A woodland walk around Hebden Bridge.

This walk follows a low-level route and is only 3 miles long, making it an ideal walk for winter when daylight hours are limited. The walk should take anyone who is reasonably fit about 2 hours to complete. Even though the walk avoids "the tops", boots and waterproofs are recommended as the route uses country paths which may be muddy and wet in winter.

The Route

From the Tourist Information Centre in Hebden Bridge cross the main road by the traffic lights and turn left to the memorial gardens. Go through the gardens, cross the footbridge over the canal and turn left. Follow the main path along the edge of the playing fields to the road where you turn right. By the car park entrance, bear left and pass in front of the station and down a tarmaced track with stone bollards at the bottom where it meets a rough road. Turn right under the railway bridge. At the junction go straight ahead on the upper left hand track, then turn immediately right behind the new town houses and join a grassy track slanting up the hillside beside the wood. At the junction turn left into the wood and climb uphill. Wood Top Farm is soon reached. Keep the buildings on your left and follow the track right. After 50 yards turn left along a track leading along the hillside past a number of buildings. Where the track becomes tarmaced look for a small gate to your left. Go through it and down the field, keeping the wall to your left. Go through another gate and then diagonally across the field. Cross another stile into the lane and go over into what appears to be an enclosed yard. At the right hand side of a low outbuilding go through a gap and follow a paved path to the railway footbridge. Walk over the bridge and along a hedged path leading to Caldene Avenue. Walk down the road bearing to the right and just beyond the building on the left turn left down the tarmac track leading to Hawksclough Bridge.
Cross the bridge and the main road, turn right and then first left over the canal bridge. Follow the lane as it hears left round to Broad Bottom Farm, on the hillside in front of you. Go in front of the barn and house, along the cobbled way. Cross the stile in the fence ahead. Continue ahead to cross a second stile and then diagonally right, across a field to some steps into the wood. Turn left along the bottom of the wood but on the top side of the wall. When you reach the stone gateposts, go through the gap, keeping to the left of the wall. Just after a stile, join a sunken way coming up from the valley. Follow this to Little Burlees Farm, pass the farm building on your left and turn right up the farm track to meet Burlees Lane, where you turn left to the road. Cross the road onto a rough track turning left just past the far end of the housing estate, down a path between two walls, which descend steeply to the road. Turn left and just before the first terrace of houses turn right, behind a white house and descend past garages to Nut Clough. Cross the bridge and take the path down through the woods keeping the stream to the left. When you reach Keighley Road turn left, walking down to the town centre.

More great walks can be found in "Walking Country: Calderdale" by P. Hannon. This book can be obtained from Amazon UK for £4.99

Guided Walks

Saturday, 1st April

April Fools Walk (say White Rabbits)
7 Miles (Moderate / Circular) Meet Graham Ramsden at 10 am at Red Lion car park in Stainland (B112) Dogs to be kept on lead Calderdale Countryside Service.

Wednesday, 5th April

Erringden and Hebden Royd
10 Miles (Moderate / Circular) Meet 10.30 am Mytholmroyd Community Centre car park. Leader: Peter Rushton (01484) 717154 Dogs to be kept on lead Ramblers Association (Calderdale Group).

Thursday, 6th April

Stainland Walk 5 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
11 am Stainland bus (539) and cars to Mechanics. Leader: Dorothy Roulson Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Saturday, 8th April

To the Woods 8 Miles (Moderate / Linear)
9.50 am Rochdale bus (528) to White House. Cars to Ripponden, then bus. Leader: Barbara Wood Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Sunday, 9th April

Upper Black Brook 6 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
Meet Colin Duke at 10 am at War Memorial in Barkisland. Dogs to be kept on lead Calderdale Countryside Service.

Saturday, 15th April

Blackstones, Catstones and Flints 10 Miles (Moderate / Hard / Linear)
Meet Dave Curran at 10 am at bus stop opp.Kwik Save in Sowerby Bridge (A58) to catch 528 bus. Dogs to be kept on lead Calderdale Countryside Service.

Back from Holme 9 Miles (Moderate / Linear)
9.15 am Burnley bus (592) to Holme Chapel. Cars to Todmorden, then bus (10.10 am) Leader: Donald & Freda Moore. Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Sunday, 16th April

Judy Woods 8 - 10 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
Meet 10.30 am Bailiff Bridge traffic lights. Leader: Joan Mortimer (01484) 711753 Dogs to be kept on lead Ramblers Association (Calderdale Group).

Gently Uphill 8 Miles (Moderate / Linear)
9.50 am Rochdale bus (590) to Lobb Mill. Leader: Margaret Collinge Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Thursday, 20th April Chelsea & Judy 6 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
9.45 am Brighouse bus (548) and cars to Dusty Miller. Leader: Sandra Ogden Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Friday, 21st April (Good Friday)

Canal and Cross 3 Miles (Easy / Circular)
Meet Jo White at 10 am at Gauxholme Arches on Rochdale Road out of Todmorden (A6033) Dogs to be kept on lead Calderdale Countryside Service.

Saturday, 22nd April

Figure of eight from Blake Dean
Meet David Nortcliffe at top of bends west of Blake Dean. (Heptonstall-Trawden Road.)
10.15 am - 5 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
1.15 pm - 5 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
Dogs to be kept on lead Calderdale Countryside Service.

Sunday, 23rd April

Whiteley Turners Springtime Saunter 12 Miles (Strenuous / Circular)
Meet 10.30 am Ovenden Moor windfarm. Leader: Brian Chapman (01422) 348278 Dogs to be kept on lead Ramblers Association (Calderdale Group).

Whirlaw Common & Gorpley (Centenary Way I) 12 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
Meet 10.25 am at Todmorden Railway Station. Friends of Dales Rail. Telephone 01924 892681.

Wednesday, 26th April

Roman(?) Road to Ripponden 8 Miles (Easy)
Meet White House, Blackstone Edge, 10.30 am (Return to start by bus) Leader: Philip Bottomley (01422) 373944 Bring packed lunch and flask. Upper Calder Valley Walking Group.

Thursday, 27th April

Scammonden Circular 8 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
10.10 Oldham bus (562) and cars to Boothwood Reservoir. Leader: Philip Bottomley Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Adrenalin for Starters 6 Miles (Moderate / Linear)
10.15 am Burnley bus (592) to Hebden Bridge. Leader: Brian Richardson Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Saturday, 29th April

Canals & Cloughs 9 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
9.45 am Rochdale bus (590) and cars to Hebden Bridge. Leader: Philip Bottomley Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Sunday, 30th April Spring Views of Calderdale 4, 10 Miles (Moderate / Hard / Circular)
Meet Merrilyn Guest at 9.30 am at Lobb Mill Picnic Site on Hebden Bridge to Todmorden road (A646) Dogs to be kept on lead Calderdale Countryside Service.

Up the Lud 9 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
Meet 10.30 am end of Station Road, Luddendenfoot. Leader: Judith Gannon (01422) 823491 Dogs to be kept on lead Ramblers Association (Calderdale Group).

Wind in the Willows 12 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
9.50 am Rochdale bus (590) and cars to Todmorden. Leader: Brian Chapman Picnic Lunch & Tea. Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Shibden Head 9 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
Meet 10 am Halifax Parish Church. Leader: Eileen Woodhead Picnic Lunch Regret no dogs Halifax CHA & HF Rambling & Social Club.

Monday, 1st May

Brighouse Explodes
Meet David Nortcliffe at 2.15 pm at Brighouse Civic Hall. Tickets: £1.50 (Children under 12 free) from Tourist Information Centres. Calderdale Tourist Guides.

Sunday, 7th May

Luddenden Dean 4 - 5 Miles (Easy / Circular)
Meet 10.45 am end of Station Road, Luddendenfoot. (10.15 am (592) bus) Leader: Alan Gaskell (01422) 201009 Dogs to be kept on lead Ramblers Association (Calderdale Group).

Wednesday, 10th May

Stoney Royd beyond the Grave
Meet Geoffrey Washington at 7 pm outside main gates to Stoney Royd Cemetery on Water Lane, Halifax Tickets: £1.50 (Children under 12 free) from Tourist Information Centres. Calderdale Tourist Guides.

Wednesday, 24th May

The Crossley Legacy
Meet Geoffrey Washington 7 pm at Park United Reformed Church, Halifax. (Junction of Francis St. and Hopwood Lane). Tickets: £1.50 (Children under 12 free) from Tourist Information Centres. Calderdale Tourist Guides.

Sunday, 28th May

Gorpley Reservoir & Steanor Bottom (Centenary Way II) 12 Miles (Moderate / Circular)
Meet 10.25 at Todmorden Railway Station. Friends of Dales Rail. Telephone 01924 892681.

Monday, 29th May

Tower of Spite,
A tour around Wainhouse Tower. Open for ascent - separate charge. Meet Geoffrey Washing at 2 pm at the foot of the Tower, King Cross, Halifax. Tickets: £1.50 (Children under 12 free) from Tourist Information Centres. Calderdale Tourist Guides.

Wednesday, 7th June

"A Bridge too Far" - an Elland Trail
Meet Geoffrey Washington at 7 pm on Elland Bridge. Tickets: £1.50 (Children under 12 free) from Tourist Information Centres. Calderdale Tourist Guides.

Sunday, 11th June

Changing Chimes of Hebden Bridge
Meet Brian Wells at 2 pm at Hebden Bridge Tourist Information Centre. Tickets: £1.50 (Children under 12 free) from Tourist Information Centres. Calderdale Tourist Guides.