Walks around ’s Becks

Plus: How to keep our rivers and becks clean

A free guide Environment Agency Come and join us!

We’re the Friends of Bradford’s Becks, We’re involved in lots of other activities, a group of local people who believe that too. Litterpicks, pollution monitoring, the river system still plays tackling invasive plants, educational an important part in the life of our . projects, collecting people’s memories… Through our various activities we aim to if it’s to do with Bradford Beck or any of its bring it back to life and good health. tributaries, we’re doing it. We also run One of our major projects is marking the competitions. The winning entry in our po - route of Bradford Beck where it runs etry competition appears along the Plaque underground through the city centre. This Trail, and many of the photographs in this river, which was once so important to the booklet were entries in our development of Bradford, had become a photography competition. lost and forgotten part of our history. It costs nothing to join us, and it’s easy to Our Plaque Trail now takes you along the get involved. Join our Facebook group at route, and a planned listening sculpture will www.facebook.com/groups/bradfordsbecks let you hear the river running beneath your to get news and details of events. Or find feet. out more at www.bradford-beck.org Contents

Bradford Beck and its tributaries page 2 Welcome to the becks of Bradford page 3 Bradford Beck -- past, present and future page 4 Plants and animals along the becks page 6 The Plaque Trail (0.8km) page 8 Northcliffe Dike and Red Beck (4km) page 10 Chellow Dene Beck and Reservoirs (6.5km) page 12 A five beck circular (9km) page 14 Bradford to Shipley along Bradford Beck (6km) page 18 The source of Pitty Beck (4.5km) page 20 Pinch Beck, Hole Bottom Beck and High Birks Beck (6km) page 22 How to keep our rivers and becks clean page 25

The OS map 288 Bradford and Friends of Bradford’s Becks wishes to thank the Huddersfield covers all of these walks. following people for the use of photographs and images in this booklet. Front cover: James Craig. Inside front Because these are mainly river walks, cover: Graham Good, Gary Rushworth, Wendy Robinson. you can come across wet and muddy Pages 1 & 2: Wendy Robinson. Page 5 : Martyn Sutcliffe. areas at all times of year. We advise you Pages 6 & 7: Wendy Robinson. Pages 10 & 11: James to wear sturdy footwear and to dress ap - Craig. Page 13: Akhlaq Ahmed. Page 19: George Greiner. propriately for the weather. Back cover: Robyn Hill, Rose Reeve, Warren Tolley, Wendy Robinson, Warren Tolley, Akhlaq Ahmed, James Above: Stile near High Birks Beck. Craig, George Greiner.

1 Bradford Beck and its tributaries

OPEN RIVER

CANALISED

UNDERGROUND

FLOOD TUNNEL

CATCHMENT BOUNDARY

Below left: Northcliffe Dike. Below right: Pitty Beck.

2 Welcome to the becks of Bradford

Some of the most appealing features of for recreation and wildlife. We hope you Yorkshire’s landscapes are its rivers. The will use this booklet to explore the foot - district of Bradford is no exception, with paths in the area – you might be surprised water everywhere – from springs, becks where they take you. and reservoirs to the . Bradford Beck was mistreated during the The Friends of Bradford’s Becks are 19th and 20th centuries, resulting in a delighted to bring you this guide to seven legacy of hidden and culverted sections, a walks along and between the becks of our loss of natural banks and water pollution. city. The walks are varied in length and in However, pollution has reduced character. Some are in quiet countryside substantially over the last few decades, fish (there may be mud!) while others are in have returned, and the pleasure of flowing busier urban settings. Bradford’s history and water is returning to Bradford. industrial heritage is on show, too, with vis - As well as enjoying the becks, perhaps you its to the , the Clayton Fire - can help us to spot the remaining pollution clay Brickworks chimney and Bradford Boar’s problems and report them. You can use the Well. guide at the end of the this booklet to help Many inhabitants of Bradford are unaware us make our waterways even cleaner. of the network of becks around and through Barney Lerner their city, and the opportunities they offer Chair, Friends of Bradford’s Becks

3 Bradford Beck – past, present and future

Bradford Beck begins as a number of Construction of culvert in vicinity of springs in the Keelham area beyond , September 1962. Thornton. These merge into a stream Source: The Yorkshire Post. called Pinch Beck, which starts a course down the valley below Thornton called From there, much of Bradford Beck follows Bradforddale. a miserable course, constrained in straight, As Pinch Beck journeys towards Bradford brick-lined culverts and driven underground city centre, other streams flow down the through the city centre. Halfway between valley sides to join it, with intriguing names there and Shipley, it emerges into the light like High Birks Beck and Hole Bottom Beck. and flows on to join the River Aire. As they join the main beck, its name Although the industrial revolution started changes, first to Clayton Beck, then to Mid - Bradford Beck’s demise, it was a working dle Brook, until it reaches the ancient Horton river for centuries before that. From me - township boundary in Cemetery Road and is dieval times the river system was used to finally named Bradford Beck. power a series of corn mills and fulling mills

4 © Copyright photograph from the Yorkshire Observer courtesy of the Telegraph & Argus/www.telegraphandargus.co.uk

Above: Bradford city centre flooding in 1946. Right: Vaulted arches under the city centre. mills at Thornton, Leaventhorpe, Lidget pear as the city developed. When the Victo - Green and in the city centre. But the rian sewer network was introduction of steam power saw Bradford constructed in the 1860s and 1870s, the change beyond recognition in the 1800s. beck was finally rendered invisible in the As industrialisation became more intense city centre. and the city’s population swelled, Bradford In the 1950s and 1970s parts of the beck Beck became polluted with raw sewage, were briefly visible when building work offal, industrial refuse and effluent from took place in the city centre, and in 1993 an mills and workshops. underground flood alleviation tunnel was By 1840 it had effectively become a fetid built. Bradford city centre had suffered peri - open sewer. Small boys could set fire to it odic problems with flooding, the last being because of all the methane gas it in 1982 when a wall of water and sewage contained, and since local people obtained came down Thornton Road, their drinking water from the beck, pouring into shops and offices. outbreaks of cholera and typhoid were com - Today, Bradford Beck and its tributaries no mon. Life expectancy of just over 18 years longer play a part in the manufacturing life was one of the lowest in the country. of the city, but they are still of immense By the mid-19th century Bradford was the value to its residents. Projects to tackle richest city in , but the beck was la - pollution and recreate a more natural river belled the ‘filthiest river in England’ – hence environment will make our becks enjoyable the name ‘mucky beck’, which today is a places to visit and spend time, to walk and term of affection, but originally was meant cycle along. They are a living reminder of literally. At a time of few building controls, Bradford’s industrial past and with careful landowners started building into and over management can become an asset to the the beck, and it gradually began to disap - city once again.

5 Plants and animals along the becks

Foxglove

Marsh Marigold

Lords and Ladies

Plants There are also some interesting specimens. The lower reservoir at Chellow Dene is the There is a great variety of wildflowers to only known site of the rusty backed fern in enjoy on the walks around the becks. The Yorkshire. And if you’re walking along Brad - most common flowers, such as ford Beck by Road, keep your eyes dandelions, daisies and buttercups make open for a sole fig tree. dazzling displays in season, while some of the less well-known create vivid In spring you might see wetland plants patches too. such as marsh marigold, golden saxifrage, kingcup, bistort, forget-me-not and yellow From late March to late May in particular there is a week-by-week unfolding of flag iris. Woodland and shade plants in - flowers to see, with the added pleasure of clude lords and ladies, celandine, wood constant birdsong. From June onwards some anemone, wild garlic, bluebell, pink areas, especially the wetter ones, are over - campion and wood sorrel. In the whelmed with tall willowherb, rosebay and hedgerows you can find coltsfoot, cow the invasive himalayan balsam, all in shades parsley, groundsel and herb robert. In of pinkish mauve. The other big invader, grassy areas look out for buttercup, sorrel, japanese knotweed, can also be seen plantain, clover, dock, cowslip and around Bull Greave Beck. speedwell.

6 Wood Sorrel

Common Bistort Spring is also the flowering time for trees such pussy willow, blackthorn, wild cherry and hawthorn. In summer, wetland plants include ragged Animals robin, watercress, purple loosestrife, The two largest animals you might see are meadowsweet, himalayan balsam and roe deer and foxes. Roe deer, with their greater willowherb. In woodland you might distinctive white rump, have been spotted see enchanter’s nightshade, honeysuckle, in much of the woodland visited in these wood avens, lady's mantle and lesser walks, such as Heaton Woods and Pitty willowherb, and in grassy areas look out for Beck wetlands. Smaller, more common knapweed, greater burdock and ragwort. animals, such as frogs, toads and snails, At this time hedgerows can be packed with can be found particularly in wetter areas. thistle, campion, goosegrass, foxglove, If you are lucky you might see a dragonfly feverfew, hogweed, mallow and rosebay. flashing. The most common fish found in On higher ground you can see wood sage, the becks is the brown trout, sometimes hawkbit, heather, gorse and broom. swimming in shoals.

7 The Plaque Trail Follow the trail of 15 plaques along the route of Bradford Beck as it flows hidden beneath the centre of Bradford. Each one of the dark slate-coloured paving stones bears two lines of a poem, the sponsor’s name and an arrow showing the beck’s direction of flow. The poem was the win - ning entry in a public poetry competition held in 2015. A more detailed tour of the plaques is available at: www.markingbradfordbeck.org to grind their corn here. The trail is 0.8km long and begins It was demolished in 1871. alongside the former Odeon cinema Plaque 5: Bottom of Sunbridge Road. (Bradford Live) in Thornton Road. Sponsor: Yorkshire Water. Plaque 1: On the wooden hoarding. Sunbridge Road is named after the Sun Inn, Sponsor: Bradford Live. an important meeting place on the site of In the 18th century a brewery stood here. the Co-operative Bank opposite. It was Cholera bacteria in the beck were killed by near Sun Bridge, one of the beck crossing the brewing process and beer provided safe points. liquid and calories for working people. Plaque 6: Tyrell Street, by the benches. Plaque 2: A traffic island at the end of This plaque is dedicated to the 56 people Thornton Road. Sponsor: Safe Style. who died in the fire at Bradford City In April 1891, mill workers who had been football ground in May 1985. on strike through a harsh winter, gathered Plaque 7: Tyrell Street, across from the near here to demonstrate. The Riot Act was benches. Sponsor: Cinderella Club. read and troops dispersed the crowd. Here, if this were 1800, you would be Plaque 3: Godwin Street, outside standing on Ive Bridge, looking down on Aldermanbury House. the beck. Ivegate is one of Bradford’s Sponsor: Anchor Housing. oldest streets. The bridge was later called The 1800 map of Bradford shows a network Sun Bridge. of goits or mill streams in this area. One of Plaque 8: Market Street. them flowed into the beck just where you Sponsor: Rimmingtons. stand. In 1946 heavy rain fell and water levels in Plaque 4: Miller Gate, a small cul-de-sac Bradford Beck rose. Pressure built up and off Aldermanbury. Sponsor: British Land. the beck exploded through Market Street, This is the site of a medieval corn mill which dislodging hundreds of wooden cobbles. was built around 1530 and was powered by Plaque 9: Market Street, by the bus stop. an artificial mill race. The mill was owned by This plaque is dedicated to the memory of the Lord of the Manor and his tenants had local resident Jackie Emmott.

8 Plaque 10: Next to a bookmakers on Bank Street. Sponsor: Grattan. Look up the hill from this plaque, and you Plaque 13: In the Broadway Shopping can just see a turreted corner of the former centre by the Market Street information Wool Exchange. This was the hub of Brad - plinth. Sponsor: The Broadway. ford's wool trade until the 1960s, by which The Broadway Shopping Centre was built time the city’s world-renowned over the former Broad Ford, after which position as ‘Worstedopolis’ had all but Bradford is named. ended. Plaque 14: Lower Kirkgate, outside Plaque 11: Across the road from Plaque River Island. 10. Sponsor: Feature Radiators. Sponsor: The Broadway. Below your feet the beck runs through a Below you was once a junction controlled cathedral of vaulted arches. Total darkness by a sluice gate where water was hides intricate Victorian masonry, elegant in channelled off to feed the beginning of the its symmetry and geometry. – although the canal Plaque 12: By Zizzi restaurant. company never had permission to use Sponsor: The Broadway. water from the beck! Here once stood one of Bradford’s Plaque 15: Cross the road and along a handsomest Victorian buildings, Swan Ar - few paces. Sponsor: Napoleons. cade. The writer J. B. Priestley was em - This plaque is close to what was once the ployed here and he campaigned terminal basin of the Bradford Canal and vigorously to save it, but it was demolished what was formerly a vast area of docks. The in 1962. canal closed in 1922 and was filled in.

9 Northcliffe Dike and Red Beck

An easy walk along the becks that run through Northcliffe Woods and Heaton Woods. These two wooded valleys, which today are so peaceful, were once the scene of extensive industry, including mining and brick manufacturing. Length: 4km. Terrain: Easy paths with some road walking where care is needed. One short climb. Starting point: Car park in Cliff Wood Av - enue, off Bradford Road. BD18 3DD. tually you will see Heaton Woods unfolding GR146366. on the left and right. Walk down the hill Parking: In the car park. and on the bend at the bottom go through Bus: Buses from Bradford along Bradford the gap in the wall on the left and take the Road (623, 626, 653, 662). Get off at Nor - steps down to Red Beck. wood Terrace and walk forward to 4. Cross the footbridge and continue with Cliff Wood Avenue. the beck on your left. After about 100 me - tres you come to a small tributary which is 1. From the car park take the main path an orange/red colour. This is caused by the through the metal barrier. Follow the path presence of iron ochre from old minework - past the miniature railway and the picnic ings and is presumably what originally gave area. Just past the picnic area Northcliffe Red Beck its name. Continue Dike appears on your left. Continue along following the path beside the beck all the the path beside the beck all the way to the way to the exit from the woods, ignoring all end to where there are steps on the left and paths going up on the right and right. footbridges on the left. Go through the 2. Turn left and cross the beck. The beck metal gate and turn right to reach the road. itself continues forward for a few hundred It is still possible to see the beck running in metres and then disappears underground. a culvert behind the garages on the right. It Climb the steps and at the top take the path eventually meets up with Northcliffe Dike ahead to cross the golf course. and the two then flow down into Bradford 3. When the path emerges onto the road Beck. (Shay Lane), turn left and walk down the 5. When you reach the road, turn left into road. Cars go quite fast along this road, so Wilmer Drive and at the end turn right into take care. Pass the footpath signposted Redburn Drive. At the end turn left into the Heaton Royds Lane and continue on. Even - main road and return to the beginning.

10 Opposite page and left: Red Beck. Below: Northcliffe Dike.

11 Chellow Dene Beck and Reservoirs

This walk starts at Chellow Dene wetlands, which were constructed in 2005. They consist of a series of ponds and reed beds that act together to re - move sediment and impurities from the water before returning it to the beck fur - ther downstream. The walk then circles the Chellow Dene reservoirs, which were built in the mid-19th century to provide a stable water supply for the people of Bradford . Above: Chellow Dene Beck. Length: 6.3km. Opposite page: Two views of the reservoir. Terrain: Easy, with two short climbs. Starting point: Entrance to Chellow Dene the reservoir. At the end of the first Wetlands at the bend in Ings Way, reservoir follow the main path left as it BD8 0LU. GR134366. makes a short steep ascent to the second Parking: Park courteously in Ings Way. reservoir. Keep following the path along the Bus: Buses from Bradford along Thornton side of the reservoir. Road (607, 615, 696, 697, 698). Get off at 3. When you reach the end of the second Olive Grove. Cross the road, walk up Olive reservoir keep forward, ignoring steps on Grove and at the top cross over into Ings the left and right, until you come to a broad Way. path going back on the right, just before the 1. After entering the wetlands follow the car park. From here you follow this path path with Chellow Dene Beck on your right. through woodland all the way above both Ignore the first footbridge on the right, and reservoirs, keeping as close as possible to keep forward to cross the river at a second the golf course on the left. Sometimes the footbridge. Turn left and follow the path path divides but it always meets up again. with the beck on your left. Eventually, cross 4. When you reach the steps down to the the beck by stepping stones and follow the path between the two reservoirs, ignore path as it rises uphill and emerges onto a these and keep forward through the road. Turn right and walk up to Allerton woodland. Eventually the path comes down Road. Turn right and carefully cross the road to emerge near the end of the lower using the pedestrian central refuge island. reservoir. Turn left and at the end turn right 2. Go over the stile by the gate and follow to cross the edge of the reservoir. At the the path which runs along the right side of end, go through the stile, turn left, and re - the field, with the beck on your right. When trace your steps to the beginning. you reach the reservoir, go right through the stile and turn left to walk along the side of

12 13 14 A five beck circular This walk takes a circular sweep of west Bradford to visit five of the becks that make up Bradford’s river system.

15 Above left: Bull Greave Beck. Above right: Chellow Dene wetlands. Length: 9km. path down. Before you reach the footbridge Terrain: An easy walk mainly on go right and through a metal kissing-gate. semi-urban footpaths, with three short as - Go half right towards the right of the cents and some road walking. fenced paddock to a Starting point: The small bridge over Pitty footbridge. This crosses Bull Greave Beck Beck in Leaventhorpe Lane, BD8 0EG (near (beck no. 4) coming down to join Middle Blackburn Close). GR126329. Brook. Parking: By the bridge in Leaventhorpe 3. Go over the footbridge and follow the Lane. track until you reach a weir on the left. Bus: Buses from Bradford city centre along Cross the footbridge next to the weir, and Thornton Road (607, 615, 696, 697, 698). take the path half-left left across rough Get off at Rhodesway. Walk back for a short ground to emerge out on a road. Turn right distance and take the snicket between 1055 and walk up to Thornton Road. Cross the Thornton Road and commercial buildings, road via the pedestrian crossing and walk cross the road and take the footpath up Shuttleworth Lane opposite. At the end, opposite which emerges at the starting cross the road and turn right. At the next point of the walk. junction turn left into Ings Way and enter 1. Take the path past the metal gate Chellow Dene Wetlands where the road following the flow of Pitty Beck (beck no. bends to the left. 1). At the flat concrete bridge Clayton Beck 4. Follow the path with Chellow Dene Beck (beck no. 2) comes from the right to join up (beck no. 5) on your right. Ignore the first with Pitty Beck, when it becomes Middle footbridge on the right, and keep forward Brook (beck no. 3). Cross the bridge and to cross the beck at a second footbridge. turn left along a grassy path. Keep forward Turn left and follow the path with the beck along this path as it rises slightly, and keep on your left. Eventually, cross the beck by following it along the river bank to meet a stepping stones and follow the path as it metal barrier ahead. Pass by the barrier to rises uphill and emerges onto a road. join a track. Turn right and walk up to Allerton Road. 2. Cross the track and take a small Turn right and then carefully cross the road indistinct path opposite which climbs up the using the central refuge island. bank. Go over the crude stile into a field. 5. Go over the stile by a gate and follow The path goes half right to exit the field by the path along the right side of the field, another crude stile. Turn left and follow the with the beck on your right. When you

16 Above left: Middle Brook. Above right: Middle Brook weir. reach the reservoir, go right through the stile to find a stile in the wall on the right. Go and turn left to walk along the side of the through this and follow the wall through reservoir. At the end of the first two fields. At the top go through a gateway reservoir follow the main path left as it and then over the stile at the next gate. Turn makes a short steep ascent to the second right towards the farmhouse, and shortly reservoir. Keep following the path along the turn left to take a grassy walled path. At the side of the reservoir. After about 200 me - end go through a stile to walk across the tres, at a right bend, look out for a field, over another stile and go forward to yellow and black fishing sign on a tree. Take join the track to the road. the broad path to the left just after the tree 7. At the road, turn left and walk carefully and follow this as it climbs and bends right down the road to reach the pavement oppo - and left, eventually emerging onto a track. site. Walk down the road, cross Pitty Beck at Turn right and follow this track, the bridge and go right by the metal gate. ignoring turn offs, until you reach a junction Do not go uphill, go right to find a path be - of walled paths. Go right for approximately side Pitty Beck. Follow this path, with the 10 metres and then take a small path which beck on your right, to a rises up on the left. Keep to the right of the footbridge. Cross the footbridge and keep field, following a wall, and into a walled following the left hand side of the field until path. At the end of this turn left and follow you reach stepping stones. Go over the the track to the road. stepping stones and continue following the 6. Cross the road, turn right, and then turn path until you emerge on to Bell Dean Road. left into Cote Lane, and right into Bailey (If the water is too high to cross the step - Fold. Follow this road as it turns left and ping stones, climb half right and follow the goes downhill. At the end of the road take a path across fields and through a silver birch grassy path which goes half right. Go copse to reach Thornton Road.) through the gate and keep forward, 8. Turn right to reach Thornton Road and following the wall on your left through two cross this carefully. Turn left and walk along fields. When you enter a third field (through the road to a snicket between 1055 Thorn - a metal gate), keep forward down to the ton Road and commercial buildings. At the stream at the bottom. When you reach Pitty end, cross the road and take the footpath Beck, turn right and walk along until you opposite. The path descends to go along - find a stone slab across the beck (to the side Pitty Beck and emerges onto the start - right of trees). Cross the beck and turn left ing point of the walk.

17 Bradford to Shipley along Bradford Beck

Because Bradford Beck is underground in Spinkwell, which fed a spa in the 18th Bradford city centre, you have to walk century, and the second is Boar’s Well, asso- for a while before getting the chance to ciated with the famous Bradford Boar which see it. This linear walk takes you on an is reputed to have terrorised local inhabi- interesting route out of the city centre tants in the 14th century. Eventually you before joining the Canal Road Greenway come out onto busy King’s Road. beside the beck. 3. T urn right up King’s Road to the traffic Length: 6 km. lights. Carefully cross the road so that you Terrain: A climb at the beginning and one in continue walking up Kings Road on the left the middle, otherwise easy going. hand side. Take the first left down Bolton Starting point: The beginning of Bolton Lane, then the second right along Hollin Road by the flight of stone steps near the Close Lane. Follow this unmade road as it entrance to . BD1 4DA. eventually bears right up a slight incline. GR167332. When you reach the last house on the right, Parking: T here are numerous car parks in take the narrow footpath on the right of the Bradford City Centre. house. Go through the metal bollards and Bus and train: is a continue straight ahead, climbing uphill. ten-minute walk away, Forster Square is five At the end, turn left and continue straight minutes. ahead to emerge onto a road. 1. Go up the flight of stone steps 4. Turn left and walk along the road to a (signposted Dalesway Link Path). Continue metal barrier. Go past the barrier and walk uphill and emerge onto a road. Turn left, down the road, past the metal gates, to the and take the second turning on the right end. Turn left, and where the road bends into a cobbled road (Captain Street). Follow left, take the clearly marked path on the this road, crossing two streets, and at the end right - - this is the Canal Road Greenway. cross the road and turn right into Bolton Walk down the path to meet Bradford Beck, Road to walk up to the traffic lights. Turn constrained in a brick-lined culvert. left for a short distance to the pedestrian 5. Turn right and follow the Greenway, with crossing, and cross the main road to rejoin the beck on your left, for approximately Bolton Road on the opposite side. 2.5km, until you reach a temporary 2. C ontinue up the road for approximately footpath signposted on the left. At the time 275 metres and take the first left down of writing, this crosses the beck by a cobbled Lawson Street. At the bottom turn footbridge and crosses meadowland to ar- right and enter the Boar’s Well nature re- rive at the entrance to Shipley Station. Alter- serve at the end. Follow the level path natively, you can carry on along the straight ahead through the reserve. Look out Greenway until it emerges onto Road. for two wells on the right; the first is Turn left here for the station.

18 Above right: Spinkwell. Below: Bradford Beck alongside Canal Road. Below right: Bradford Beck near Shipley.

19 The source of Pitty Beck

This walk takes you close to the point After passing the tree turn right and follow where Pitty Beck emerges from a an indistinct path as it goes round to the left swampy area to become a stream, al - and climbs up to a wall at the top of the though there is only a fleeting glimpse of field. Follow this wall on your left, go the beck as it runs under a small through a metal gate beside a farmhouse, footbridge. Pitty Beck is one of the main and continue forward with the wall on your tributaries of Bradford Beck and there left. Stay on this path, which becomes in - are also good views of the valley that it creasingly narrow and stony (and muddy!), flows through. and after it curves left by the back of some Length: 4.5km. houses go through a small wooden gate Terrain: Two short climbs, otherwise easy next to a telegraph pole. Turn left to take a going. narrow walled path to a road in the hamlet Starting point: By the footpath sign to of Egypt. Egypt is one of a number of places Egypt in Long Lane, off Allerton Road, BD15 in the area with biblical names – you can 8AH. GR100341. also find Jericho, Jerusalem and World’s Parking: There is space for two cars to park End. These reflect the Puritan opposite the track at the beginning of the influence in the Thornton area. walk. 3. Turn left for about 100 metres and take Bus: There are no bus routes near the start the signed footpath on the right. At the end of this walk. go over the stile and follow the wall on your 1. Go along the track signposted to Egypt. left through three more stiles to enter a After about 100 metres go left over a stile gravelled yard at Upper Stream Head Farm. beside a metal gate. Follow the path be - Go through a gate in the wall on the right, tween a fence and a wall through two fields cross the drive and walk along the stone and at the end go through a metal gate. path opposite to enter the yard. Turn right Cross the lane and go through the metal and then go to the left of a grass island to pedestrian gate opposite. After about 75 go through a small wooden gate next to the metres look for a gap in the fence on your building. Go forward along a track and right, go though this and follow the path through a gate into a field. forward and over a wooden Go straight upwards for a short distance footbridge (ignore a path to the left). (approx 20m) and take a path which forks Keep following the path until you cross a right to go gently downhill. Keep going in footbridge and stile over Pitty Beck. the same direction, through a gap in a wall, 2. Go half right to cross the field over the towards a walled path beside houses duckboarding which is clearly visible, and ahead. At the beginning of the walled path climb to the right of a large holly tree. Ig - is a footbridge, and this marks the most nore a path going right and keep westerly point you can see Pitty Beck from a climbing up to go to the left of a small tree. public footpath.

20 Near the source of Pitty Beck. 4. You now need to return to Egypt. Retrace your steps to the road, turn left and walk down the hill to Egypt. Turn right into the footpath you arrived by, and after it turns left keep forward to go down a flagged path and emerge in front of houses. Take the foot - path ahead to the right, signposted Long Lane. At the top go over the stile and go half left for about 3 metres, then go right to join a broad path. Follow this path forward until you reach a stile in the corner of a wall. Fol - low the path down beside a farmhouse to go over another stile and then walk forward to meet the farm track, which will take you back to the beginning of the walk.

21 Pinch Beck , High Birks Beck and Hole Bottom Beck

A switchback walk between three the wall on your left. At the bottom corner valleys, with some steep climbs. Al - go over the stile and follow the path to go though you don’t spend much time walk - through a stile by a metal gate. Follow a ing by the becks, this walk gives a fine faint path along the valley side, gently de - sense of the network of tributaries that scending towards a gap in a wall. This is a flow down from the Queensbury ridge delightful place, with High Birks Beck wind - into Bradford Beck. ing along the valley and views towards the Warning! This walk involves one very village of Mountain on the horizon. boggy section, so make sure you are Go through the gap in the wall and keep in wearing suitable footwear. the same direction to cross the beck by a footbridge. Go through the metal gate in the Length: 6km. wall ahead. Terrain: Quite strenuous in places, with 3 steep climbs. Some road walking. 3. Follow the path steeply uphill, go over Starting point: Path to Great Northern Trail the stile at the top of the field and continue next to Thornton Primary School, Thornton to climb on a clear path through rough Road BD13 3NN. GR096327. ground. Enter a walled track, pass by the Parking: There is some parking on Thornton side of a wooden gate and keep forward to Road, or park courteously in side streets. emerge onto a track. Turn left along the Bus: Buses from Bradford to Thornton (607, track -- there are good views here across the 696, 698). Get off at Vine Terrace and walk valley to Thornton and beyond. Take the towards the pedestrian crossing. footpath on the right signposted Marley Lane. At the end, cross the road and turn 1. Take the Great Northern Trail and follow left. Follow the road round to the right, and it round the back of the school. At the path where the road curves left keep forward junction turn left to walk along Thornton along Brow Lane for about 200m until you Viaduct, which crosses Pinch Beck running reach a former railway bridge. 33 metres below. The viaduct is a Grade ll 4. When you are underneath the bridge, listed building and is regarded as one of the take the road on the left which leads greatest viaducts in England. It opened in through a metal gate to Hole Bottom Farm. 1878 as part of the Queensbury to Just before a set of large wooden gates, go line, and finally closed in 1965. Keep on the through a small wooden gate on the left path until you reach the road. and follow a grassy footpath above the 2. At the road, turn right, walk up the hill buildings. At a gap in the trees you can see for about 20 metres and take the footpath an elaborate chimney on the other side of on the left to West Scholes. Go through the the valley, which is all that remains of the squeeze stile and walk down the field with Clayton Fireclay Brickworks. Eventually you

22 NORTH

Above left: Thornton viaduct. Above right: Clayton Fireclay Brickworks chimney.

23 Above left: High Birks Beck footbridge. Above right: High Birks Beck.

Clayton Fireclay Brickworks. Eventually you slightly right towards a wall and walk up will see Hole Bottom Beck running along the the field with this wall on your left – there valley bottom. Follow the path through two is no obvious path. In the far corner go squeeze stiles and continue forward with the through the stile, then over the stile on the wall on your right. When you reach the left, and then turn right and follow the path buildings, go over a stile next to a wooden to the road. Turn left here and follow the gate into the yard. Ignore the gate straight road steeply upwards for about 250m to the ahead, and go to the right of a junction with the Great Northern Trail. yellow building to emerge onto a track. Walk 6. Just before the Great Northern Trail take down the track to the road (Cockin Lane). the footpath on the right signposted Thorn - 5. Turn right and walk with great care down ton. Go through two stiles and turn right to the road to Corn Mill Lane on the left. Turn follow a grassy walled footpath. left here (sp Bronte Way). Where the path At the end, go though a metal gate and bends to the right look for a metal gate and down the stone steps to a golf course, and stile on the left. Go over the stile, then half then go straight ahead to reach a left and after a short climb look for a wall footbridge at the far end of the green. Cross ahead with two trees in front. Head towards the footbridge and follow the flagged path the right end of the wall. Pinch Beck is down uphill. When you come to the road, turn left on your right, At the end of the wall, go along Alderscholes Lane. Before the viaduct through the metal footpath gate and turn right into Lane End, which soon be - follow the fence and wall on your right to go comes a narrow path past houses, and fol - through another gate. Keep following the low this until it emerges on to Thornton fence, and where the fence bends right keep Road. Turn left to return to the beginning of forward to another gate in the wall ahead. the walk. Warning – the area round this gate can be very swampy at any time of year. Head

24 How to keep our rivers and becks clean

Better Better Becks Bradford

Clean becks running through woodlands, Above: A short natural stretch of Bradford farms, parks and cities bring pleasure to Beck near the city centre. everyone. Clean streams are healthy, sup - Inset: an urban trout. porting fish, birds and other wildlife; we have trout, dippers, and kingfishers in Many people benefit if our becks are clean! Bradford’s Becks when the water is clean. Even if you can’t see a river from your front Clean, healthy and accessible becks make door, your actions do affect it. the city and villages better places to live, So please: work and play. ᑹ Report any pollution you see. But it doesn’t take much to damage the ᑹ Check your own house for water quality, especially with 200,000 misconnected drains. people living in the area that drains to Brad - ford Beck. The water then goes on to join ᑹ Ask at work if the drains have been the River Aire at Shipley, flows down to checked recently. Leeds and on to the North Sea. ᑹ And enjoy Bradford’s Becks!

25 How do sewers and drains work?

A house correctly connected to surface water and foul sewers .

Rainwater from roofs and roads can be sent straight to streams. Sewage – foul water from toilets, sinks, domestic appliances, car-washes and factories – must go for clean-up at a treatment Above top: Waste water from a food factory. works before being released to the river. Above: Misconnections can send dirty water straight into our becks. New houses (1960s onwards) have separate sewers for rain and sewage. Pollution occurs Older houses (1920s and earlier) usually when the foul sewer is misconnected to the have combined sewers taking both foul and rainwater sewer and ends up in the stream rainwater; the 1930s to 1950s was a without treatment. period of transition between layouts. For example, in a house a new bathroom With combined sewers, pollution occurs might be accidently connected to the when they are overloaded by too much rain, rainwater pipe because it is closest! When and the excess mixed water has to be factories change their layout of equipment, discharged direct to the stream through a waste water may be plumbed into the combined sewer overflow (CSO). There are nearest (and wrong) drain. The sewers for over 50 of these CSOs in the Bradford Beck new houses are sometimes misconnected by catchment. They should only flow a few the builder. times a year during heavy rain.

26 In the road

Road drainage often goes direct to the nearest stream, even in areas where the houses have combined sewers. So any pollution on the road and pavement can damage the waterway. Please don’t: No suds ᑹ Wash your car on the driveway or in down the the street. Go to a car wash or stand drains! the car on gravel where the water can soak away. ᑹ Leave dog poo! Unpleasant on the street, and washed into the river when it rains. ᑹPour waste oil, paint or dirty water down the road drain. ᑹ And if you spot a tanker unloading into a gully, report it!

Don’t pour unwanted Below: A tanker discharging in the road. chemicals, paints or oils in the drains. Recycle instead.

27 Spotting and reporting pollution

Above left: Discolouration due to sewage. Above right: Pollution from a surface water drain. Right: Pollution by acid mine drainage. Below right: Illegal paint discharge. What are you looking for? ᑹDiscolouration – muddy, grey, white, orange - almost any colour. Although if the water is fluorescent green, it may be a dye used for for tracing misconnections. ᑹGrey fungus – growing on the bed and water plants. ᑹOutfalls – flowing when it isn’t raining. ᑹColoured discharges. ᑹOutfall pipes – with grey growth on them. ᑹIf it looks wrong – it probably is!

28 To report pollution: ᑹTake photos! ᑹPhone the Environment Agency (EA) Hotline 0800 80 70 60. Ask for an incident number and for a report back on action taken. ᑹIf it might be sewage, Above top: A stream polluted by fly tipping. also report to Yorkshire Water Above left: Fungus growing caused by a 0345 1 24 24 24. sewage leakage into a beck. Above right: Sewage leaks from an outfall. ᑹUse Twitter: This often gets a quick response from YW Images credits in this section: Theo Pike (South East Rivers Trust), Robert Hellawell, Gary Rushworth, Barney Lerner, Connectright, but don’t use it for the EA. Telegraph and Argus, Kevin Sunderland. ᑹTell Friends of Bradford’s Becks too, via Facebook, Twitter or email. Flytipping: Include the EA incident number. ᑹFlytipping is dealt with by Facebook: Bradford Council and can be reported www.facebook.com/groups/ by calling the Council BradfordsBecks/ 01274 434366 Twitter: @BradfordsBecks and asking for the Environment Email: [email protected] Enforcement Team.

29 Bradford’s Becks

Pinch Beck

Clayton Beck High Birks Beck

Pitty Beck

Middle Brook

Chellow Dene reservoir

Red Beck Bradford Beck

Published by Friends of Bradford’s Becks, April 2017. www.bradford-beck.org