Thongs RFM Blue Line Walking with Peter
RFM Blue Line
Walking with Peter
26/06/26
Today is going to be hot really hot and there is a real threat of thunderstorms. This walk is a problem because it is tough and being circular there are not many options to shorten the route if we need to. Luckily we met at 7.40 and were off before 8.00 and before it got too hot.
We looked for the donkey's in the field opposite who we had seen twice already on previous walks but they were nowhere to be seen. We stopped and admired the houses, new developments and older.
We set off up Harden Hill Road and on to new ground to turn blue. This road is really a lane that even tractors would have trouble using it is so deeply rutted. It runs dead straight up the hill at a steady rate of climb requiring frequent stops to regain our breath. The lambs skittishly ran away from the gate as we stopped for a breather.
The views quickly got long and wide as we climbed the hill with Castle Hill indicating where Huddersfield was in the landscape. The 2 young cows were curious as to our business as cows often are. What are they thinking?
I like hills and this hill just gives and gives. Even the car journey on the nearby local roads is very steep so it was to be expected. The hill did give way to a rounded ridge before we got to the Holme Valley.
Over the last bit of hill and down to the A635 road to Manchester via Saddleworth Moor. The storms as well as wetting everything had brought the temperatures down but it were starting to climb.
We briefly walked along the road until we followed a path into a field opposite the Huntsman. The first and longest hill done we were still very fresh. This field had a large area of wet but not boggy land, really valuable for all sorts of wildlife.
We could see the turning for Meltham and in the distance in the wide shot we could see Holme Moss and much of Tuesdays walk with Lacey and Max.
In a field at Broadhead Edge there was a guy picking horse muck up with a bucket and shovel so we stopped to talk to him. He was the first person we had had a chance to talk to so far. As we passed his house the white Dulux dog on the garden wall barked his welcome or goodbye.
Just down from the house in a meadow we spotted a Song Thrush. What a great sight on any walk.
The local artist, the famous Ashley Jackson, always says that the light around Holmfirth is unique and today we could see what he means.... it was pretty good. The window in this building plus a few other architectural features we saw reminded me of the Mortons and my Wednesday walk with Venka. We discussed how lucky we are to be able to find these signs or reminders of the abilities of our ancestors left in the landscape around us.
We were past New Leith and heading down to Hogley Green. These are tiny places but they are named.
New Laith on the hill was very posh with everywhere having been converted into high cost dwellings.The moors were ever visible in the distance. Its not a bad place....is it?
This was at the end of someones garden but i am afraid I can find no references to it. Another story to be told.
It was in places a steep and trecherous path down to the valley below where the remains of a mill chimney stands forlorn.
The cows with calves were luckily away from the path but they had left their calling cards around for us to slip on. I liked the church with the twin chimneys looking like a bell tower but actually just mimicking the shape of the windows, clever.
Compo's fish and chips has changed markedly over the years. I remembered it as a wooden shed being exceptional quality I wonder what it is like now. Too hot today but I will have to visit.
We were onto the next hill, up the road to Upperthong. I mean the clue is in the name it is a very very steep road. The heat was starting to wear us down and we were stopping more and seeking shade more. We discussed and both agreed we were good to go, but slowly.
This is the centre of Upperthong, top of the second hill, where we sat on the wall on the right of the photo on the left, if that makes sense. It was in the shade and we needed our sandwiches and a rest plus the all important water. Thong is a Norse word for a strip of land. I'm sure it makes sense here but I can't really see it.
We passed the cattle sheltering in the shade and were thankful of another pause at the bridge in the dell at the bottom of the hill. It was cool here so very welcome.
This was only a little valley in the scheme of todays walk and did not even count as a hill but it was steep and tough. This range of buildings up the valley fascinated me. In which order were they built and for what function. I can and did speculate but was probably wrong.
It was good to get out of the sun again but it was not for long.
These are the views which money cannot buy.
The wheat fields were leading us to Netherthong the second Thong of the day as we did not quite reach Thongsbridge.
As we entered Netherthong we passed this very pretty horse amongst others.
The local artist, the famous Ashley Jackson, always says that the light around Holmfirth is unique and today we could see what he means.... it was pretty good. The window in this building plus a few other architectural features we saw reminded me of the Mortons and my Wednesday walk with Venka. We discussed how lucky we are to be able to find these signs or reminders of the abilities of our ancestors left in the landscape around us.
We were past New Leith and heading down to Hogley Green. These are tiny places but they are named.
New Laith on the hill was very posh with everywhere having been converted into high cost dwellings.The moors were ever visible in the distance. Its not a bad place....is it?
This was at the end of someones garden but i am afraid I can find no references to it. Another story to be told.
It was in places a steep and trecherous path down to the valley below where the remains of a mill chimney stands forlorn.
The cows with calves were luckily away from the path but they had left their calling cards around for us to slip on. I liked the church with the twin chimneys looking like a bell tower but actually just mimicking the shape of the windows, clever.
We were onto the next hill, up the road to Upperthong. I mean the clue is in the name it is a very very steep road. The heat was starting to wear us down and we were stopping more and seeking shade more. We discussed and both agreed we were good to go, but slowly.
This is the centre of Upperthong, top of the second hill, where we sat on the wall on the right of the photo on the left, if that makes sense. It was in the shade and we needed our sandwiches and a rest plus the all important water. Thong is a Norse word for a strip of land. I'm sure it makes sense here but I can't really see it.
We passed the cattle sheltering in the shade and were thankful of another pause at the bridge in the dell at the bottom of the hill. It was cool here so very welcome.
This was only a little valley in the scheme of todays walk and did not even count as a hill but it was steep and tough. This range of buildings up the valley fascinated me. In which order were they built and for what function. I can and did speculate but was probably wrong.
The wheat fields were leading us to Netherthong the second Thong of the day as we did not quite reach Thongsbridge.
As we entered Netherthong we passed this very pretty horse amongst others.
Another nettle alley. The church was hidden by the trees but it was a familar road to both of us.
These buildings are just fantastic. Netherthong is the biggest of the thongs and has a supermarket. As we walked along I suggested a building looked like a converted school due to a large vertical school window. I was well happy when we saw the road was called School Street, maybe I was right.
The slippy path down to the bottom of Netherthong was scarily slippy. I went once but the handrail saved me. We discussed the next hill as it looked very steep on the OS elevation graph. This was the route to the base of it.
Holmroyd Hill thankfully was not very busy but it was incredibly steep. This is not what you want on a hot day. Luckily there was a lot of shade and we had plenty of stops.
The short downhill to Bank Dike was blessed with cows sheltering from the heat in the stream bottom and munching on the grass under the trees. It was pretty but we were still glad we did not have to pass too close to them.
As we headed towards the Manor House at Wilshaw the cows were again seeking shelter at the bottom of the field whilst the pigs in their pen squealed a welcome.
We paused for quite a while in the farmyard watching the white ducks heading for their trough. We had after all just climbed the last hill of the walk. This was definitely a wonderful place to be.
At Wilshaw we sat on a road side wall for a rest and drink in the shade before our last short leg back to Calmlands.
Our route took us down the golf course past the club house and onto the road. The golfers were friendly enough but there were a lot of them and at one point balls were coming at us from more than one direction. Just rolling along the grass though not flying at our heads.
Our route took us down the golf course past the club house and onto the road. The golfers were friendly enough but there were a lot of them and at one point balls were coming at us from more than one direction. Just rolling along the grass though not flying at our heads.
In this heat this could only ever be a morning walk and we both agreed at the end that another hour would have been far too much. As it was it was just 10 miles and an ascent of 1500 feet, a good walk.
The storms did not reappear so it was a hot and dry walk.
os map
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/32640325/thongs-rfm-blue-line?lat=53.58603&lon=-1.83047&zoom=14.6059&style=TopoAuto&type=2d
Comments