The Brighouse Walking and Fitness Group

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

We are putting a weekend in Malham on. We have 2 walks planned (depending on the weather).

For those that have said that they would like to join us for a meal on Saturday night. It will be at the Lister Arms at 7:30pm and we will need a £5 non refundable deposit and pre orders from the menu online (link below) by Friday 23rd February please. I will send you the bank details.
https://listerarms.co.uk/our-menus/

So it looks like Friday nights meal will have to be at the Lister too. I’ve been advised not to go near the Buck for a meal at present as they are having major utility, staff and quality issues and the Victoria in kirbymalham are not able to do a group of more than 6 so if you would like to join us for a meal on Friday night at 7:30pm too can you please send me another £5 deposit and pre order please.

WALK 1.
We will start towards Janets Foss so this is all on the flat and easy going. Then we climb Gordale Scar. WE ALL NEED TO DO THIS TOGETHER AND NOT SPLIT THE GROUP. We will be heading up the waterfall at a reasonable steady pace.
PLEASE NOTE: after scrambling up the waterfall you have a steep climb/scramble up to the top. Here we will have a short break to catch our breath.
We then head to Malham Tarn for lunch and then over to the top of Malham cove to ascend the 500 plus steps.

This walk combines a number of contrasting features. There is Malham Cove with its limestone pavement on its top, Malham Tarn one of only two natural lakes in the Dales, the unique Gordale Scar Waterfall and Janet's Foss.

This is day 2 walk at Malham.
6 MILE WALK IN MALHAM. THE WALK TAKES US TO KIRBY MALHAM, WARBER HILL, AIRTON AND THEN BACK TO MALHAM.
INTERMEDIATE WALK

PLEASE NOTE: THE WEATHER MAY FORCE US TO CHANGE THE WEEKEND WALKS AROUND.

This 6 miles circular walk begins at Darton Church Street car park and heads up to Staincross and over to the village of Woolley, where we’ll stop for lunch/snacks before heading back to Darton.

Around one third of the route will be along quiet country roads with the rest being across fields and through woodlands. If the weather has been kind leading up to the walk then it should be relatively mud free. If we’ve had heavy rain prior to the walk then there will be a couple of places where mud will feature. There will be a busy major road to cross twice, but we’ll only be walking along this road for a short distance. The route will be mostly flat, but there will be one long, steep ascent and similar descent, but we’ll not be scaling Everest.

There won’t be any public toilets at the start, but en route Mother Nature will provide toilet facilities for the uninhibited who aren't too shy to go bohemian. Toilet facilities will be available after the walk for those who choose to end the day in the local hostelry.

Meet at 10:45 for an 11:00 start and use S75 5HF for satnav purposes. If the car park is full there is alternative parking 2 mins away.

Well behaved dogs are welcome, but must be on lead at certain times along the route. Dogs are not allowed in the children’s play area where we’ll stop for lunch, but there’s a grassy area beside this where owners and dogs can sit.

Bearing in mind English weather, please wear appropriate clothing including a waterproof coat and sturdy walking boots and hopefully sunscreen. Walking poles will be an advantage if you own these. Also bring food and fluids and £1 walking fee.

If you have symptoms of any of the viruses currently attacking our way of life, or are a person of grumpy disposition, please do not attend.

We can't guarantee the finish time. The meetup system means we have to put a finish time on the event but it depends on the pace of the group on the day.
Don't worry about Unpaid by your name, we don't use that system.