Haworth

Our treat each Christmas is to walk from home (Bradshaw) to Haworth, some mulled wine with a Christmas meal and a bottle of plonk and the luxury of a taxi home.

We have missed out the last couple of years while Sue was recovering from foot operations but today was the day.

12:00

After a few errands in Halifax we set off (minus bins) on a very cold but dry day.

The weather did deteriorate during the trip from dry, to light drizzle, to heavy drizzle but all in all, not too bad.

Our route takes the bridleway opposite the house towards Rowe Farm.

Just before the farm we turn left to head for, and pass, a house seen over to the left.

The path then enters an enclosed way and after 2 stiles arrives at Eastcroft Farm.

From here we pass through 2 small wooden gates to follow the field tops to then follow the access track to the next set of farms and exit at the bottom of Ned Hill Lane.

We turned right turn in front of the houses on Syke Lane and follow this lane to cross Keighley Road and enter Ogden Lane.

Ogden Lane is vacated by a right turn up the bridleway (Back Lane) just after Smithy House.

12:30

We follow this bridleway rising steadily across the moor and 50yds after passing through the 3^rd gate we veer right to climb through the heather towards Thornton Moor Reservoir (T.M.R).

13:15 saw us at the summit of the path nr. T.M.R.

We had heard Red Grouse calling a couple of times on the way up and then we nearly trod on one as it made a hasty getaway near the tops.

We dropped down and pass through a metal gate to arrive at a 4 way wooden signpost.

Far below our next objective (Leeming Reservoir) can bee seen.

 Here a left turn downhill past a large metal storage container brings us down through some boggy reeds to eventually arrive at a high ladder stile.

After climbing over this, we head down the field to pass though a metal gate and arrive at a track near a stream.

We follow the track, with the stream on our right, to cross a footbridge that leads to a path going along above the eastern side of Leeming reservoir.

13:45

A quick scan of the reservoir reveals 3 Domesticated White Geese with the usual Mallards and Small Gulls (many gulls are on the valve tower).

The path meets a tarmac road, before leaving this, on arrival at the reservoir wall to drop down left, to houses.

Here our path drops down to cross a stream before rising past Homefield House to emerge onto Jew Lane at Lea Mount and Hill Crest.

At the bottom of the hill we turned left onto Station Road and followed this road all the way to Oxenhope Station.

At Oxenhope Station the car park was overflowing, presumably Santa was here on the train.

Our path turns right on a narrow road, before the station entrance, and then soon turns left again through the station overflow car park.

Here again the car park was chocker.

Our path follows the stream next to the railway yard before crossing this stream on a footbridge. Here we rise up a few steps to cross the railway line and then a really steep climb up the field brings us out near Bents Farm.

15:00

We follow the access track up and out on to Marsh Lane where a right turn brings us eventually into Haworth.

We used to be able to walk to Haworth and back but not any more!

Haworth was packed with Morris Dances and Carol singers and a good crowd of Christmas revellers.

After a visit to Edinburgh Woollen Mill to get “Our Woodland Birds” by Matt Sewell for Abigail for Christmas – a really beautiful bird book for young children- we headed off to the Fleece Inn.

We were very fortunate to get a table and had a really enjoyable Christmas Meal with Mulled Wine and a bottle of plonk.

We watched the parade before heading to the taxi placed at the bottom of the hill.

A really enjoyable day out.

At the top of the moor