7th May 2023 - Worth Valley to Hebden Dale and back
Walk Details
Distance walked: 15.6 miles
Total ascent: 2274 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Penistone Hill Country Park-Drop Farm-Lee Lane-Bodkin Lane-Stairs Lane-Lane Head-Old Road-Grain Water Bridge-Nook-Abel Cross-Abel Cote Farm-Shackleton-Walshaw-Black Dean-Holme Ends-Pennine Way-Top Withins-Stanbury Moor-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Harbour Hill-Harbour Lodge-Haworth Moor-Penistone Hill Country Park
I stayed close to home for my walk this weekend, making the short drive across to the Worth Valley for a long walk across my local South Pennines moors. This was the fourth time that I've done a version of 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. On this occasion though I decided to make the walk even longer by going all the way to the southern end of Shackleton Moor before crossing into Hebden Dale. However, it didn't take me any more time than the one that was two miles shorter done last year. It was quite cloudy when I set off from Penistone Hill Country Park, but it soon brightened up and turned into a beautiful spring day, 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 past the ruined farm of Nook, until I reached a public footpath on the right. I followed this up the track to Abel Cote Farm, then took a footpath south across fields to the hillside hamlet of Shackleton, where I turned right and followed the track up Hebden Dale through Walshaw 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, across a couple of footbridges and around the back of Harbour Hill to Harbour Lodge. I followed the track east from here across Haworth Moor to Moor Side Lane. I was then left with a short walk back to the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park.
Total ascent: 2274 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Penistone Hill Country Park-Drop Farm-Lee Lane-Bodkin Lane-Stairs Lane-Lane Head-Old Road-Grain Water Bridge-Nook-Abel Cross-Abel Cote Farm-Shackleton-Walshaw-Black Dean-Holme Ends-Pennine Way-Top Withins-Stanbury Moor-Alcomden Stones-Stanbury Moor-Top Withins-Harbour Hill-Harbour Lodge-Haworth Moor-Penistone Hill Country Park
I stayed close to home for my walk this weekend, making the short drive across to the Worth Valley for a long walk across my local South Pennines moors. This was the fourth time that I've done a version of 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. On this occasion though I decided to make the walk even longer by going all the way to the southern end of Shackleton Moor before crossing into Hebden Dale. However, it didn't take me any more time than the one that was two miles shorter done last year. It was quite cloudy when I set off from Penistone Hill Country Park, but it soon brightened up and turned into a beautiful spring day, 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 past the ruined farm of Nook, until I reached a public footpath on the right. I followed this up the track to Abel Cote Farm, then took a footpath south across fields to the hillside hamlet of Shackleton, where I turned right and followed the track up Hebden Dale through Walshaw 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, across a couple of footbridges and around the back of Harbour Hill to Harbour Lodge. I followed the track east from here across Haworth Moor to Moor Side Lane. I was then left with a short walk back to the car park at Penistone Hill Country Park.
Route map
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Having crossed Moor Side Lane, I walk along the track to Drop Farm
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
Boundary stone with OS benchmark at the top of Stairs Lane
The moors of Calderdale ahead as I follow Stairs Lane down into Crimsworth Dean
Looking across the top of Shackleton Moor to Hoof Stones Height in the distance
Following the track of Stairs Lane and then Old Road down into Crimsworth Dean..
At Grain Water Bridge and I take a bridleway down Crimsworth Dean
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Paddock Beck, and the bridge the bridleway takes to cross it
Views of Crimsworth Dean as I follow the bridleway south.....
Leaving the bridleway I take a footpath up the track to Abel Cote Farm
Passing Abel Cross
From Abel Cote Farm I take a footpath south through fields to Shackleton
Looking across Middle Dean to the slopes that rise to High Brown Knoll..
..and up Middle Dean to Crimsworth Dean
The view south across Hebden Dale as I reach the hillside hamlet of Shackleton
On the bridleway from Shackleton up Hebden Dale to Walshaw..
The hamlet of Walshaw
Looking up Hebden Dale from Walshaw
Following the bridleway up Hebden Dale to New Laithe Farm
I couldn't resist taking a photo of this field full of daisies
Looking back down Hebden Dale
A very pleasant stop for lunch. Sat in the sun above Hebden Water in Black Dean.
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 Lower and Middle Reservoirs
Following the Pennine Way up onto Withins Height End
As I gain height Walshaw Dean Upper Reservoir comes into view on the right, along with Gorple Lower Reservoir in the distance
It's a beautiful spring afternoon on the South Pennines moors
At the top of the Pennine Way. Broad South Pennines moors around Calderdale to the south.
Following the Pennine Way to Top Withins
The moors of Bronte Country come into view
Approaching Top Withins
The ruins of Top Withins. I have the place to myself, one advantage of being here at 1530 in the 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
There's a great view from up here looking east across the moorland of Bronte Country
It's a short walk from the trig point to the Alcomden Stones. Boulsworth Hill and Crow Hill to the northwest.
Round Hill
The moorland around Walshaw Dean and the top of Hebden Dale
Looking down Middle Moor Clough to the Worth Valley
To the left of the moorland of Wolf Stones I can make out Ingleborough and Penyghent in the distance
Making my way back to Top Withins and I have great views across Bronte Country to enjoy..
From Top Withins I follow the path down to and across South Dean Beck..
Threading the gap between Harbour Hill and Oxenhope Edge
Heading down to Harbour Lodge
Looking towards Stanbury and Haworth from by Harbour Lodge
Following the track east across Haworth Moor to Moor Side Lane
Oxenhope Moor and Leeshaw Reservoir to my right
Penistone Hill is back in sight at the end of a very enjoyable walk