Halifax to Brighouse hike

9:45

We enjoyed a longish hike today, so no camera and not a lot of gawping with the bins. We caught the 800 bus from home to Halifax bus station – it goes all over the place but does eventually arrive at Halifax.

10:15

We left the bus station and headed towards the piece hall and over the rickety Eureka footbridge before descending onto footpaths that roughly follow the river Hebble and eventually exit at Paris Gates Inn.

This section of the walk must travel through the scruffiest area in Halifax with litter and graffiti everywhere – what a real shame for this must have been a really beautiful place at one time.

Here our route follows the road for 200 yds before turning down left through a wall to cross the bridge at Phoebe Cottage.( A Dipper was in the water here).

Our route follows the Hebble Trail and soon leaves the litter behind on a really pleasant path which goes under the A629 to arrive at Salterhebble Locks.

The section from Phoebe Cottage to here, was very rewarding, with GSW drumming and a second Dipper at Bottoms Bridge.

11:00 

We passed the Watermill Inn and followed the canal basin to emerge onto the canal towpath going towards Elland. We joined the Calderdale Way here. The path crosses and leaves the canal via Long Lees Lock , climbs & crosses the busy dual carriageway.

The path rises, turning left to a makeshift gate before rising up the field with the wall on the left. The path crosses a stone wall stile on the left and crosses the field to the houses at Upper Exley. ( A pr. of  LTT seen from the canal path).

11:30 

At Upper Exley we stopped for some homemade flapjack and a breather.

The path now follows the road towards Exley school but turns right before the school to cross a field with a hedge on the left. At the end of the hedge the path continues forwards to cross a wall stile seen on the horizon. Once over the wall the path turns sharp left and stays with the wall to emerge onto West Lane opposite Rosemary Hill Farm. A lovely surprise here, with a F. Stonechat sitting on the wall. Sue did take a snap with here mobile phone camera but the bird was too far away to make it recognisable in the shot.

The path now follows West Lane for a mile or so, to the bus turning circle, then it turns right down Ashday Lane and next left down School Lane before turning left at the bottom to arrive at a lovely set of stone terraced cottages.

On this section an amusing sight of a Carrion Crow chasing a Seabrook crisp packet, (the packet had been caught in the breeze) across a field. The crow did catch its quarry but soon discarded it obviously preferring Walkers.

Also seen in this section 3 BHG, Mistle Thrush & Kestrel.

An enclosed path is followed down the right hand side of the cottages (Greenfinch, Goldfinch & Grey Wagtail here) and emerges into a field where we follow the wall on our left, downhill, to arrive at a track.

Here we turn right and then next left to cross a beck and rise to another track.

Here we turn right and an absolutely lovely section of woodland follows leading us towards Brookfoot.

Here, nature called, and I had to ‘take a tinkle in the woods’.

On emerging from said ‘tinkle’ I was greeted with:-

“well at least you seen a lesser pecker if nowt else!”- AS IF!!!

Many a Wren were competing in a singing contest: also about, Nuthatch singing , LTT, 2 GSW,  and a Green Woodpecker waffling.

The path drops down, almost to Elland Road, before turning left and rising again on a stone stepped path to arrive at the back of Marshalls Brookfoot concrete works. Here a bridleway on the right leads you downhill to the road opposite Elland Gravel Pit ponds (as was).

Another GSW was seen hereabouts with LTT, Wren and Nuthatch.

A quick glance across the water revealed a Mute Swan.

13:15

We arrived at the canal and followed it to Brighouse. There were c70 Canada Goose here with the ubiquitous Wren song.

We stopped at the Golden Hind for some lunch (best fish in Yorkshire) before catching buses back to Bradshaw.

15:45

 We arrived home ,having received some interesting news from BS re a special NK  Soil Hill sighting.

A beautiful day and a really good hike and pool tonight so not a bad do at all.

A lot of field and a little F. Stonechat at the very end of the wall - honest