Midsummers Day Walk.

 

11 walkers.

 

We were treated to fine weather all day. Hot and sunny with a hint of a cooling breeze. New LDWA member Sue Field joined us and was made to feel very welcome.. We started out from the car park in West Vale after a brew at the local cafe.. Passing the 16c Clay House and the gabled barn we progressed through North Dean woods. First, silver birch, then giving way to the old beech wood. Down to Copley, over the bridge and on to a short section of canal to Salterhebble where we followed the river to the edge of Halifax.

     After a brief stop to re-hydrate, we ascended Trooper Lane, cobbled and quite steep. The views from Beacon Hill made the arduous climb so worthwhile. After a short rest we continued through the medieval Holloway, Magna Via, linking Wakefield to Halifax, now an ancient monument.

     Walking old ways we emerged at Southowram Church where we stopped for our mid-morning break. Passing the cricket club we walked through more old cobbled trails and descended down the Park Woods emerging at Elland Bridge and on to the local park where we stopped for our well-earned lunch.

     We climbed Hullen Edge to the M62 then made our way along old bridalways and woods up to Stainland then skirting the golf course we descended back down, past the deer farm, and through the double walled lanes up the cruel 160 steps, ( thanks Karen), to the 16c village of Jagger Green.

      Back down (again), we went through the farm, along an old flagged path, then through the wooded lanes back to West Vale.

      20 miles and a lot of ascent and descent makes this walk fairly tough going in places, but being in Calderdale the terrain can be a bit hilly!!

      Our happy group managed this in only 7 hours!!

      Thanks to everyone who made this walk a very enjoyable experience.

 

Andy Dobney.