Exploring SE0023

( Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 )
Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Text © Copyright November 2011, Humphrey Bolton; licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence.
Images also under a similar Creative Commons Licence.


Footpath 113

Footpath 113(A) - High Lane

The name suggests that this is part of the ancient highway from Sowerby village to Lancashire via Marshaw Bridge. However the eastern end is off Bent Close Lane (FP110) and the western end turns southwards to Bank Top Farm (FP114(A)). The Calderdale Way comes down High Lane, and halfway down turns right on the driveway of Plod Well.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Footpath 113(B) - The Deacon Hill path

This path starts at the bottom of High Lane and goes north-eastwards towards Plod Well, and over this 'fence-stile'.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
The path goes along the driveway of Plod Well until it turns sharp right, and then goes straight on along this disused track to the ruins of Deacon Hill.

The nettles were not as formidable an obstacle as they looked. You can walk along the broken wall to the corner of the building to avoid the densest patch.

There is a stone gap-stile in the middle of the ruins.

There has been a doorway, converted to a window by walling up the lower part, and later narrowed using brickwork. This was taken from FP113.

This is another access track to Deacon Hill. The one from Plod Well is the one on the 1850 six-inch map. This one was made later, and is not a right-of-way.

A last look back at Deacon Hill as we start on the invisible path across wet pasture to Kirby Cote.

A loose piece of wood fills the gap. Perhaps there have been lambs in the field.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Footpath 114

Footpath 114(A)

FP114 is really two paths, joined by a short spur down to Cragg Road. The path that I have called FP114(A) enters the square at Bank Top Farm, where it is a cart track covered in deep smelly mud. This view is past the worst of the mud and is looking towards High Lane, where several paths meet.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
At the western end of High Lane, FP114 continues through this gateway and straight down the hillside through nettles and rough grass.

This path link is evidently little-used, and there is no visible track. Head for this little birch wood and thread a way through it.

You will come down to a stream, where turn right to the corner of the field. Here there is a stile, but first you have to negotiate this rather awkward gate (see image description).

If you look to the right you will see thais rather attractive waterfall.

This is the stile in the corner; you have to go round the far side of it, where the wall has collapsed.

You then have to step over the stream, which is in a narrow ditch, and walk down the field of rough pasture, skirting a large patch of nettles and another small wood, emerging at this gateway and turning right to a broken stone stile, then left.

The path goes over this minimal stile and turns right, alongside the wall.

The 1850 map shows the path as leaving FP112 at this gateway, further along the wall.

The path is soon well-defined, following the boundary wall of Deacon Hill Wood.

This is a new gate and fence. It is not yet marked on the large-scale OS map so the grid reference might not be accurate. It is probably to stop wandering sheep from straying any further down the path. Beyond the gate the path is enclosed by walls, and comes to a stop with a wall across it. Here there are stiles left and right, left to FP114(B), down to Cragg Road, right to FP114(C).

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Footpath 114(B)

This path goes down the edge of a field, and is paved.

At the bottom of the field, the path turns left to this little gate.

From the gate, the path goes down between buildings to Cragg Road.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Footpath 114(C)

This path starts at this stile, and goes up into Deacon Hill Wood.

The path climbs gently through the wood, here between Rhododendrons.

Here you have to clamber over the remains of a wall.

Here the original (1850) path slants to the right across a field that has reverted to heath. This is a branch of FP112. FP114 goes forward above the edge of Deacon Hill Wood, but the trodden path slopes down into the wood.

This is looking along FP114 where FP112 crosses. The latter is the green strip on the right, and on the left it plunges very steeply down the hillside and is slippery. FP114 slopes more gently to the left.

There was probably a stile here once. The notice reads 'Please keep your dog on a lead'.

Here the path goes along the bottom edge of the woodland, approaching New Lane at Lower Brig Hey.

The path crosses New Lane, joining FP91(A) briefly before leaving it (FP114(D))to go steeply down the hillside.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Footpath 114(D)

This is the short cut path referred to in the description of FP91, New Lane. There is no trodden path; you just have to go down the hillside, through a wood, slanting to the left. When you emerge from the trees, look for a little stone stile in the wall.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
This is looking down the path, which is invisible. However there seems to be a clear way through the trees.

This is the stile, onto New Lane, at the bottom end of this path.

1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

KML

( Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 )
You are not logged in login | register