magazine autumn 2011 magazine autumn 2011 Northern Northern England 08/08/2011 13:02 03 , 04 Stoodley Pike, West Yorkshire ● Distance 10km/6 miles ● Time 4hrs ● Type Hill ● Distance 13km/8 miles ● Time 4hrs ● Type Hill

NAVIGATION FITNESS NAVIGATION FITNESS 2 LEVEL 2 3 LEVEL 3 2 LEVEL 2 2 LEVEL 2

IS A H Plan your walk TH OL Plan your walk E ID K A A with Y ! M Ramblers Barnoldswick w

k Countrywide ● w u w . WANSFELL Holidays o . r .c a e m id WEST YORKSHIRE bl w erscountry ● Leeds Kendal Broughton ● in Furness STOODLEY ● CUMBRIA PIKE

Oldham ●

● Holmfi rth ● Manchester ● Lancaster

WHERE: Circular walk from WHERE: Circular walk via Stockghyll from Todmorden in the Force, Wansfell and South Pennines. PHOTOGRAPHY: NEIL COATES PHOTOGRAPHY: Troutbeck. FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: START/END: Todmorden START/END: Long-stay car The bustling tourist town of the north of the town (SD936241). A renovated extravaganza of 1. START From Todmorden Town park near Ambleside TIC Ambleside makes an excellent (NY376047), walk back down TERRAIN: Towpath, lanes, locks, lengths and pounds strikes Hall (SD936241), walk along (NY376047). base as a walking centre, with a towards the centre, bearing L moorland tracks and paths. through the South Pennines, Rochdale Road (A6033) and TERRAIN: Clear paths, fi ne variety of local routes from past the TIC and Salutation MAPS: OS Explorer OL21; linking the Victorian industrial slip R on to the cobbled path quiet lanes and woodland which to choose. For novice Hotel. As the road bears round Landranger 103. behemoths of south Lancashire’s immediately past the library. tracks, with a steep climb fell-walkers, or those new to the to the R, turn L along a narrow GETTING THERE: cotton towns with the woollen Turn sharp-L beneath the bridge up Wansfell. , there are two nearby lane between Barclays Bank Todmorden train station is and worsted centres of Yorkshire’s along the canal towpath and MAPS: OS Explorer OL7; fells – Loughrigg to the west of (on the L) and the Market Hall on the line from Manchester Calder Valley. The Rochdale Canal, remain on this for the next Landranger 90. the town and Wansfell to the (on the R), then L again at the Victoria to Leeds via Halifax reopened in 2002, is a daunting 2 miles. Beyond the town’s GETTING THERE: Mainline east – which make excellent T-junction. You’ll see a sign (✆ 0871 200 2233, challenge to boaters but a delight industrial fringe, the waterway trains to Windermere, introductory hill walks, both opposite: ‘To the waterfalls’. www.traveline.org.uk). for ramblers, revealing both the takes on a pleasant semi-rural where regular buses take within the abilities of most. They Carry on up the lane and soon There are pay-and-display fascinating, hidden faces of the aspect, striking past meadows you to Ambleside – 555, 505 are also ideal as half-day routes if bear L again along a track car parks in Todmorden. old textile towns and villages and and stretches of woodland & 599 (✆ 0871 200 2233, poor weather spoils some of the signed: ‘This way to the EATING & DRINKING: some of the most enchanting before reaching Lock 14 at www.traveline.info). day. Wansfell Pike is the higher waterfalls’, which takes you into Top Brink Inn, Lumbutts, landscapes and countryside at Huncoat (SD965253). EATING & DRINKING: of the two, at 484m/1588ft, and Stockgyhll Woods. Follow the red Todmorden (✆ 01706 the core of the Industrial Lots of restaurants, affords superb views over the arrows, keeping to the upper 812696, www.topbrink. Revolution’s heart. This walk 2. Cross the bridge and join the cafés and takeaways in surrounding fells and down the path, which leads you to a good com). explores part of this heritage signed path into Height Wood, Ambleside. Recommended whole length of Windermere. viewing point for the falls. Just SLEEPING: Kilnhurst at Todmorden before heading rising R to join a rough lane. are Zeffi rellis cinema, It’s a steep but straightforward above is a picnic table and a sign: Old Hall, Kilnhurst for the hills and an airy Keep uphill to a L-hand hairpin pizzeria & café (✆ 015394 climb to the top, followed by a ‘To the revolving gate’. Turn Lane, Todmorden perambulation on the Pennine bend; and turn R on to the 33845, www.zeffi rellis.com) descent at a more moderate sharp R here and follow the (✆ 01706 814289, Way to Stoodley Pike, capped by bridleway, crossing the beck and and Sheila’s Cottage gradient to the village of path to the gate and lane, www.kilnhurstoldhall.co. a notable monument and blessed rising past the cottage, to pick restaurant and tea rooms Troutbeck. The return route via where you turn L. uk); Mankinholes YHA, with extraordinary views across up a grass-centred lane. Stay on (✆ 01539 433079). There’s Skelghyll Woods provides more Mankinholes, Todmorden the roof of England. Your return this for 365m/400yds and, just

also the Mortal Man pub in fi ne views of Windermere. 2. Soon on your R you’ll reach a (✆ 01706 812340, to Todmorden takes you via past the driveway for Stoodley ▲

Troutbeck (✆ 01539 433193, footpath signed for Troutbeck www.yha.org.uk). ▲ charming hillside hamlets lost Hall on your R, turn L up the

1. START From the car park to (just above some steps in the amidst haymeadows. farm lane. Bend to the R of the ▼ ▼ p51-52 WALK32 Routemaster Northern.indd 1 Ordnance Survey mapping © Crown copyright. AM34/08 4 5 3 which lies below in the Trout which lies below in the Trout The east window is Beck valley. particularly notable. R at the post office along 5. Turn a track called Robin Lane. The route back to Ambleside is well signed with lovely views over Windermere. Once in the woods you’ll pass the viewpoint of Jenkin Crag. Keep to the upper path at junctions in the woods. After joining a tarmac lane you drop down to the southern end of Ambleside and turn R back to the centre. Route devised by Fiona Barltrop

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Map not to scale. www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Representation of OS Landranger MAP 90 1:50,000

FINISH START START 1 come into view, and you should come into view, also be able to spot Grasmere and Rydal Water. summit Pike’s 3. From Wansfell there are excellent views of Windermere. Go through a gate and carry straight on down the clear path on the other side, ignoring a permissive footpath to the R when you reach a gate. Ahead of you to the L is triple-peaked ridge, , Yoke. flanked by and At the next gate you bear R on to a walled track called Nanny Lane and follow this down to Troutbeck. 4. When you reach the road turn R, but if you want to visit the just along Mortal Man pub, it’s is a the road to L. Troutbeck quiet, attractive village dating back to medieval times. It’s worth a short detour on choice of paths to visit the church,

a/ E r a Ks: Lake District : Plenty of nformation: i am BLE rs G oo Kendal Ramblers r

p: L U a DEB i pin sLEE Visitor GU Lo C Gro HOLIDAY: A THIS MAKE www.themortalman.co.uk). www.themortalman.co.uk). accommodation in Ambleside, including hostels, and more B&Bs at such as the Troutbeck, Mortal Man (see above). Contact the TIC for details. Ambleside TIC, Market Cross ( ✆ 01539 432582, www.golakes.co.uk). (Pathfinder) by Brian Walks Conduit (£10.95, Jarrold, ISBN 9780711704633); in the Lake District 50 Walks by Bill Birkett et al, (£9.99, AA Books, ISBN 9780749555955); from Fifteen Walks Ambleside and Grasmere by Paul Buttle (£2.50, Amadorn, ISBN 9780951371749). (www.ralakedistrict.talktalk. net); Summitt Good, 20s to 40s walking group (www. summittgood.blogspot. com). Choose from hundreds of British walking breaks with Ramblers Countrywide Holidays ( ✆ 01707 331133, www.ramblerscountrywide. co.uk). Continued... wall and a stile beyond). Head up this – first on a hard-surface path, then a well constructed quite a steep stone path. It’s climb all the way to top Pike, but the of Wansfell views back are ample reward: Ambleside nestling in the valley with the Langdale and below, Coniston Fells beyond and, to the north, Kirkstone Pass. As the fells of you get higher, classic Fairfield Horseshoe walk (to the north-west of Ambleside)

Ordnance Survey mapping © Crown copyright. AM34/08 4 3 through the edge, marked by a R here, tall standing stone. Turn joining a time-worn, paved path the moors. that snakes down off Go through a gate and ahead by a wall to tarred lane at Lumbutts Methodist Church (SD958233). L, shortly passing the 5. Turn Brink Inn. On your L drive to Top here is the remarkable built in 1830 waterwheel tower, to power the largely gone cotton mill. The tower contained three waterwheels built one above the obtaining three times the other, power per deluge of 18 tonnes of water per minute. The mill closed in 1926. Remain on the lane for just under a mile to pass Rest pub. Then the Shepherd’s take the second farm drive R (for the Longfield Equestrian Centre) and keep L to the green barn. Fork L on the rough track and trace this back to Todmorden. Along the way note Shewbread Quaker burial ground, tree-shaded on your L, before a delightful return to the town past archetypical weavers’ cottages. Route devised by Neil Coates 2 5 moorland edge here at Stoodley. moorland edge here at Stoodley. (PW) On reaching a Pennine Way fingerpost just shy of Swillington Farm, turn sharp-R and commence a gentle climb up on to the moors. At cross-wall, turn R over the stile and continue on the PW to eye-catching tower on Stoodley Pike (SD973242). The monument was built to commemorate abdication in 1814 Napoleon’s and completed, after a slight in 1815; hiccough and Waterloo, it was rebuilt in 1856 to celebrate the end of Crimean Spread at your feet is a War. veritable banquet of the best the South Pennines can offer: is the beyond Todmorden Cliviger Gorge, while to your right are the fabulous wooded vales above Hebden Bridge. Inbetween and beyond, a filigree of stone-walled meadows, secluded hamlets and sturdy farmsteads dapple the memorable landscape. 4. Join the braided path (PW) that skirts the edge of vast embayment down to your R. The path drops into a shallow pass

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South Pathfinder ) Map not to scale. OS Landranger MAP 103 1:50,000 www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Representation of Ks: South Pennine

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FINISH START START GU Visitor Lo C Todmorden TIC Todmorden ( ✆ 01706 818181, www.visittodmorden.co.uk). by Jack Keighley Walks (£5.99, Cicerone Press, ISBN 9781852843908); ( Pennines Walks by Neil Coates (£11.99, Crimson Press, ISBN 9781854585059); Calderdale: Country Walking by Paul Hannon (£6.99, Hillside Publications, ISBN 9781907626074). Calderdale Ramblers ( ✆ 01422 823440, www. ramblersyorkshire.org/ calderdale-group.php). Continued... farmhouse on a track through wall-gap, then immediately go L over a stile to rise beside wall to a rough old lane – London Road (SD969245). L on this lane, remaining 3. Turn on it for more than half a mile as it skirts the foot of steep

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