30th June 2024 - High Brown Knoll and Hebden Dale
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.7 miles
Total ascent: 2432 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: NT car park, Hardcastle Crags-Pecket Well Clough-Wadsworth memorial-Lower Crimsworth-Pecket Well-Old Lane-Deer Stones Edge-High Brown Knoll-Naze End-A6033-Old Road-Lumb Bridge-Calder/Aire Link-Walshaw-Black Dean-Ridge Scout-Pennine Way-Popples-Slack-Slater Ing Lane-Calderdale Way-Heptonstall-Calderdale Way-NT car park, Hardcastle Crags
I decided to make the relatively short drive south across the moors to Calderdale for my walk this weekend. The weather just isn't good enough to make the effort of a longer drive worthwhile. The route that I'd worked out took in the moorland around Hebden Dale and Crimsworth Dean to the north of Hebden Bridge, which was a variation of a walk that I did three years ago. Most of it was already familiar territory, but I did manage to walk along a few footpaths and bridleways that were new to me, for instance the Pennine Way along the northern slopes of Standing Stone Hill. Despite the numerous walks that I've done in this area during the past ten years or so I've managed to avoid it. The forecast was a cloudy and relatively cool summer's day, and that's what I got. It was a special occasion if the sun put in an appearance.
From the NT Hardcastle Crags car park I had a very brief walk south along Midgehole Road before taking a bridleway on the left up Pecket Well Clough, then a footpath on the left up to the Wadsworth war memorial. From there I took the footpath up to Lower Crimsworth, then one east across fields and a bridleway down to the A6033 below the Robin Hood Inn in Pecket Well. I then walked up the road until I reached the bridleway up Old Lane on the right, which I followed uphill to another bridleway, which I took to reach Delf End, access land, and a path up onto Deer Stones Edge. From Deer Stones Edge I made my way north to the trig point on High Brown Knoll, then west along a bridleway to Naze End and down to the A6033, which I crossed to take the bridleway opposite down to Old Road in Crimsworth Dean. I then walked a short distance north along Old Road before taking a bridleway on the left down to Lumb Bridge and up to the ruined farm of Nook. I then took the bridleway across the southern end of Shackleton Knoll to the hillside hamlet of Walshaw, where I turned right and followed the track up Hebden Dale until I reached New Laithe Farm, then took a footpath on the left down into Black Dean, where I stopped for lunch. Break had, I followed the path west up Black Dean, crossed a footbridge over Alcomden Water, and made my way to the Widdop Road. After a walk up the road to the first zig-zag I took the footpath on the left along Ridge Scout and followed it until I joined the Pennine Way. I then made my way south along the Pennine Way until I reached the point where it descends to Edge Lane in Colden. I left the trail here for a track on the left down to Knoll Top, the moorland of Popples, and the road of Slack Bottom. Across the road I took the bridleway along the track of Slater Ing Lane to reach the Calderdale Way, which I followed east above Colden Clough to Eaves Wood, and into Heptonstall. I kept on the Calderdale Way through Heptonstall and followed it down to and across Lee Wood Road, then back to the NT Hardcastle Crags car park, where I'd parked my car.
Total ascent: 2432 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: NT car park, Hardcastle Crags-Pecket Well Clough-Wadsworth memorial-Lower Crimsworth-Pecket Well-Old Lane-Deer Stones Edge-High Brown Knoll-Naze End-A6033-Old Road-Lumb Bridge-Calder/Aire Link-Walshaw-Black Dean-Ridge Scout-Pennine Way-Popples-Slack-Slater Ing Lane-Calderdale Way-Heptonstall-Calderdale Way-NT car park, Hardcastle Crags
I decided to make the relatively short drive south across the moors to Calderdale for my walk this weekend. The weather just isn't good enough to make the effort of a longer drive worthwhile. The route that I'd worked out took in the moorland around Hebden Dale and Crimsworth Dean to the north of Hebden Bridge, which was a variation of a walk that I did three years ago. Most of it was already familiar territory, but I did manage to walk along a few footpaths and bridleways that were new to me, for instance the Pennine Way along the northern slopes of Standing Stone Hill. Despite the numerous walks that I've done in this area during the past ten years or so I've managed to avoid it. The forecast was a cloudy and relatively cool summer's day, and that's what I got. It was a special occasion if the sun put in an appearance.
From the NT Hardcastle Crags car park I had a very brief walk south along Midgehole Road before taking a bridleway on the left up Pecket Well Clough, then a footpath on the left up to the Wadsworth war memorial. From there I took the footpath up to Lower Crimsworth, then one east across fields and a bridleway down to the A6033 below the Robin Hood Inn in Pecket Well. I then walked up the road until I reached the bridleway up Old Lane on the right, which I followed uphill to another bridleway, which I took to reach Delf End, access land, and a path up onto Deer Stones Edge. From Deer Stones Edge I made my way north to the trig point on High Brown Knoll, then west along a bridleway to Naze End and down to the A6033, which I crossed to take the bridleway opposite down to Old Road in Crimsworth Dean. I then walked a short distance north along Old Road before taking a bridleway on the left down to Lumb Bridge and up to the ruined farm of Nook. I then took the bridleway across the southern end of Shackleton Knoll to the hillside hamlet of Walshaw, where I turned right and followed the track up Hebden Dale until I reached New Laithe Farm, then took a footpath on the left down into Black Dean, where I stopped for lunch. Break had, I followed the path west up Black Dean, crossed a footbridge over Alcomden Water, and made my way to the Widdop Road. After a walk up the road to the first zig-zag I took the footpath on the left along Ridge Scout and followed it until I joined the Pennine Way. I then made my way south along the Pennine Way until I reached the point where it descends to Edge Lane in Colden. I left the trail here for a track on the left down to Knoll Top, the moorland of Popples, and the road of Slack Bottom. Across the road I took the bridleway along the track of Slater Ing Lane to reach the Calderdale Way, which I followed east above Colden Clough to Eaves Wood, and into Heptonstall. I kept on the Calderdale Way through Heptonstall and followed it down to and across Lee Wood Road, then back to the NT Hardcastle Crags car park, where I'd parked my car.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
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From the Hardcastle Crags car park I take the bridleway to Pecket Well, and then the footpath up to war memorial above Pecket Well Clough
Looking across the top of Pecket Well Clough to High Brown Knoll
From the war memorial I take the footpath across the hillside..
..and then the bridleway down to the top of Pecket Well Clough
After crossing the road through Pecket Well I take the bridleway up the track of Old Lane
Looking back down to Pecket Well and across Crimsworth Dean
Following the bridleway up to Delf End
Looking back to the moorland around Hebden Dale
On Deer Stones Edge. The view west across the moorland around Hebden Dale to Hoof Stones Height and Standing Stone Hill.
and across the foot of Hebden Dale to Stoodley Pike, Calderdale, and Heptonstall
Calderdale from the trig point on High Brown Knoll
Warley Moor Reservoir and Ovenden Moor
Looking south across Midgley Moor
and from west to northwest to Hoof Stones Height and Boulsworth Hill in the distance
Following the bridleway west to Naze End and the A6033..
Having crossed the A6033 I take the bridleway down to Old Road
I pass a Marsh Orchid on the way down
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I leave Old Road for the bridleway down to Lumb Hole Waterfall in Crimsworth Dean
Looking up Crimsworth Dean from the bridleway that passes the ruins of Nook..
..and down Crimsworth Dean to Hebden Dale
I leave Crimsworth Dean at the ruins of Nook for the bridleway across to Hebden Dale
Looking back across Crimsworth Dean to the moorland of High Brown Knoll
and south across Calderdale to Stoodley Pike
The moors surrounding Hebden Dale come into view as I follow the bridleway down to the hillside hamlet of Walshaw...
Looking up Hebden Dale from Walshaw
Following the bridleway up Hebden Dale to New Laithe Farm
Looking back down Hebden Dale
The woodland of Hebden Dale as I follow the footpath down into Black Dean
After a stop for lunch I take the footpath up Black Dean to the meeting of Graining Water and Alcomden Water
Graining Water from the bridge carrying the Widdop Road over it
On Ridge Scout above Graining Water looking back down to Black Dean and the Widdop Road
Reaps Water meets Graining Water below, and the Pennine Way crosses the two footbridges over them. The path I'm on will soon join it.
Looking north up Graining Water
On the Pennine Way, and crossing the footbridge over Reaps Water
Looking back to the valleys of Reaps Water and Graining Water as I head up to Gorple Cottages
and to Gorple Lower Reservoir with Widdop Moor beyond, as I head south up the Pennine Way
The Pennine Way leaves the track that it briefly shared with the Pennine Bridleway, and I follow it east along the side of Standing Stone Hill
Looking back to Shuttleworth Moor, Gorple Lower Reservoir, and Widdop Moor
and across Hebden Dale to Wadsworth Moor
Following the Pennine Way east and south along the side of Standing Stone Hill..
Looking down Hebden Dale and across to Midgley Moor
and back up Hebden Dale to Wadsworth Moor
and across to Shackleton Knoll as I reach the point where I'll leave the Pennine Way
Walking down the track to the moorland of Popples
To my right, looking across Colden Clough to Stoodley Pike in the distance
On the moorland of Popples above Slack
After crossing the road through Slack I head south along the track of Slater Ing Lane
Passing through summer meadows
From Slater Ing Lane I join the Calderdale Way, which will take me to Heptonstall
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Following the Calderdale Way along the top of the hillside above Colden Clough, and then through Eaves Wood..
A crag at the top of Eaves Wood gives me a great view across the foot of Colden Clough and Calderdale to Stoodley Pike
and up Colden Clough
The original church at Heptonstall was dedicated to St Thomas a Becket
Crossing the main street in Heptonstall
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On the Calderdale Way down to Lee Wood Road
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Hebden Bridge below
After crossing Lee Wood Road I follow the Calderdale Way back to the Hardcastle Crags car park