Races

Cross the road to a step-stile (SD 958275) and follow a partly paved path half right across several fields

After passing some old huts make for a wall corner over the crest of a hill

Follow the path diagonally over fields and after three more stiles get to a small wooden gate painted yellow

Turn left down an overgrown track between two walls to Shaw Bottom

Keep left of the house and continue downhill to a T junction

(Buses to the left at Jack Bridge)

Turn right and as the surfaced track becomes a rough lane note Hudson Mill down on the left and Heptonstall Church Tower coming into view ahead

Here a clapper bridge is seen crossing Colden river below

Stay on the high path until some steps lead down to Hebble Hole Bridge, a pleasant picnic spot

The Pennine Way joins from the right

Go over the bridge and turn right, keeping up the bank until the Pennine Way leaves through a gate on the left

Continue uphill along a fine paved path to a stone step-stile at the top corner of Foster Wood

Go through and diagonally across a field to a second stile

Follow a paved path through several stiles and fields

Notice how the Colden Valley with its rocky outcrops cuts deeply into the landscape

The paved way eventually joins a wider track which should be followed up left

Turn right at the T junction; past some cottages, go over a stile and along a paved path to another stile where several tracks meet

Go straight ahead along the wider track, keeping to the upper way at a fork until a tarmac lane is reached

Below to the right is Lumb Bank House

Walk up Lumb Bank past an electricity pole and turn off right through a gap in the wall before the bend

Follow the high path at Eaves Wood, keeping left

After clambering over rocks a level path is reached at the top of the wood

Keep straight on, eventually with a wall on the left and Eaves Rocks on the right

Pause for the view over Mytholm, where the Colden river joins the Calder and Stoodley Pike dominates the view of the Upper Valley

Look back to Lumb Bank House and the tall, silent chimneys of Bob Mill (1802) in their woodland setting

Soon the path is joined by rising steps from the right; turn left at the corner ahead and walk between walls to the Victorian parish church of Heptonstall

Past the estate is a group of cottages, West Laithe 1970

Bear left here past Chantry House and up the stone steps to the old church

On the right is a small museum in the old grammar school, and on the left as the path enters Towngate is the old Cloth Hall

From here the route turns right and left into Northgate

Proceed along Northgate, noticing the Methodist Chapel on the right

At Stocks Villas bear right down a narrow track, Northwell Lane

Continue downhill past a cottage, avoiding the right fork just beyond, until reaching a tarmac road

Go straight across and follow the path down through the wood crossing a track much used by vehicles and down a steep section to the Hebden Water

Continue forward past the weir to Horse Bridge at Midgehole

From the bridge go up to the post box, near the entrance to Hardcastle Crags

Turn right up to a toilet block then sharp left following a track uphill to a house

Continue steeply uphill on the path signed Pecket Well

This is Raegate which winds among beech trees until the track levels out then drops to a stream at Kitling Bridge

Over the bridge, climb the paved way keeping left at the junction and emerging on the Hebden Bridge-Keighley bus route (A6033) near Pecket Well

Cross this road then climb to a seat and stile on the road above

Note nearby the Pecket Memorial and more distantly Heptonstall and Stoodley Pike

Turn right along the top road (SD 996293) then take the second track on the left to a small group of buildings, Shaw Croft Hill

Turn left on reaching the houses up a broad grassy track; ignore paths coming in from the right and go forward uphill beneath two sets of cables to a bridleway

Continue up a walled track signed to Slack Farm as far as another bridleway; turn right along the moor edge, following a wall past Moorside; where the track divides take the lower path to a wooden post and CW sign above Bog Eggs

Continue round the moor and over a stile below Old Hold, then bear half left up to a stile and gate where wooden fencing meets a wall corner

From here stay above walls and fencing for the next mile or so, following the path round the moor as far as the golf course at Mount Skip

Keep above the golf course fence, avoiding tracks into Cock Hill quarries on the left

Below note Old Town and the last relic of Acre Mills, its canteen now converted into a village car museum, Automobilia

At the Clubhouse bear left away from the fence (compass 060 degrees) following a green track to a stile and gate onto Midgley Moor

Cross the moor diagonally to a wall corner; stay above this wall until a small path leads leftwards through the heather to a high stone pillar standing sentinel on the moor - Churn Milk Joan

From the pillar drop down to a wall corner then half left following a line of cairns and stakes between Crow Hill and the quarries; Sowerby Church makes a good aiming mark (compass 160 degrees)

On reaching a rounded field wall keep to the track above

The track continues round the moor with fine views up Luddenden Dean to Lower Saltonstall and Castle Carr

Leave the moor by a stile where a walled stony track drops steeply into a lane

Follow the metalled road downhill, turning sharp right and left, as far as the cobbled driveway on the right signed to High House Lane

Turn sharp left behind a building onto a field path leading eventually by a walled path to Jerusalem Lane

Turn right for Jerusalem Farm

Above Jerusalem Farm you may use the gap in the wall, bypassing the farm leading down to the river at GR 034279; cross Wade Bridge, bear half right up the wood then sharp left where another path joins at a wooden post; follow this uphill then on a green lane to the Hullet and Upper Saltonstall

Bear right into Heys Lane and quickly left up a track past Lower Green Edge Farm; turn right up the next lane and onto the changeover point at Castle Carr Road.