Horbury Junction Walking with Lacey RFM Blue Line

 Horbury Junction 

Walking with Lacey 

RFM Blue Line

18/11/22

A cold, but still, November morning welcomed us to this walk which is a part of a series of walks heading towards the south of Huddersfield eventually reaching the Pennines at Marsden. 

Starting at the church at New Scarborough part of Netherton we walked through the village past interesting looking old houses. We speculated at to which were the oldest ones and how old they were.

The view of the walk before us was the folded landscape typical of the West Riding. The sky screamed the passing of Autumn into Winter.

We climbed a short steep hill up to the walker friendly farm at Hollinhirst. Its great when the farmer fences off the path from the fields and provides good quality gates. I realise the improvements allowed the farmer to logically slightly alter the route but for me that is fine. Well done sir/madam whoever you are. The view toward Wakefield was murky, very murky.

The little fellow bravely stared us out. In the farm yard next door an old barn looked ready to collapse.

The lightening tree reminded me of a tv program when I was a kid, I think it was called Follyfoot. I really fancied the dark haired girl in the program. I guess I was not alone. The tops of the fields around the farm were populated with many running pheasants. Comical and wonderful to see.

Feeding time at the farm. All places taken. The cow was watching us whilst waiting to get in. Must be quite a good restaurant because its very busy.

We headed down the lane towards Blacker Lane and could see Wakefield City centre in the distance. It may look like smog but it wasn't, just some atmospheric affect probably an inversion layer.

Entering the long thin wood of Hartley Bank the walk changed character quickly from the open tops to this more confined woodland. This downhill stretch was relatively easy going and we chatted pleasantly as we walked. We crossed the railway bridge over an old line, looks like its walked but it is not marked on the map as a route.

Reaching Horbury Cut, a branch canal, in the distance we could see the viaduct at Calder Grove. We disturbed a heron who flew low over the reeds and wasteland and ended up on a tree near the viaduct. Herons in flight look ancient. They are quite long lived too.

Heading towards the railway bridge we had to negotiate a very wet path and were in danger of falling into either the flood or the canal. Luckily we avoided both but it was quite exciting for a while.

Lacey negotiates the flood through the tunnel under the railway. You can see how bad it was from the photo. This was the first tunnel of many on this walk. It could be called the tunnel walk.

We crossed the pretty canal over the bridge at broad cut.

I had been a little concerned regarding the railway bridge over the River Calder because on the map the path looked very close to the rails. As it turned out I had nothing to worry about because the tunnel runs under the railway line across the river. Lacey said she would have been scared crossing without me and I understand that totally as it was a very isolated confined space, but we were fine no-one else was there. After leaving the bridge we came across an old man with a Shih Tzu called Bertie who was a bundle of energy. As normal the dog preferred Lacey to me. 

We followed the river for a fair while passing a few swans and various walkers, runners etc. 

One in particular had a dog called Winnie who pointedly ignored me to be petted by Lacey. What is wrong with these dogs? As we saw the M1 crossing the river in the distance I pointed out to Lacey that the opposite bank was where we had joined the riverside walk when we walked with her mum earlier this year. This is a point where the blue lines on my maps do not actually meet, however I refuse to swim across the river to make the lines touch.

Lakes to the left river to the right. This was easy walking though quite a long stretch.

The walk finally reaches the railway tunnel at just over half way and heads back westward along the track between the main rail line and the municipal golf course.

The tunnel under the motorway had been turned into an art installation. The follow photos are from Lacey.

Pretty good eh?

We passed a lake with a heron who was in good view but then flew further away probably to avoid having his photo taken. Through Horbury where we admired some of the old buildings scattered along our route.

A detour from the planned route, as the way was signed as not being a public footpath through the Slazenger Sports ground, took us through a horse field back down to the river where we came across a flotilla of Canada Geese.

We passed a really old mill near the river. The building looked great but a passing walker explained that Baines's Mill was a little run down and housed a variety of  dubious enterprises. He said it had been a Woollen Mill. I tried to research it but got nowhere.

The bridge would be our final crossing of the river.

The small tunnel under the bridge was just high enough for Lacey to stand up in.

We crossed Horbury Cut on our way up the hill back to our start point. As we crossed the bridge we met a chap with a dog called Cooper who did not know how to react to strangers. He was not aggressive but gave us the 2 footed 'do you want to play' dog question. It was funny but a bit embarassing for the owner. He told us the dog was called Cooper because he had bought a mini cooper and his grandson suggested Cooper as a name for the new pet. Good name I thought.

Finally we ascended Balk Lane and got back to the church where the car was parked.

Although not warm the lack of wind had kept our body temperatures high so the long distance of this winter walk was acceptable. its still too far though so next week it will be 5 miles, honestly.