Our walk on Saturday May 4 is around the six scenic reservoirs above the Holme Valley. The route is just inside the boundary of the Peak District National Park and has some great views as we pass through the village of Holme and dip into several cloughs with sparkling streams and babbling brooks crossed by some interesting bridges.
We start at the Digley Quarry Car Park at the north side of Digley Reservoir, meeting at 10.45am with the aim of setting off no later than 11am.
The walk is just under 7½ miles on a mixture of tracks, woodland, moorland and field paths and across some of the reservoir dams. The first of those is the rebuilt dam of Bilberry Reservoir. In 1852 it burst causing tragic destruction along the Holme Valley, including to the mills below it in the area now occupied by the much newer Digley Reservoir.
Mud wasn’t a major problem when I did recces of the route on fine days after recent rain, but there were a few small patches to negotiate so do wear walking boots and don’t expect them to be in a pristine clean condition when you get home. I have a heavy rain diversion route in mind to keep your feet dry if the weather is particularly wet.
In terms of hills this is not one of our easy walks. The undulations with a few steady climbs would probably put it into the moderate category. It all adds up to about 266 metres of ascent, which is about the equivalent of a climb up Castle Hill except that this is ups and downs and some flat bits, not all uphill at once. You don’t get views like this without burning a few calories!
Do bring a drink for refreshment as we pause after some of the uphill slopes and if you like to bring a sandwich there will be a lunch stop at the mid-point of the walk.
As a special treat on this weekend before the Bank Holiday and as there is no immediate pub at the end, there is the opportunity of an additional refreshment stop about 6 miles into the walk. We will stop for a short while at The Fleece in Holme village. You might like to replenish the calories with a coffee, a pork pie (recce recommended) or ice cream from The Fleece Pantry shop or have a swift pint from the pub (outside seats probably best to dodge the diners). There are public toilets, defibrillator etc across the road from the pub.
Suitably refreshed we will be able to tackle the last mile-and-a-bit back to the car park.
I’m sure a few of us will still be missing the traditional end-of-walk pub, so the optional extra will be to drive to one nearby after the walk. More details once I have checked which will be open on this date.
TOILETS
There are no toilets at the start/finish of the walk. There are public toilets in Holme Village at 1½ miles and 6 miles into the walk. Please let me know if you need the first stop as then we do not pass the toilets directly. I will need to pause the walk while you make a 50 metre detour.
BUS
I always like to offer walks with a public transport link. Unfortunately there is no bus to the starting point of this one and the best option is to catch the 314 bus from Huddersfield via Holmfirth to the stop in Holme village for a walk of a mile to the start. This is most quickly and easily achieved along Fieldhead Lane from where you will see the blue sign of the car park at the far side of Digley Reservoir across the dam. If you have come on the bus you may choose to miss the walk’s final mile and drop out at Holme if you wish, but do tell me first as I generally don’t like to have too low a headcount when I reach the finish.
DOGS
Dogs, like their walkers, are on this walk at the walker’s own risk and responsibility.
The walk would not seem to pose any major obstacle to well-behaved dogs that can manage the distance but there are places where they will need to be on a lead: alongside and when crossing roads, close to reservoirs, near sheep or other livestock and in areas where there are ground nesting birds. There are just a few stiles on this route and most look as if they would be easy for a dog to pass via dog gate or other means. In the final mile there is one exception which might be difficult only for a large and heavy breed. Should that affect you, I can suggest an easy diversion on the walk rather than it put you off the walk.
I hope that has most things covered. Do come prepared for anything the weather might throw at us. Please leave a message if there anything else that needs answering.
Chris