Ryecroft RFM Blue Line Walking with Max and Lacey
Ryecroft
RFM Blue Line
Walking with Max and Lacey
06/07/26
We started at a place called Gully a really nice mature small council estate though I bet most of the houses are owner occupied now. Unusually for my walks the start place is quite high up but the route stays high above the Holme Valley for its entire route.
The well kept path turned into an overgrown one as we turned on to the hill up to New Gate. From here in the distance we could see the hill we had climbed last week on our walk past Home Moss TV Aerial. Luckily we were not in a similar heatwave as on that walk. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent so I ought to hold back a few wooded walks for the really hot days.
The building at New Gate looked like a converted old industrial buiding each residence having 3 huge floors. I bet they are great properties inside. We tried to guess at the original function of the building and as some of the windows looked like they had been bricked up a weaving factory felt like the right answer. A lady watering her plants stopped to have a chat and was interested in Lacey and her photography. Yorkshire folk in general are the friendliest. As we went up the lane to the right we could see Holmfirth in the valley below.
This valley never disappoints for views. All the valleys in this area have their own equally interesting characteristic views. The mixture of steep hills, housing of all periods and industrial heritage is so interesting and beautiful to see.
The recreation ground we walked through was not pristine as it would have been in days gone by but was still a nice open green public space. The rosebay willowherb were in full flower.
The route headed down a well defined lane towards Town End. This felt like an open and wide landscape and was quite easy to traverse.
We passed the wonderfully named West Nelly farm and the horses, chickens and sheep on this adjacent holding.
The views forward to our right were great of the hills above Hepworth. We were to get much closer. The 2 kids tend to follow at a short distance and never stop talking. I power ahead to keep the momentum going.
The farmjer was turning the hay, it has been a really good year for the hay, hot and dry, at cutting time. We were leaving the open fields as we apporached Town End.
These old dark lanes are so atmospheric, you can tell they have been used for hundreds of years.
After crossing the road, it was good to see the cobbles and horse trough at the top of the next wooded hill we were about to descend
It was nice and cool and dark as we descended down to the little stream at Wooldale.
Then it was up onto the not great housing estate and along the road towards New Mill.
The stone houses at New Mill looking down the hill and through the trees are a thing of beauty.
We headed up a short sharp hill and followed the road high above New Mill Dike.
Another horse trough and some new houses at Totties was an area I recognised but last time we had come down the hill.
The route took us immediately away from Totties and up a flight of steps and across some cut hay fields towards Scholes.
Cut hay is easy to walk on but after a while my heavy boots were not liking the soft surface. We left the sweet smelling fields along a dark cool lane edged with very mature trees. To our left down in the valley is Jackson Bridge and Hepworth an area we had had many walks over the winter. The hill profile was very familar to us.
At Paris, Scholes we passed a school where the kids were playing outside serenading us with their wonderful almost melodic excited play noise. Its got to be one of the best noises there is. Max retrieved 2 balls from behind a car and handed them to a lady from the school who was heading down to pick them up. She was jolly and we had a little chat as we walked back up to the entrance to the school.
Then we were heading down a hill past a bit of spare land with rabbits scurrying around.
As we passed through Scholes I remember this really steep hill from the last time we were here as then we had to ascend it. It was easier going down. We crossed the Dean Dike at the bottom and left the road to go into the wood, along the Kirklees Way, at the start of the climb up through the woods surrounding Dean Dike to Morton Wood.
This plant always looks impressive and even more so from this angle.
As we passed through Scholes I remember this really steep hill from the last time we were here as then we had to ascend it. It was easier going down. We crossed the Dean Dike at the bottom and left the road to go into the wood, along the Kirklees Way, at the start of the climb up through the woods surrounding Dean Dike to Morton Wood.
The start of the glade is quite open and high up on the side of the hill above the stream. Its good but not spectacular.
If you look carefully in this badly taken photo you can see aTree Creeper on the left side of the trunk. I love this little bird and have seen it a few times on walks this year.
The whole reason for today's walk is to ascend this glade so Max can see it as Lacey, Lola and I have already been here. Its much darker than the photos suggest and as you go through it it is a magical, mystical place. Its not easy to walk along as the path goes up and down, crossing the stream by bridge or ford, edging the dike on slippy stones so close and enclosed. There are many places where you have to be really careful and make sure you do not end up injured or wet.
The whole reason for today's walk is to ascend this glade so Max can see it as Lacey, Lola and I have already been here. Its much darker than the photos suggest and as you go through it it is a magical, mystical place. Its not easy to walk along as the path goes up and down, crossing the stream by bridge or ford, edging the dike on slippy stones so close and enclosed. There are many places where you have to be really careful and make sure you do not end up injured or wet.
It is without doubt a hidden gem of the Scholes area. The mystical woodland creatures definitely live here I am sure I saw a gnome and an elf but I definitely saw fairies. I did ..... honestly.
The way out is an unimpressive nettled infested little bridge. Yes I did get nettled but there were Dock leaves around so I used one and it worked.
The way out is an unimpressive nettled infested little bridge. Yes I did get nettled but there were Dock leaves around so I used one and it worked.
The hill still had to be climbed. This building looked like an industrial relic, more weavers cottage windows.
We were close to the reservoir but to be honest had no idea as we followed the road a short way before we turned off on this overgrown path at Springhead.
We passed the Stud farm with some fine looking horses and foals close to the farm.
Then we headed along the Scholes Moor Road to Abinger where we turned along the lane to Carr Lea. We had ascended to the top of this walk and looking back towards Scholes and Holmfirth they were a long way below us. None of us had really felt the hill too much as half of it was through the woods and there was too much to see and do to worry about the slope. We crossed Dunford Road and now we could see into the Ribble Valley above Underbank.
Then we headed along the Scholes Moor Road to Abinger where we turned along the lane to Carr Lea. We had ascended to the top of this walk and looking back towards Scholes and Holmfirth they were a long way below us. None of us had really felt the hill too much as half of it was through the woods and there was too much to see and do to worry about the slope. We crossed Dunford Road and now we could see into the Ribble Valley above Underbank.
Max recognised the scenery as we had walked here a few walks ago. Well done Max.
We dropped down the hill and walked along the side of the Longley Farm plant. That is a lot bigger factory than I expected. Their yoghurts are the best using good Yorkshire milk. I'm not biased.
Walking this lane down towards Cross, past the National School, it was hard to see what its modern function is, it was clear we walking through an almost fossilised landscape. The industrial past was clear to see in the buildings and map names but there was no-one around. Abandoned mills and schools point to a busier more populated landscape in past eras.
We recrossed the Dunford Road and followed the path through the rugby field but it was a dead end so we retraced our path and went back down Dunford Road to the lane.
The lonely cow was at the bottom of the steep Ribble Valley.
We followed the lane past some quaint old houses to Cinder Hills. These houses cut into the hillside look like small 1 storey buildings from the road side but can be 2 or 3 storeys high when looking up the hill towards the other side of them.
The Meadow Brown butterfly was a cool thing to see on the garden flower roadside.
Finally we were back to Gully and the red car.
We dropped down the hill and walked along the side of the Longley Farm plant. That is a lot bigger factory than I expected. Their yoghurts are the best using good Yorkshire milk. I'm not biased.
We recrossed the Dunford Road and followed the path through the rugby field but it was a dead end so we retraced our path and went back down Dunford Road to the lane.
The lonely cow was at the bottom of the steep Ribble Valley.
We followed the lane past some quaint old houses to Cinder Hills. These houses cut into the hillside look like small 1 storey buildings from the road side but can be 2 or 3 storeys high when looking up the hill towards the other side of them.
The kids take these 7 milers in their stride now and were still full of beans at the end of this tough walk. The hills were in places steep and hard going but its just one foot in front of the other and don't look up. Works everytime to flatten hills. Its all in the mind.
This is the last walk in the Holmfirth area for the time being.
It has been a great area to walk in though and I am sure we will be back.
os map
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/32795601/ryecroft-rfm-blue-line?lat=53.55919&lon=-1.76161&zoom=13.057&style=TopoAuto&type=2d
Comments