Slaithwaite to Golcar the High Road
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
www.golcarandslaithwaitewalkers.org.uk surrounding hills surrounding of the highest points on the on points highest the of L S A I & T H R of the Colne Valley, taking in some in taking Valley, Colne the of W A A C L I A linking walk with excellent views excellent with walk linking A T O E G G E O T I L C A A W R H T & I A S L uk or phone 01484 221 000. 221 01484 phone or uk accessed by contacting Kirklees Council website at www.kirklees.gov. at website Council Kirklees contacting by accessed of permissive paths. The defi nitive guide to local rights of way can be be can way of rights local to guide nitive defi The paths. permissive of does not imply a right of way. In some cases this walk takes advantage advantage takes walk this cases some In way. of right a imply not does warnings. Please note that the walking route as described in this leafl et et leafl this in described as route walking the that note Please warnings. property. It is in the best interest of walkers to observe these safety safety these observe to walkers of interest best the in is It property. Welcome September 2015. September Welcome be held responsible for any claims arising from damage to person or or person to damage from arising claims any for responsible held be republished by Golcar and Slaithwaite Walkers are are Walkers Slaithwaite and Golcar by republished nd a updated et Leafl faith to provide adequate safety warnings and they cannot in any way way any in cannot they and warnings safety adequate provide to faith Original leafl et published by Colne Valley Trust in 1999. in Trust Valley Colne by published et leafl Original original leafl et author and leafl et artist, have attempted in all good good all in attempted have artist, et leafl and author et leafl original e Walkers are Welcome, together with the the with together Welcome, are Walkers e ait Slaithw and Golcar mer lai Disc on 01484 221 000 221 01484 on The High Road High The website at www.kirklees.gov.uk/visitors/accommodation or by phone phone by or www.kirklees.gov.uk/visitors/accommodation at website tion are available from the Kirklees Council Council Kirklees the from available are tion moda accom local of Details dation o mm Acco Slaithwaite to Golcar to Slaithwaite route. in Slaithwaite and Golcar and also on the the on also and Golcar and Slaithwaite in s pub and cafes are There nk Dri and Food ~ Libraries in Slaithwaite and Golcar. and Slaithwaite in Libraries 0845 604 5460. Local timetables are also available in the Public Public the in available also are timetables Local 5460. 604 0845 The Colne Valley Colne The at www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/calderdale_huddersfield or phone or www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/calderdale_huddersfield at local buses are operated by First Bus. For details check the website website the check details For Bus. First by operated are buses local 7676. (Metro also provide details of local train services) Most of the the of Most services) train local of details provide also (Metro 7676. Yorkshire Metro website at www.wymetro.com or phone 0113 245 245 0113 phone or www.wymetro.com at website Metro Yorkshire and Village Walks Village and The Colne Valley has frequent bus services. For details contact the West West the contact details For services. bus frequent has Valley Colne The Sales on 0844 241 3454. 241 0844 on Sales A series of Countryside of series A the Northern Trains website at www.northernrail.org or phone Ticket Ticket phone or www.northernrail.org at website Trains Northern the m for their support their for m Museu Valley Colne • Victoria) with stations at Slaithwaite and Marsden. For details contact contact details For Marsden. and Slaithwaite at stations with Victoria) The Colne Valley has a regular train service (Huddersfi eld to Manchester Manchester to eld (Huddersfi service train regular a has Valley Colne The llen for use of her original drawings original her of use for llen Astley-Mu Maureen • Trail . can you as often as ansport tr public use Please Trust leafl et leafl Trust ransport T blic Pu iding the text for the original Colne Valley Valley Colne original the for text the iding prov for Littlewood David • countryside and respect its life and work. and life its respect and countryside The Colne Valley Colne The printing of the leafl et leafl the of printing under control, take your litter home and take care on roads. Enjoy the the Enjoy roads. on care take and home litter your take control, under tive Community Fund for generously funding the the funding generously for Fund Community tive era Co-op The • Please keep to public paths, leave gates as you fi nd them, keep dogs dogs keep them, nd fi you as gates leave paths, public to keep Please you are walking across other people’s land. people’s other across walking are you their help in arranging for this leafl et to be updated and re-printed. and updated be to et leafl this for arranging in help their g organisations and individuals for for individuals and organisations g llowin fo the thank to like would We remember and code country the follow please king, wal are you When gements ed l Acknow code Country Slaithwaite to Golcar – The High Road handrail. Take care as this path can be very slippery, Glance behind you to the right, and you will see one and water often runs down it. Floored with setts it of the many disused quarries which litter the valley A circular walk with break-off points. leads steeply uphill. After a fl ight of steps turn right sides, from which stone was won to build the local Distance: 4 miles to Golcar and approximately 7 miles and continue up the setted path. dwellings. On your left the steep drop into Crimble for the complete circular route. Clough opens out, this being one of the deepest and Time: Allow two and a half hours to Golcar and four As you climb, take the opportunity to turn and look most accessible of the narrow valleys leading down to hours for the complete route. at the emerging view of Slaithwaite and the Upper the main valley fl oor. This circular walk links two of the valley villages. It Colne Valley. provides some fi ne views of the Colne Valley and more 5. Bear left at the bend, following the main road distant places. There are steep ascents and descents, As the slope eases, the wall on the left ends and the and ignoring Drummer Lane, which would be a quick and one awkward piece of rough terrain on the way view opens out ahead. way to Golcar! You now face a long straight stretch down into Golcar. of road which leads across the top of the hamlet of Stout footwear is recommended. 3. Now you can see both up and down the valley, Bolster Moor, with radio masts on the skyline. To the Use Explorer No 288 (Bradford, Huddersfi eld and East with the village of Linthwaite to the left as you face right lies the hilltop settlement of Scapegoat Hill. Calderdale) to add to the information shown on the the wall on your right. Along this road, pass the former Clough Head Baptist leafl et map. Chapel (now a private house), one of several Baptist Go over the stile at the top and continue along a foundations within a very small area. Nonconformist 1. Start the walk by The Commercial Inn in the middle grassy path keeping close to the low wall on your chapels tend to cluster on the hillsides in these parts of Slaithwaite at the crossroads of Brittania Road, right, walk towards the group of houses about 150 as a result of the refusal of the Earl of Dartmouth to Carr Lane and Station Road. Turn along Carr Lane, yards away. The path kinks to the right halfway along, allow them to be built on his extensive estate in and past the junction with Lewisham Road (Co-operative then immediately swings left again. around Slaithwaite. store on the corner) and the Slaithwaite Methodist Chapel. Continue over the next junction and round When you reach a large metal gate, cross the stone the bend under the railway viaduct and along for a stile to the left and bear right up the gravel lane further 50 yards to The Swan public house. Keeping beyond, to reach the metalled road opposite a post the pub on your left, walk round the building and box. You are now in Westwood hamlet. cross the road (this is a busy junction, take care) to the corner opposite the postbox on Radcliffe Road. 4. Turn left along Wellgate, with perhaps another look behind at the view, which improves all the time. Ahead see the former Westwood Mission Church, now converted for use as a Christian residential centre. Keep right by the Mission, up Westwood Edge Road. Not many years ago, the hamlet boasted a shop behind one of the houses in this row, but no more. Leaving the houses behind, continue to the brow of the hill. At the fi rst cross-roads, go straight across into Pinfold Lane. The building over the fi eld on the left is Clough Head Primary School. The presence of several small schools high above the valley bears witness to the large population which inhabited these isolated moorland hamlets and eked a living from farming and weaving.