekend and gales forecast for high ground so I decided to do this relatively local walk across in Calderdale that didn't aim too high.
After parking in Mytholmroyd I made my way through the village and onto the Cragg Vale Road. I soon turned left onto Scout Road and then right onto Hall Bank Lane. The lane goes steeply uphill and when it ended I took the enclosed path of Stake Lane which continues to zig-zag uphill. A fingerpost at a gate was the cue to leave this for a path through the top of Hollin Hey Wood, at a bench with a great view this then heads down to the houses at Upper Birks in Cragg Vale. I followed the road up the valley past the Robin Hood pub and onto an access road at Castlegate Mill. This runs down to Cragg Brook at Papermill Cottage. I went through the gate here and onto the path through Papermill Wood high above Cragg Brook, when the path forked I took the one that heads down to reach Spa Bridge. A permissive path then let me follow Cragg Brook down to Clough Foot Bridge. This was where Cragg Brook was left behind for the track uphill to reach Spring Wood and the path the Broadhead Clough Nature Reserve. At the top of the woods I followed a path across Erringden Moor and onto a hollowed way past Moorside Barn to Great Jumps Farm. It was then time to head downhill to Wood Top and the valley road where I used the Rochdale Canal towpath back to Mytholmroyd.
Total ascent: 1483 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 4 hrs
Route description: Mytholmroyd-Hall Bank Lane-Stake Lane-Hollin Hey Wood-Upper Birks-Cragg Vale-Paper Mill Wood-Spa Bridge-Clough Foot Bridge-Spring Wood-Erringden Moor-Moorside Barn-Great Jumps-Wood Top-A646-Rochdale Canal-Mytholmroyd
Not the best of weather again this weekend and gales forecast for high ground so I decided to do this relatively local walk across in Calderdale that didn't aim too high.
After parking in Mytholmroyd I made my way through the village and onto the Cragg Vale Road. I soon turned left onto Scout Road and then right onto Hall Bank Lane. The lane goes steeply uphill and when it ended I took the enclosed path of Stake Lane which continues to zig-zag uphill. A fingerpost at a gate was the cue to leave this for a path through the top of Hollin Hey Wood, at a bench with a great view this then heads down to the houses at Upper Birks in Cragg Vale. I followed the road up the valley past the Robin Hood pub and onto an access road at Castlegate Mill. This runs down to Cragg Brook at Papermill Cottage. I went through the gate here and onto the path through Papermill Wood high above Cragg Brook, when the path forked I took the one that heads down to reach Spa Bridge. A permissive path then let me follow Cragg Brook down to Clough Foot Bridge. This was where Cragg Brook was left behind for the track uphill to reach Spring Wood and the path the Broadhead Clough Nature Reserve. At the top of the woods I followed a path across Erringden Moor and onto a hollowed way past Moorside Barn to Great Jumps Farm. It was then time to head downhill to Wood Top and the valley road where I used the Rochdale Canal towpath back to Mytholmroyd.
Route map
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An interesting sculpture as I head out of Mytholmroyd
A steep climb out of the village and I soon have a view back down into Calderdale
A bit of sunshine as I reach the path through the top of Hollin Hey Wood
and looking across Cragg Vale to the bowl of Broadhead Clough
On the woodland path
A great view up Cragg Vale before I head back down into the valley
The path down ends at the houses of Upper Birks
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After crossing the road through the valley I've made my way down to Cragg Brook and the ruins of former industry in Papermill Wood
My route goes through the wood high above Cragg Brook
and then down to its side
After crossing a few fields I reach the ivy covered Spa Bridge
Cragg Brook falls over a bar of gritstone and provides the opportunity for a moody shot
The path follows Cragg Brook down to..
..Clough Foot Bridge
I've left Cragg Brook behind to head up into Spring Wood
and the woodland of the Broadhead Clough Nature Reserve
As the path exits the top of the woods I can see down Broadhead Clough
On the path across Erringden Moor
Looking across Broadhead Clough to Cragg Vale and Hollin Hey Wood
and back at the wooded bowl I walked up through
My route continues by following walled tracks above Calderdale
I have views up the valley towards Hebden Bridge
and down to Mytholmroyd
I'm finally heading down to the valley floor to cross the main road..
..and follow the towpath of the Rochdale Canal back to Mytholmroyd