6th March 2022 - Worth Valley to Hebden Dale and back
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.6 miles
Total ascent: 2203 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Penistone Hill Country Park-Drop Farm-Lee Lane-Bodkin Lane-Stairs Lane-Lane Head-Old Road-Grain Water Bridge-Nook-Walshaw-Black Dean-Holme Ends-Pennine Way-Top Withins-Stanbury Moor-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Bronte Bridge-Bronte Way-Millennium Way-Penistone Hill Country Park
I stayed close to home for my second walk of the weekend, making the short drive across to the Worth Valley for a long walk across my local South Pennines moors. This was the third time that I've done this particular route, and it involves crossing the Worth Valley to Calderdale and back, making use of bridleways for one crossing of the moors, and the trail of the Pennine Way for the other. It was a beautiful spring day for being out, with sunny spells, fair weather clouds, and great visibility for appreciating the fantastic all-round views from the tops of the moors.
From the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park I made my way out to Moor Side Lane and took the footpath along the track to Drop Farm. Just after passing Drop Farm I took the footpath on the left and followed it down past Westfield Farm to Lee Lane where I turned right and walked along the lane past Leeshaw Reservoir, then up the bridleway of Bodkin Lane and Stairs Lane to cross the moor over to Calderdale. I followed the bridleway across the moor to Lane Head (the end of the road at the top of Crimsworth Dean), walked down the road to Grain Water Bridge, and then walked south along the bridleway on the western side of Crimsworth Dean 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 where I took a footpath on the left down into Black Dean, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I followed the path west up Black Dean, crossed a footbridge over Alcomden Water, then followed a track and footpath north above Alcomden Water to Holme Ends, where I turned left and followed a track north to join the trail of the Pennine Way. I then followed the Pennine Way up Walshaw Dean, past the lower and middle reservoirs, before heading up Withins Height End to cross over the moor back to the Worth Valley, where I soon reached the ruins of Top Withins. I left the Pennine Way at Top Withins to pay a visit to the trig point on Stanbury Moor and the Alcomden Stones, then after returning to the ruins took the path down into the valley of South Dean Beck to Bronte Bridge, which I crossed to take the Bronte Way and Millennium Way up to Moor Side Lane and the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park.
Total ascent: 2203 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Penistone Hill Country Park-Drop Farm-Lee Lane-Bodkin Lane-Stairs Lane-Lane Head-Old Road-Grain Water Bridge-Nook-Walshaw-Black Dean-Holme Ends-Pennine Way-Top Withins-Stanbury Moor-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Bronte Bridge-Bronte Way-Millennium Way-Penistone Hill Country Park
I stayed close to home for my second walk of the weekend, making the short drive across to the Worth Valley for a long walk across my local South Pennines moors. This was the third time that I've done this particular route, and it involves crossing the Worth Valley to Calderdale and back, making use of bridleways for one crossing of the moors, and the trail of the Pennine Way for the other. It was a beautiful spring day for being out, with sunny spells, fair weather clouds, and great visibility for appreciating the fantastic all-round views from the tops of the moors.
From the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park I made my way out to Moor Side Lane and took the footpath along the track to Drop Farm. Just after passing Drop Farm I took the footpath on the left and followed it down past Westfield Farm to Lee Lane where I turned right and walked along the lane past Leeshaw Reservoir, then up the bridleway of Bodkin Lane and Stairs Lane to cross the moor over to Calderdale. I followed the bridleway across the moor to Lane Head (the end of the road at the top of Crimsworth Dean), walked down the road to Grain Water Bridge, and then walked south along the bridleway on the western side of Crimsworth Dean 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 where I took a footpath on the left down into Black Dean, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I followed the path west up Black Dean, crossed a footbridge over Alcomden Water, then followed a track and footpath north above Alcomden Water to Holme Ends, where I turned left and followed a track north to join the trail of the Pennine Way. I then followed the Pennine Way up Walshaw Dean, past the lower and middle reservoirs, before heading up Withins Height End to cross over the moor back to the Worth Valley, where I soon reached the ruins of Top Withins. I left the Pennine Way at Top Withins to pay a visit to the trig point on Stanbury Moor and the Alcomden Stones, then after returning to the ruins took the path down into the valley of South Dean Beck to Bronte Bridge, which I crossed to take the Bronte Way and Millennium Way up to Moor Side Lane and the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park.
Route map
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Before I set off, the view across the Worth Valley to Stanbury and Oldfield from Penistone Hill Country Hill Park
Leeshaw Reservoir below as I follow the footpath down to Lee Lane
Penistone Hill and Leeshaw Reservoir below from Bodkin Lane
Heading up the track of Stairs Lane
Looking back over the moors of Bronte Country as I reach the top of Stairs Lane
Following the track of Stairs Lane and then Old Road down into Crimsworth Dean..
On Old Road at Grain Water Bridge
Looking back up Crimsworth Dean as I follow the bridleway south from Grain Water Bridge to the ruins of Nook..
..and down Crimsworth Dean to Hebden Dale from by the ruins of Nook
I leave Crimsworth Dean at the ruins of Nook..
..for the bridleway across to Hebden Dale
Looking across Crimsworth Dean to the moorland of High Brown Knoll
The moors surrounding Hebden Dale come into view as I follow the bridleway down to the hillside hamlet of Walshaw..
The hamlet of Walshaw
Looking up Hebden Dale from Walshaw
Following the bridleway up Hebden Dale to New Laithe Farm
Looking back down Hebden Dale
A very pleasant stop for lunch. Sat in the sun above Hebden Water in Black Dean.
Hebden Water and Black Dean
Graining Water and Alcomden Water meet
Crossing Alcomden Water
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Looking down Black Dean
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On the track, then footpath above Alcomden Water to Holme Ends..
On the Pennine Way up to Walshaw Dean Lower Reservoir..
It's a lovely afternoon as I follow the Pennine Way north up Walshaw Dean..
Walshaw Dean Middle Reservoir...
The Pennine Way runs beside Walshaw Dean Middle Reservoir before heading up onto Withins Height End
Walshaw Dean Middle Reservoir
Walshaw Dean Lower and Middle Reservoirs, with Gorple Lower Reservoir in the distance
Following the Pennine Way up onto Withins Height End
As I gain height Walshaw Dean Upper Reservoir comes into view on the right
At the top of the Pennine Way. Broad South Pennines moors around Calderdale to the south.
Following the Pennine Way to Top Withins..
The moorland of The Height and Haworth Moor below
The ruins of Top Withins. I have the place to myself, one advantage of being here at 4 o'clock on an early March afternoon.
At the trig point on Stanbury Moor with Boulsworth Hill and Crow Hill to the west and northwest
In the gap between Crow Hill and Wolf Stones I can make out Ingleborough and Penyghent in the Yorkshire Dales
Approaching the Alcomden Stones
Views from the Alcomden Stones. Boulsworth Hill and Crow Hill to the northwest.
The moorland around Walshaw Dean and the top of Hebden Dale
Round Hill
Looking north to Wolf Stones and Oakworth Moor with the moorland around Airedale in the far distance
and the same view from back at the trig point
There's a great view from up here looking east across the moorland of Bronte Country
From the trig point on Stanbury Moor I make my way back to Top Withins, and then take the path down by South Dean Beck to Bronte Bridge.....
Taking the Bronte Way back to Penistone Hill Country Park
The sun starts to set behind me
Penistone Hill Country Park comes into view. Not far to go.
The sun sets across the Worth Valley. A lovely end to a great day on the South Pennines moors.