Bingley Loop

The day was fair and by the time it got to 10am and I had met Monica for this walk the sky had turned from a dull grey to blue.  Although it was cold – the temperature wasn’t expected to get much above freezing today and there was a wind with it too.  Monica had done this walk last year and she had a leaflet with the route.  This walk is an addition to the Welcome way.  We were starting from East Morton and I was really looking forward to this. We made our way to the canal walking past the Five Rise Locks and over the flyover to the Brown Cow – walking alongside the River Aire to Myrtle Park. 

We crossed over the Beckfoot Packhorse bridge facing Beckfoot Farm which has lanterns of the Knights of St John on its corner. 

From here we carried on towards the golf course eventually crossing the busy Bradford road to head off towards Dowley Gap and Saltaire. 

We then entered Hirst wood.  There were lots of Robins bobbing around in here and before climbing up through the woods we had flask stop.  Apparently Hirst wood is the sight of an ancient settlement.  We didn’t see any signs of this but there must have been some.  From here we headed up through Trench wood through Shipley Glen.  Here on the top we stopped for lunch.  Monica said there was a bit of a cheeky wind, I thought it was freezing.  From here we headed off towards Loadpit beck and Eldwick. 

Here we turned off at the Acorn inn following paths and tracks to Micklethwaite Green. Finally dropping back down to East Morton.  On the way back we encountered a field with 8 horses in it and a collie dog racing round and round the field – the horses must have been used to the dog they didn’t bat an eyelid.  I had to keep telling myself to stay calm, with Monica behind me saying just give off calm vibes don’t let them know you’re scared. 

Easier said than done.  Anyway it had been a good walk – just about 9 miles and it took us 4 hours 20 mins, we hadn’t hurried and we’d stopped twice for drinks and something to eat. Really good walk.

Cowling Pinnacle

Today is the first day in ages the day has started bright with blue skies although it was a cold wind.  Still was good to get out and blow the cobwebs away.  Parked up by the village hall in Cowling and set off.  The first part of the walk is straight forward – turning up a small road and head off through a gate and field to bob out onto Dick Lane. 

  From here it was a straight walk up over the moor heading towards the pinnacle.  Half way up the moor there were some young lads messing about on motorbikes – scrambling.  As I got near the top you could see the car park behind the pinnacle was fairly full with cars and there were quite a few families up on the tops.

Why do some people bring their iPad with them?  Seems odd to me.  It was really windy now and noticeably cooler than lower down the hill.  I left the pinnacle behind and walked across the Cragg to the tower.

I spent a few minutes at the bottom then thought I’d go up to the top of the tower.  It was blowing a gale up there.  As I  stood  at the top two young cyclists came up too.  Well one came up – the other bobbed his head up through the hole in the floor – said that was enough for him and disappeared back down the steps.  That’s the tricky part, going back down the steps – you can hardly see the steps it’s so dark until you get near a small slit window in the tower every so often.

Anyway I got down safely and made my way back down the hillside.  The next bit I got lost on.  I turned down the drive to a farm instead of taking the path into the field next to the drive.  I had to walk all the way back up to the drive entrance.  Then I went down two field lengths before I realised I should have been in the next field along. 

I had to go all the way back up two fields to a small wall stile on the left.  I finally made it back down on to the main road.  From here it was a muddy field bottom walk back to a small farm yard onto road back to the car.  A 3 ¾ mile walk which I managed to make into a good 5 mile walk with all my up and down fields looking for the right paths.  My ears were cold, my eyes were runny and my hair looked like I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards but it had been good and the views from the top had been excellent.  I could even see Pendle Hill in the distance.

Jumble Hole Clough

Nice surprise today, Melanie said if I went to theirs after lunch we could go on a walk.  When I arrived they were already sat in the car ready for the off. We drove along the road towards Todmorden and pulled up a small road on the right.  We were going for a walk up Jumble Hole Clough.  A place where Jo runs sometimes so he led the way. 

First proper outing for my new camera – although I still have it on automatic.  I need to get to grips with the manual settings.  We set off up the road which was a really good single car track and started climbing up the hill side. 

As we went further up derelict buildings from days gone by started to appear.  As we went upwards we eventually turned off the concrete car track and took a narrow footpath running around the hillside.

We continued to climb upwards until we came to a stile through a wall which took us back on a path heading down towards the beck which was running alongside us.  At the bottom were several tumble-down buildings and a waterfall.

  At some point back in the day these had been mills and thriving small industries.  It would be interesting to see if there are any original photographs of when this was all working.  We stopped here for a look around before carrying on up the clough along by the beck.  Eventually we came to a bridge which crossed the water – pretty near the top.

At this point we stopped to take in the view before turning to go back the way we had climbed up. We followed our original path as far as climbing in out of the hollow where the derelict buildings were and then took a different track off to the right.

This was a broad grassy path with cobbles/stones hidden underneath.  You could imagine back in the day this may well have been a packhorse track serving the mills and houses up the clough up to the hill tops. 

The path eventually brought us back to where we had started – it had been a good adventure.  Mabel had been excellent on the steep steps – George had managed not to fall and Aggie had only bumped her head once when trying to see inside a hole in the hillside.  Albert had slept through a good deal of the walk in his backpack on Jo’s back.

We were all ready for a cup of tea when we got back to Heptonstall.

Forest Of Trawden

It was raining when I got up but by mid-morning it had faired up so it was nice to get out for a walk this afternoon.  It had taken me ages to decide where to go – eventually picked Wycoller as if felt like it had been a long time since the weather had been good enough to drive over that way without worrying about ice and snow.  Arrived at the car park about two and set off down into the village.  How lovely to get out in the fresh air.  I chose to head off towards the Forest of Trawden, just a slightly longer walk than going around Fosters Leap. 

The sun was shining and the sky was blue for once.  The Hall ruins looked lovely in the sun and shadows across it.  I headed up alongside the beck and turned up into Turnhole Clough. 

  It was all pretty boggy underfoot and I guess it could have been a lot worse if the ground underneath the top layer hadn’t still been frozen from earlier in the week.  As  I walked along a remembered last time I’d stayed too low down by the beck and had to scramble over some walls at the far end of the clough.  This time after going through the gate I spotted the path up the hill side onto Brinks end Moor and the bridleway. 

This was then a clear old packhorse path along the moor top.  Looking left there was still lots of snow on the hill tops – I also passed quite a few mountain bikers – most of them were pushing their bikes (not something I fancied doing).  There were also a couple of fell runners on the way too.  One asked about the path I’d just come up as he was planning on coming back the way I had just walked.  As I walked along Pendle Hill dominated the skyline in front of me until I turned right at a junction in the middle of the moor turning down a farm track to Mean Moss.

From here I turned right again through several very boggy fields to a walled way and then down another set of fields.  On my way down here I passed several groups coming in the opposite direction all with OS maps so where they were off to I’ve no idea.  I dropped down the hill side turning left alongside a wall until it came to a dead end by a house. 

The nice owner asked if I was lost and said I needed to go back through the boggy track to a stile in the wall which would take me on the path to the right of his house and then a path to drop down back into Wycoller.  I will remember that next time I do this walk.

I came back to Wycoller it was about 4 o clock and I popped in the small shop and bought a new walking book.  To say the ground was really boggy there had been lots of people out walking.  Good walk just under 5 miles with lovely views.

Cowling Hill

Yesterday the weather had been pretty miserable, snow fog, damp and dark all day.  Today was a whole lot better. Gail, Monica and I had arranged to meet at 10.30 by Ickornshaw Church for a good Sunday walk.  It didn’t start well.  I arrived to a text from Monica saying they were just by the Church on top street. No sign of them so I rang.  Monica said stay put with you in a minute we’re at the wrong church. Two minutes later they arrived.  I’d found my OS map – Monica had the book and we’d all brought a sandwich to keep us going half way round.  As we walked down past the church we came across some sheep dog trials that were just starting.  Amazing what you see on a walk. 

As we walked along the farm track it gave us a taste of the walk ahead.  Muddy boots already and we’d just got going.  Ickornshaw beck was flowing fast after all the rain we have had lately and the water was beautifully clear. 

As we walked along we passed quite a few dog walkers and an old lime kiln.  It was well preserved how or when it had been used we had no idea as it didn’t seem to be near any houses or even the remains of some.  

We eventually dropped down to a footbridge to bring us onto a road.  Here we turned up and through another stile to drop down stone steps and onto a further road. 

Climbing up here out of the valley bottom we eventually turned left over a stone stile into fields looking across at Cowling Pinnacle at the far end of the field we found a natural seating area and as it was quite warm just here we stopped for a drink and a sandwich.  The view was across to Earls Cragg.

It was pleasant just sitting and chatting – as we did the sheep in the field being nosey started coming towards us baaing to each other at the same time.  Monica said this always happens when she has Walkers crisps – sheep must like them – there’s an idea for an advert.  After our lunch stop we set off again walking down a grassy walled way to a ford and footbridge at the bottom.

Here we were joined by a golden Labrador that was loving just splashing about in the beck.  From here we took the track up the other side of the hill out onto a back road and Cowling Hill.   From here it was just a short walk to go through a farmyard taking a right turn into a field along a muddy wall side track to the far edge of the field.

This was hard work negotiating the least muddy pathway through.  We then dropped down the fieldside through gap stiles to turn left at the bottom on an access drive taking us back onto Gill Lane. 

From here it was a straight walk back to our cars – stopping at a well along the way to clean our muddy boots.  What a great way to spend a Sunday morning.  It was fun a good 5 miles walked.