Races
Calderdale way relay
Leg 6
- Distance
- 10 miles
- Start
- Shelf (Bridle Stile Road), SE 122283
- Finish
- Clay House Park, West Vale, SE 097214
- Registration
- 12:00 to 13:30
- First runners
expected - 12:40
- Leg cut off
- 14:00
- Record
- 59.37 - S Halliday & R Whalley (Halifax Harrier's in 1989)
- Route
With Shelf Hall Park on the left, continue downhill until the path becomes a cindered track below Stile House
Continue for half a mile towards Dean House Farm
Pass an open barn on the left, then do not enter the farmyard, but take a stile on the left
Go down to the stream cutting the field corner towards a building among the trees; cross the footbridge near a small waterfall and go up the steps, turning right onto a rough lane at the top
Keep to the right after the first stile, then stay on the upper path just inside the top of North Wood until a stream bed crosses where paths divide at an opening
Go diagonally up a field to a stile left of the nearest pylon; bear right along the wallside into a grassy lane past Middle Ox Heys which leads to the village street at Norwood Green
Turn left along the road for half a mile past the Old White Beare pub
Fork right at the war memorial, then left down a track past the swings, with Norwood Terrace on the left, and Upper Rookes Hall and a cricket field on the right
Cross a railway bridge, turn right to a field then left down a hedge-side and forwards over a slight ridge to the A58 Leeds-Halifax road near a lay-by
Note the fine view of Wyke Viaduct on the left
Cross the road to a stile beside a gate
Cross the hump-backed field, to a stile on the far side
Go through and follow the left hand hedge down this field to a wooden stile and round to the left until a stream is seen ahead and the path bears right to cross a footbridge, continuing forwards into a narrow ginnel between fences in a new housing estate
Emerge on Victoria Road and carry straight on down the road to the Punch Bowl Hotel in the centre of Bailiff Bridge
Turn left to the traffic lights and cross the road (A641) into Birkby Lane by the offices of Firths Carpets
Go up the hill and 50 yards before a rail bridge turn right into Birkhouse Road
Follow the road past the houses and bear left under an old railway bridge, continuing forwards along the lane
On the brow of the hill carry straight on as the road bends to the left
The unmade road leads up to Woolrow Farm on the skyline ahead
After the bungalow turn left over a stile; after a few yards turn right following wall and hedge down a series of fields to a stream at Hole Bottom
At the field corner is a footbridge leading up a short path to a metalled road (Thornhill Beck Lane)
Turn right down the road for 200 yards then left up some steps and straight up the hill to a stile
Turn right onto Thornhills Lane following the road as it turns sharp right and left near a large house
After 200 yards turn right at a signpost onto a field path running downhill towards the old railway embankment; note the fine view of Brighouse in front
At the bottom of the slope the path turns left alongside an old railway line
Cross the road (A643) and go down the short, steep street opposite (Alegar Street), then turn right onto Wakefield Road (A644), left into Grove Street and right along Mill Lane to The Barge pub
Turn left before Sainsbury's into Wharfe Street to the canal basin, now a centre for leisure cruising
Turn right along the canal towpath passing under several bridges as it goes through Brighouse
From Brighouse follow the canal towpath for half a mile to Ganney Lock (SE 140229), cross the bridge and continue on the left bank to a large factory overlooking Cromwell Lake
Turn right to cross the canal and Elland Road then left up Freeman's Wood, alongside a wall
Keep left when the track forks, staying next to the well, and climbing towards some power lines and a path junction
Turn left over a stile to descend 240 steps to a farm, Fort Montague, at Cromwell Bottom
At the bottom of the steps turn right along a grassy track climbing gently into Cromwell Wood; continue uphill on a steady gradient for ¾ mile until you meet a cross path and signpost
Turn left for Southowram down a paved track, over a stream and left again to a farm lane
Turn sharp right and quickly left through a stile; keep the wall on the right through two fields and past some stables to School Lane and on to the Methodist Sunday School at the end
Turn right towards Southowram bus terminus at Milking Hill and left into West Lane towards Siddal
West Lane becomes Change Lane, whereby do not follow the signposted Calderdale Way off to the left (which goes through the fields at Exley) but keep on the road all the way down past the school on your left to the road junction
Turn left into Backhold Lane, then first right down Exley Bank (steep cobbled road) to the main road
Keep right and take care when crossing the side road on your right (Jubilee Road)
Then after 50 yards go through a gap in the wall to your right and turn sharp left to pass through a tunnel under the road and proceed along the canal bank, to the lock basin, keeping the canal on your right
At the canal lock basin, leave the canal through a gap/gate in the wall on your left, and proceed right on the pavement down Stainland Road, under the bridge
Approx 100 yards after the bridge take the track off to the right, and the finish is approx 50 yards up the track near Clay House
It will be well marked out on the day.