The Railway Children Return
The Railway Children Return - Thursday 14th July
Bastille Day - but there were no takers for my idea to travel to Paris to undertake some ‘storming’ so we settled on a more gentle and less revolutionary walk to Haworth in the footsteps of the Railway Children!!! A less intense day weather-wise than the previous few days and certainly cooler than the 40 Celsius forecast for Monday and Tuesday next week!!!
The Third of the summer history walks, this time starting from Cottingley Bridge. Seven walkers; including Pearl, our guest walker from Devon & Somerset LDWA, with Charlie her King Charles spaniel, (who I’m lead to believe is the star of the West Country walking group), assembled for the 8.00am start. We headed off into the early morning sunshine in the direction of the St Ives Estate, using Beckfoot Bridge, to avoid wet feet in the ford, which despite the dry weather, was still fast flowing and deep in places. Taking Blind Lane we passed the Ivy Kitchen on our way to Coppice Pond. Heading up to Heather Park, we crossed Keighley Road and continued over Harden Moor to Cradle Edge, picking up the Calder Aire Link, from which the market town of Keighley could be seen nestling in the valley below as we dropped down into Hainworth.
Leaving this tiny hamlet we were soon descending on narrow and at times overgrown paths to Hermit Hole and our first Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, (KWVR), station of the day, the picturesque ‘Damems’ This being the smallest railway station in Britain, the platform is only able to accommodate one carriage and is a request stop. We were immediately transported back to 1934, with a poster advertising a train excursion from the station on Easter Monday that year for the Rugby League match between St Helens and Keighley!!! The station flower beds are worthy of a visit on their own and a tribute to the stationmaster. Whilst we had our elevenses, the first steam train of the day came through, we probably appeared to be train spotters as we lined the platform with cameras at the ready!!! The passengers waved at us and we all waved back at them - it seems to be the done-thing with steam trains!!!
Departing Damems on the Worth Way, we headed over Harewood Hill to Cackleshaw and quickly reached the feature of the day, (but there were many), Oakworth station. Who can forget Bernard Cribbins as Albert Perks shouting ‘OAKWORTH’ in the original film? His house nestles by the level crossing gates. Looking down the platform, we could remember Jenny Agutter as Bobbie running into the steam, shouting - ‘Daddy my Daddy.’
On departing Oakworth we headed towards Haworth and our lunch at ‘Forteas’ a 1940’s themed tearoom. The new film being set in 1944, Thirty nine years after the original set in 1905. Continuing to follow the Worth Way, we dropped down through Mytholmes to Central Park in Haworth and quickly climbed to the famously cobbled Main Street and our well, earned lunch in the aforementioned Forteas, where we were greeted by Vera Lynn playing in the background. Keeping to theme, I’d like to say Spam, Egg & Chips, (that’s powdered egg in case you were wondering), was the lunch option but bacon butties seemed to be a more popular choice - I assume it was black market pork!!!
After Lunch we walked to the top of the High Street, where scenes from both the original and new film had been shot. We saw the butchers and post office as well as the doctor’s house, (the Bronte Parsonage). All from the original 1970 film, I was struggling with locations from the new film, with it not being in the cinema until tomorrow. I cannot understand way I did not get an invite to the world premiere, held at Keighley Picture House on the 3rd July!!! We did though complete the recce on that day and saw all the stars at Oakworth station. Some of the photographs are from the recce. Myself & Trevor were on Calendar News the following day, albeit fleetingly as the cameras panned across the crowd hanging over the fences at the station. It was Trevor not me shouting I love you Jenny!!! - and the restraining order is only in place for the next ten years!!!
We still had our fourth and final feature of the walk in front of us, being the visit to the impressive Haworth Station. This being the largest and busiest station on the KWVR. With steam trains passing through every 30 minutes. Departing the station we faced the steep climb out of the village, passing the Bronte Cinema and Three Sister Restaurant on the way to Sugden End. Picking up the Senior Way to Sugden House Farm before crossing Eller Carr Beck and climbing back up to Keighley Road.
We now encountered a tricky part of the walk, with the field between the appropriately named Cow house Farm and Cow House bridge, providing a herd of cattle, which had not been the friendliest on the recce!!! We were relieved to reach Goit Stock Cottages. Passing Ivy House Farm and Harden Hall, we made our way to Hatties for our afternoon cuppa.
Suitably refreshed, we were now on the home leg, taking the less well known lower path through Ruin Bank Wood before crossing Shipley Golf course and following the river Aire back to Cottingley Bridge, arriving at our cars by 4.00pm.
This was the last of my summer history walks. I plan to offer more during the summer of 2023. I will now switch my attention to the autumn series of Thursday social walks. My first autumn walk is on 1st September, starting back in the familiar surroundings of Idle Village. A new walk added to this year’s programme - 28 miles to the Doubler Stones!!!
