With another imminent visit to Lakeland on the horizon I thought that this walk of 20 miles with over 2500′ of ascent would be ideal preparation. I began the walk from the Three Nuns Inn Mirfield on a bright but breezy morning and climbed steadily through fields to Hartshead,
This walk links the communities that formed the old borough of Brighouse and visits Bailiff Bridge, Norwood Green, Coley and Bradley and if I had got my timings right the Clough House Inn Rastrick. Passing Hartshead church I followed the Bronte Way along a track that took me over the M62 on a footbridge.
From here I followed a wide track to the village of Clifton before joining the Calderdale Way to the viaduct at Thornhill Briggs.Passing under the viaduct I climbed steadily along field paths before descending to Bailiff Bridge. The mills here have all gone now and are housing estates and having crossed the road by the former Punch Bowl Inn I turned right along Victoria Road. Walking through another housing estate I climbed up to the A58 which I crossed and walked to Norwood Green cricket field. I was saddened to see the pavilion shuttered up and no square prepared as I had played cricket here for my school.
The route took me towards Hipperholme passing Wynteredge Hall, dating from 1642 but built on the site of an earlier building that existed in 1371. I descended again to the A58 and crossed a railway line before walking downhill through fields to Dark Lane. Here the route goes up steeply and is a scheduled ancient track known as the Magna Via and was once the only route from Halifax to Wakefield and is medieval in origin, it was paved in the 18th century but now in wet weather acts as a stream.
Climbing up to Southowram I passed huge quarries before I passed Ashday Hall on my way to Cromwell Bottom. Crossing the road I walked through an industrial estate before crossing the Calder and Hebble Canal, there is a lake , a canal and a river (Calder) here and the area forms a nature reserve. I had a late lunch by the railway before climbing through woodland to Upper edge which has far reaching views over Calderdale,
I continued to the M62 which I crossed for the second time, and I made my way to the Clough House inn for a welcome rest. After half an hour I walked out into heavy rain and down to my third crossing of the M62 that day and then followed Toothill Lane to cross the Huddersfield road at Bradley. I then walked down Shepherds Thorn Lane to the Scout camp at Bradley Woods. The road through is a public right of way which I followed before turning left to cross a stream. I was amused to see this bus as I passed through the camp.
I may develop one for fell walking in the future. Pleasant field paths took me to the edge of Brighouse before I followed the canal towards Cooper Bridge at Mirfield. For the fourth time on this walk I crossed the M62 but this time underneath it as I walked along the towpath.
A short diversion along the Kirklees Way took me past the old Bradley Hall and on to the A62 and back to Mirfield. The walk took 8 hours with half an hour in the pub!
However, most of the narrow paths were overgrown with nettles and worse so I would do this again but in spring.
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