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| The Bronte Way |
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Date : 29th -31st May 2010
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Leader(s) : Phil Bedson &
David Hill |
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Report by : Phil Bedson |
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Photos © : Phil Bedson |
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| Beautiful Bronte Country | |
Day one of the Bronte Way is perhaps the longest due to the travelling and as such it was a 7.15am start for 6 members of Hyndburn Ramblers. A steady light rain was falling as the group made their way to Thornton on the outskirts of Bradford where, after parking the cars, they were to transfer to a minibus for the next leg to Oakwell Hall. When the said transport turned up 10 minutes late it was perhaps inevitable that the driver wouldn’t know the way so it’s a good job we can read a map!
Arrival at Oakwell Hall (10 minutes late of course) was also in the rain and after the various discussions in the minibus en route it had emerged that the weather probably wouldn’t change all day. A kind passerby took the obligatory photo at the start point before we set off down a bridle way towards Gomersal. The morning part of the day would be mainly urban areas with small green bits in-between and as such it could have been quite uninteresting on this particular wet morning was it not for the various snippets of information about the odd building which were relevant to the Bronte’s in some form. First up was the Red House where a friend of Charlotte Bronte’s, Mary Taylor, lived and which was featured in Charlottes novel Shirley as the house called ‘Briarmains’. Then it was on to St. Mary’s Church where Mary Taylor is buried which, either co-incidentally or by design, is located on Shirley Road. Other buildings on the way also play a part but as the route continues through Rawfolds and Liversedge it is Hartshead Church which is perhaps the next main point of interest. This was the first curacy of Patrick Bronte from 1810-1815. A brief break was taken here just as the rain stopped and hopes were high we would soon be dry.
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left:
Oakwell Hall |
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right: St. Marys Church |
Resuming the walk it wasn’t long before the rain started again and this time it would last for the rest of the day. Going past the Shady Pines Golf Club and then on over the M62 the fields became more prevalent and even the rain couldn’t dampen our enthusiasm. We reached Bailiff Bridge expecting to see a large mill but were met by a housing estate which had taken its place and it was noticed during the walk that this was not unique especially as the next mill we were expecting to see had suffered the same fate. We continued on towards Norwood Green and just as we approached the village a handily located cricket pavilion gave us enough shelter to enable us to have lunch.
We left with the rain now a firm drizzle and made our way through to the village street which was followed on past the Old White Beare public house to a clock tower. Built in 1897 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria it looks very out of place in a small village. An enclosed path led us out of the village and through a wonderful little wood before field paths and lanes took us up to Shelf. Quickly passing through the outskirts easy to follow lanes took us up to Clayton Heights where a handily located bus stop provided shelter whilst we had a drink. Resuming the walk everyone was aware that there wasn’t too far to go and indeed upon reaching Hanging Fall Wood our end of day target Thornton could be seen across the valley. The climb up to Thornton wasn’t quite as hard as it looked but nonetheless after over 14 miles it isn’t that easy! Thornton was where Patrick Bronte came in 1815 with his wife and two children. After passing Thornton Church a small snicket took us onto a back street and a brief pause was had as we came across the birthplace of the four more well known Bronte children – Anne, Charlotte, Branwell and Emily. The Black Horse signalled the end of day one and after a quick change the group headed inside for a much needed drink.
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left:
A fresh field path |
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right: The Bronte Birthplace plaque in Thornton |
Day two started fine with the promise of some sunshine as the day wore on and although it was to be the longest day it is also the best section of the three. Leaving the Black Horse we headed uphill to leave Thornton over field paths running parallel above the road to enter a cemetery. The route goes right through the cemetery to a kissing gate and after a field you take the track to the road at Well Heads. A clear field path leads past a farm towards Denholme. After crossing the one way road and after a field or two the main Brighouse-Denholme road the way forward becomes straight-forward as we proceed along the track that runs for over a mile to Thornton reservoir. As we gained height the wind was unseasonally chilly and once past the reservoir we had a brief break and had to put on an extra layer against the chill. Taking a left turn at a junction we had only gone a short way before we were afforded a grand vista over the valley with Oxenhope in the bottom. Dropping down the moor we passed Leeming Reservoir and eventually entered the village by way of small tracks and enclosed footpaths.
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left:
Through the fields from Well Heads |
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right: Down the moor to Oxenhope |
Passing through the village a couple of small lanes led us to the path alongside the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) and then to the crossing near the engine sheds. We were fortunate in that a steam engine was just getting up a head of steam to begin its days work on the KWVR and we paused a while as it shunted the carriages into Oxenhope station. From here a small uphill stretch led to a lane onto a road and then onto another lane up to a farm on the corner where field paths took us all the way to Haworth. We entered the village of Haworth via snickets and the churchyard to come out on the main street. Haworth is of course pretty synonymous with the Brontes as it is here where Patrick moved with his family in 1820 to take up residence in Haworth Parsonage which is now a museum dedicated to the literary sisters and their family. After a brief visit to a local hostelry for refreshment we resumed our walk by returning through the churchyard and the snickets to take a lane up to a metalled road, crossing straight over onto Penistone Hill Country Park. A large pile of rocks left over when the area was a quarry was just what was needed to provide a suitable lunch spot out of the cold breeze.
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left:
Full Steam Ahead! |
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right: Penistone Hill Country Park |
We continued across Penistone Hill to cross the road and join a track which we would follow for the next mile as it narrows into a path to Bronte Bridge. The clapper bridge is said to have been a favourite haunt of the sisters as they were growing up in the area and is now a favourite amongst day-trippers on sunny days - despite the chilly breeze. Crossing the bridge we ascended the hill up to follow a clear path over the moor and fields to join up with the Pennine Way. Enclosed lanes took us down to Ponden Reservoir and then round to Ponden Hall and, after leaving the Pennine Way, on to Whitestone Farm. It was here a stop was taken for both refreshment and a little medical emergency as one member of the group had a blister needing attention. After deciding between us we could rustle up enough equipment to perform an operation if required the Air Ambulance was stood down and the procedure was a resounding success. The next leg of the walk is a very pleasant valley path to Watersheddles Reservoir and with lots of rhododendron bushes in bloom it was also very purple! We crossed the Lancs-Yorks border at a boundary stone marked as such and also marked with The Bronte Way and just a few drops of rain threatened to spoil the latter stages of the day.
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left:
Bronte Bridge |
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right: Towards Watersheddles Reservoir |
Once at the reservoir the path runs alongside the water slightly elevated to the parallel road before striking away to join a track. The track bends round to go through Smithy Clough Scar and with the rocky outcrop of Fosters Leap and the panopticon known as The Atom (See walk report) before us we knew the day was nearly at a close. With the rain holding off it is a clear track that leads past Parson Lee and into Wycollar Country Park. The village is swamped with tourists during fine weather but with the lateness of the day the majority had left with just a few stragglers remaining. The ruins of the 16thC Wycollar Hall are the main attraction here and are said to be the inspiration for Ferndean Hall in Charlotte Brontes ‘Jane Eyre’. This was to be the start point for day three but we still had a mile walk over fields to Laneshaw Bridge and the cars.
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left:
Wycollar Packhorse Bridge... |
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right: ...and Wycollar Hall |
Day three was the shortest day and would take us from Wycollar across the moors to go around Burnley to the south and west before striking out to Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham and the walks end. It was warmer than the previous day and the sun was attempting to break through the cloud cover as we retraced our steps back out of Wycollar Country Park to take a field path past Dean House and up to join the clear track that would lead us past Boulsworth Hill. At about two and half miles in length it makes for good walking and with the temperature rising regular drink stops were needed.
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left:
Leaving Wycollar via the Clapper Bridge |
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right: The monotonous track |
Just as the track begins to get too monotonous the route strikes off over the moor to the arch which is all that remains of New House Farm built in 1672 by one Robert Parker. The clear path then leads off to a road and then on to zigzag down through the trees at Thursden. Going right along the road at the bottom, a stile on the left leads off up Thursden Valley to a substantial footbridge over the beck. A steep climb up through the trees and over a field brought us to a point which afforded a grand view of Pendle and was ideal for a brief stop in the sun. Resuming along a track past a kennels at Sweet Well House the way was easy to follow all the way to Swinden Bottom. Following a good track alongside Lea Green Reservoir we paused at the dam end to watch a mother swan and her three cygnets before continuing along the dam. With the ruins of Extwistle Hall on the ridge above us we followed the stream down past hints of past industry in the valley to go through the trees of Houghton Woods. As we reached a clearing with the sun shining brightly it seemed the perfect spot to stop and have a peaceful lunch.
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left:
New House Farm arch |
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right: The climb up from the Thursden Valley |
With half the day gone we were making good time and the next few miles would be easy and straight forward as we circumnavigated Burnley. The path down the side of the River Brun is most enjoyable and as we neared the town it also became much busier with families and dog walkers. Joining the Leeds and Liverpool Canal our way was northwards past old mills and new housing and even a new marina! At a bridge a stile into a field took us off the canal bank and past grazing horses down to a path alongside Pendle Water. Leaving the riverside at New In Pendle Bridge the route crossed a couple of fields to cross the M65 motorway and then on across farmland until crossing a bridge above Wood End Farm. One of the leaders announced that the next bridge would signal the last crossing before the end of the walk but, after we’d crossed a further four footbridges as we proceeded alongside the River Calder, got increasingly fed up with a chorus of “Is this the last bridge?”. Upon reaching the much larger last bridge across the Calder spirits were as high as the temperature as we started to go up the last hill. At the top a right turn led across fields to Top o’ th’ Close before joining the lane all the way down to the road at Habergham. Almost immediately we turned off up the track known as Habergham Drive which was one of the entrances to Gawthorpe Hall. It wasn’t long before we got our first tantalising glimpse of the building through the trees and within minutes we were at the front of the Hall itself. Three people had completed all three days and with the walk over, all agreed that the Bronte Way had been extremely enjoyable despite the first days rain.
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| Gawthorpe Hall and the end of the walk. | |
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES IN THE GALLERY
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Day One |
Day Two |
Day Three |
Total |
| Map Nos. |
Ex 288 |
Ex 288 / OL21 |
OL21 |
Ex 288 / OL21 |
| Start GR |
SE 217 270 |
SE 099 327 |
SD 931 393 |
SE 217 270 |
| Finish GR |
SE 099 327 |
SD 922 407 |
SD 806 340 |
SD 806 340 |
| Max Height |
320m |
376m |
341m |
376m |
| Min Height |
67m |
177m |
82m |
67m |
| Height Ascended |
551m |
752m |
584m |
1887m |
| Height Descended |
411m |
814m |
702m |
1927m |
| Miles / Km |
15 / 24 |
16.25 / 26 |
14.6 / 23.5 |
45.85 / 73.5 |
| Walking Time |
6 hrs |
6 hrs 45 mins |
6 hrs |
18 hrs 45 mins |
There is no map for this walk due to it's length!
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