156 Dec 2018

THE WEST RIDING No 156 | Dec 2018 Journal of the West Riding Area of the Ramblers’ Association COVER PHOTO: Autumn woodland at Hardcastle Crags (near Hebden Bridge) Semi-Urban Walking- good for the winter months Back in August there was an article in cultural heritage and often scenic views Blackmoorfoot and Crosland Hill, passing published in The Guardian on the topic beyond, urban walking might not appeal Huddersfield Observatory, crossing the of urban walking. Whilst I fundamentally to all. However, it is surprising to discover golf course or venturing west towards disagreed with the journalist’s opinion the little pockets of green that are nestled Deer Hill. Again, a delightful area that walking in the countryside is ‘boring’ between the concrete of our towns and offering a choice of several charming and his implication that being crushed by cities. In this article we explore these pubs in which you can refresh yourself stampeding cows is almost probable, I did ‘semi-urban’ walking routes and pick a afterwards. agree that the best way to understand our few of our favourites for you to explore. urban settlements is to walk them on foot. Caroline I remember the first time I walked in Huddersfield London; having previously travelled by tube to the various destinations – being Just five minutes’ drive from Huddersfield Notice of the West staggered to discover the proximity of town centre is Castle Hill, a former Iron the Houses of Parliament to Buckingham Age hill fort area and later a site used Riding Area AGM Palace, for example. I remember the first for beacons during the Spanish Armada time I walked through Leeds and bothered and the Napoleonic Wars. Now Victoria The West Riding annual AGM will be to raise my eyeline above the shop Tower, built to commemorate the 60-year taking place on Saturday 2nd February windows to appreciate the architecture reign of Queen Victoria in 1897 [opening 2019 at the Clarke Foley Centre, Cunliffe that sits atop. in 1899] casts its watchful eye over the Road, Ilkley, LS29 9DZ. town and surrounding landscape. With During the winter months an urban walk impressive views, the network of paths Richard May, Norfolk Area Chair and a has the benefits of less mud underfoot, through fields and woodland connects member of the Board of Trustees will be and a shorter excursion is easier in the you to the neighbouring communities of in attendance. reduced daylight hours. These walks are Newsome, Almondbury and Farnley Tyas useful at Christmastime [perhaps with – to name but a few. reluctant relatives and [grand] children Any members wishing to put forward a motion must do so by Friday 11th in tow] to walk off the festive over- On the Southern side of the Colne Valley indulgences! January. you can climb up from the suburb of Whilst our Yorkshire settlements are rich Linthwaite to the moorland between www.facebook.com/RamblersYorkshire www.ramblersyorkshire.org [email protected] Shadwell, Leeds Shadwell is an attractive village six miles north-east of Leeds city centre. It sits at the end of the local bus route, where fields begin to dominate the landscape. A stroll around the streets is of interest in itself, especially when first absorbing historic information on the comprehensive sign board outside the local library (which is now run part-time by volunteers). Sought-after houses border Main Street, which features the Red Lion pub, a cricket ground, primary school and a traditional fish-and-chip shop located in the oldest (1637) building in the village. There is also a parish church, established in 1842 when Shadwell was expanding along with the rest of Leeds; its churchyard lies next to one of several old ginnels. There are a few footpaths leading directly from Main Street, The approach to Castle Hill and the settlement of Hall Bower, and the quiet local lanes offer a variety of routes into the Huddersfield – Caroline Spalding surrounding countryside. The walking is easy, with fields being by far the principal feature. Having checked all the local walk was to go “ginneling” in and around the city, taking in footpaths for the recent Big Pathwatch and West Riding Area as many ginnels or snickets as you could. Often these routes surveys, I found them to be in good shape apart from a couple would link with parks or recreation grounds to form natural of problematic stiles. green corridors through a town, in many cases leading out to It is possible to take advantage of the frequent no.7S bus from the modern suburbs – invariably very much less pedestrian- Leeds, and use Shadwell as a pleasant base to explore the friendly, but often with good linked paths into open country. network of paths in the area. Within three miles you can reach One of the best examples in our region starts at Hyde Park Roundhay Park (via Colliers Lane), Harewood House Park (via comer, on the far side of Woodhouse Moor, and takes what is the Leeds Country Way), or The Arium (at OS Explorer 289: now a popular and well used route, the Meanwood Trail, part of 371383), Leeds Council’s impressive new garden nursery, shop the Dales Way Leeds Link, along several ginnels between high and café on Thorner Lane. walls of Victorian houses and gardens, eventually emerging Jim Vickery on Woodhouse Ridge, a lovely area of woodland now an urban park. Entering the Meanwood valley, the route continues The Delights of Ginnels and past Victorian terraces and allotments into Meanwood Park, Snickets following the Meanwood Beck into woodland below The Hollies, and a tunnel under the Ring Road to Adel Woods and superb In Victorian parts of many of our larger town and cities, in the open countryside before heading for Eccup or Golden Acre Park. pre-motor car age, ancient footpaths were retained between housing and even industrial development as useful short Even in the most built-up conurbations you can find precious cuts. Even into the 21st century, such paths can provide very green corridors. Years ago, Leeds and Bradford Groups even had attractive, traffic free walking through and across town and a route between Leeds suburb. and Bradford via Farnley Park, Cockersdale and Ginnels (or snickets – people get angry if you use the wrong Tong into Bradford word in the wrong town) can be several hundred metres in which is perhaps length, sneaking between houses, gardens, sometimes between a little circuitous, high walls but often with fences giving surprisingly pleasant but still superior to views of gardens, allotments, little woodlands, and even flower- following the tarmac filled waste ground. roads. However, too many such semi-urban Even very urban areas contain rural elements – parts of old routes are neglected and villages absorbed by the growing city a century or more ago threatened by new roads but still with an old village green not yet built on, stream and car-centred housing and mill pond, or fragment of a wood, overgrown churchyard developments that or cemeteries filled with old gravestones and yew trees, as totally ignore the desires well as river and canal sides. You can find many features rich Photo by Colin Speakman of walkers. in architectural or industrial interest – such as, in our part of the world, very early water powered mills complete with What’s the best ginnel (or snicket) walk in your town? Please watercourses or goyts. share with us so we can all protect them for the future. In the early years of Leeds Group, a favourite winter afternoon Colin Speakman The West Riding Rambler No 156 | December 2018 Recognition at last The Wakefield Way Photos provided by Keith Wadd In February 2018 the hard work of members of Wakefield Riding Area Council, over 1000 Wakefield Way ‘Walking Packs’ Ramblers was rewarded when the Wakefield Way was recognised that contain leaflets detailing the various stages of the walk. as an official route by OS Maps. Minor grumbles have included, in places ‘too much tarmac underfoot’ however, the leaflets, condensing each walk section Originally conceived by Douglas Cossar, the recognition had not to a single page, have been welcomed as an eye-catching and been achieved due to some parts of the route not following paths easy-to-understand route map. The Ramblers have re-written adopted as official public rights of way. Members of the Wakefield the original text to ensure it is up to date; they also drew the Ramblers have worked since 2016 to formally put the route on the map! maps and took the photographs that appear on the pamphlets. The accompanying book, published in 2004 and now out of print, Additional photographs have been provided with permission from is out of date, with much of the landscape having undergone the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The walks can also be downloaded changes, such as areas becoming Country Parks and nature from the website [ramblersyorkshire.org] which the Ramblers reserves. pledge to keep updated, i.e. if a stile is replaced by a kissing gate, for example. However, the underlying social and cultural history, the unexpected vistas and pleasant woodland that An additional 3000 walking packs and leaflets have the path visits, remain, and a key reason for been paid for and distributed by the Health undertaking this project, according to Christine Improvement Team across the region into Stack, was to preserve these pathways for doctors’ surgeries and community centres, future generations to use and enjoy. as well as the Ramblers sending them to schools with accompanying letters to the Two years ago the group began to Headmasters, to encourage all to use the reconnoitre the 70-mile boundary route new route.

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