Barnside RFM Blue Line Walking with Lacey and Lola

 

Barnside (Hepworth)

RFM Blue Line 

Walking with Lacey and Lola

14/09/25

This is the second walk in the Hepworth area starting at the same place. This one would go a little higher and further and Lola was to lead the way. The weather was good, a calm between 2 wet and stormy days.

Hepworth is such a cool little village wth many houses having great garden displays with very limited space. The roads built hundreds of years ago are too narrow for modern traffic and parking is at a premium but it feels a happy place.

Our first climb looms out of the gloom but we can't get to the very top because there are no paths, so we are going to the lane at the bottom of Cheese Gate Nab, still a good way up.

Lola leads the way out of the village and we discuss the symbols on an Ordnance Survey map. The school, stream and woods all marked. In school she has benefitted from the walks by knowing all the answers in their geography lesson regarding the map symbols. 

The hills around here all look hard because they are. This may be an area of many villages but the lanscape is pure Pennines with very steep hills. Lola was as bright as a button but Lacey was a little quiet and subdued working until 2 in the morning doesn't help.

Leaving the road at Barnside we followed Snug Lane past a totally chilled out bull and cows in a large field. We had to cross the field so were pleased the bull and his herd stayed where they were relaxing at the bottom of the field.

I think the girls were starting to suspect where we were going. They crossed the bull field in a leisurely fashion so much so I had to hurry them along because after all it is a field with a bull in it!

Strangely the route took us through this person's garden with its 3 chickens running around us. Already we could feel the hill as the route ascended.

Crossing the A616 mercifully a quiet A road we started on the real hill up this green tree shrouded, cowpat covered lane. Lots of pats no cows.

I went ahead partly to make sure there were no animal surprises and the hill was taking its toll on the girls, slowly catching me up.

Another very steep section up to the lane, the girls were quick on this slippy section  whereas I was a little more circumspect as I didn't want to slip. We enjoyed the views the height was giving us.

This green lane showed more signs of being used probably by the farmer and was the first bit of level ground of the day, a nice relief for the legs. There were loads of birds up here, rooks, crows, goldfinches, wagtails and many many more.

Looking towards Holmbridge the view was long and classically rural. The moors clearly visible on the horizon. Looking south east we could see the windmills above Millhouses knowing Penistone is just beyond.

We had a short rest and took in the views over towards the moors, Holme Moss TV mast being visible on the horizon. In the valley below Lola and Lacey saw an owl in a tree but as Lacey was getting her camera ready it flew off. I saw it flying over the trees, a Tawny Owl, well spotted girls.

I thought this was a strange place for Moai, one on each gate post, but strangely with the West Riding backdrop they fitted in really well.

The sheep on this lawn above Upper Nab were fake but cool. Going down from the farm the verge scarecrows were a lovely bit of fun. The girls agreed.

The roadside houses up here had loads of land and looked very proserous. One had 3 donkeys most had horses. The views from up here are something else.

Crossing Flint Lane we were approaching the top of todays walk and the views just kept coming.

Its noticable that up here when you are on the rounded tops the views seem to squash into thin  horizontal lines. 

These Jersey cows (I think they are Jerseys), were relaxing as we approached but got up to look at us over the wall. This one on the right seemed to be almost saying 'Come on then if you think you're hard enough....' 

This is the top of the walk, look how squashed the view is.

Lola had done really well to keep at the front all the way to this point and its good for me because its fun to talk with her. I went down this green lane a little quicker than the girls determined to make sure it was safe. It was but the underfoot was bad so real care had to be taken.

We crossed the road again and even though it was sign-posted it felt like we were going into someone's garden. The way was well signed so we passed through what looked like a private space reasonably quickly.

 
At this point going down a grassy slope Lola fell and we discovered that the reason was that her boots were only loosley tied. No harm done, between us Lola and I tighten her laces and she was good to go. I was impressed that she had gone so far in loose boots but regret not having checked them earlier. Lacey and I explained to her that it was easier to walk in tight fitting boots rather than loose fitting. I'll check at the start of the walks from now on.

We headed down a narrow green lane through Berristal Head and Top and reached the road at Far Lane. On the map the area called Crimes looks like a portion of a medieval field but I didn't notice it on the ground. The parked cars were next to the football ground but the game was either over or not yet started. 

 

The slope down to the stream was steep and deep.

We re-entered Hepworth and made our way past all the interesting stone buildings to the car.

This was much longer and higher walk than last week and with Lola up front it was a lot more pleasant. Time went quickly as we discussed everything we saw in the landscape and other bits and pieces. Again well done Lola and Lacey another great adventure. Next week I'm going to print out the map for Lola so she can follow the OS map as we walk. Lacey already does that with an app on her phone. So not only do we have an adventure but geography lessons as well.

Lacey's photos