Kirklees Way - Section 1 - Marsden North Loop

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6.1 miles / 9.8 km
Duration: Half day

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Kirklees Way - Marsden North Loop (37).JPG

Kirklees Way - Marsden North Loop (38).JPG

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Overview: Kirklees Way - Section 1 - Marsden North Loop is about 6.1 miles long and located near Marsden, United Kingdom. The trail is great for hiking and normally takes a full day.

Walk Details

Start/Finish: Marsden Rail Station

Type: Circular

Distance: 9.8 km (6.1 miles) {of which 4.0 km was Kirklees Way)

Min Elevation: 186 m @ Kettle Lane, Marsden

Max Elevation: 384 m @ Cupwith Reservoir

Total Ascent: 568 m (1836 ft)

Max Slope: Up: 27.1%, Down: 21.7%

Avg Slope: 6.7%

Grade: M/H (lot of steep climbs and descents)

Terrain: Canal towpath, green lanes, wild moorland, pack horse trails,

Duration: 3-5 hrs

Rating: 5 star

Walk Overview

This is a very diverse hike, has fantastic views and has much else to offer. If you want to spend a whole day on this walk, first visit the National Trust Exhibition next to Marsden Rail Station. Here you can view much of what is on offer at the Marsden Moor Estate, through part of which the path will take you. Secondly, visit the Tunnel End Visitor Centre for the history of the construction of the canal/rail tunnels under Standedge. You may even want to travel into the tunnel on one of the canal tour barges.

Getting There

PT users can take the train to Marsden. If you're coming from either side of the Pennines on the Trans Pennine Express, you'll need to change to a slow train at Huddersfield if you're approaching from the east, or change at Stalybridge if your coming in from the west. The 185 bus service from Huddersfield also stops at Marsden Rail Station. At present, there is a bus at 20 min intervals.

For drivers, there is a large car park at Marsden Station, behind the National Trust Marsden Moor exhibition centre, which is well worth a visit before setting off on the walk.

Walk Directions

1&2. Set off from the station/National Trust Office by crossing the bridge over the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and head W along the towpath towards Tunnel End.

3. On reaching Tunnel End turn R in front of the Visitor Centre. Walk up the road to Reddisher Rd and the Tunnel End Pub

4. Cross Reddisher and up the cobble lane past the pub. Go thru the gate and continue up the path with the wall on your RH. Go steeply uphill and thru the garden to the left of a row of houses, past a decked area and up the hill to another gate.

5. At the road turn R. This is Top Rd, a green lane that continues steeply uphill. Continue along this lane past a farmhouse, where the lane becomes unpaved. Here, you will begin to enjoy the views of the Colne Valley.

6. Continue along the gently rising lane to the next farm, where just beyond, make a L turn thru a kissing gate to join the Colne Valley Circular path which comes up from the right. This is Huck Hill Lane, another green lane with a long history.

7. Rising steeply once again, the wide lane becomes quite muddy. Higher up, and as the lane lane levels out, stone trods have been laid next to the LH wall to circumvent the mud.

8. At the next gate, the path enters the National Trust Marsden Moor Estate of Slaithwaite Moor at Netherwood Heys. This is now open access land. You'll need good boots along here, because even in dry weather, the path ahead takes the walker thru moorland bog. Higher up, the path runs along the top of the foundations of a demolished wall, to reach a step stile to access Shaw Heys.

9. The path across Shaw Heys is quite good, with another section of stone trods to keep the feet dry. The path drops down to cross Old Clough via a wooden treadway and footbridge.

10. Continue N and gently uphill now, passing a path coming in from the right. Further along, the path becomes metaled and in good condition to reach another FP jctn, where a stone memorial bench seat has been constructed. Here we will turn R, but first, walk on ahead and visit Cupwith Reservoir for a moment, then return to the bench seat for a much needed rest from the long climb and bog crossing. Here we are at the high point of this hike.

While seated here, look around at the views, as you can see all the
well known landmarks of the Huddersfield area; to the L are the twin masts of
the BBC Radio broadcasting service at Pole Moor. Further to the right and in
the distance is the tower of Castle Hill and to the right of that is the mast
of ITV Television at Emley Moor. Ahead of you is Deer Hill Moss with the massive disused stone quarries at Shooters Nab. This quarry is where most of the stone
for the woolen mills and houses of the Colne Valley was quarried. Just behind and to
the right is the peak of West Nab at 500m, at the head of the Wessenden
Valley. The mast of the BBC TV at Holme Moss is to the right of that. The
high ground to the right of the mast is Black Hill and Soldiers Lump Trigpoint at 582m, one of the high points
crossed by the Pennine Way long distance path. Panning further right is the Wessenden
Valley before once again the high point of Pule Hill can be seen. Finally, to
your right is the ridge of Standedge, where beyond lies Lancashire.

11. Rising from the seat, head to left (bearing E) now, with Pole Moor in front of you. We leave the Kirklees Way here, and continue to follow the Colne Valley Circular path. It is a good walk ahead now, following the line of Blake Clough.

12. On reaching a paved road (Old Ground), follow the RH verge to arrive at a bend. As you go around the bend, passing woodland on the right, take a L turn at Slacks Ln, a metaled track. Follow the lane around a RH bend, then as the lane turns into a former farmyard, go straight ahead and over a stile into a field.

13. The going gets tough now. The disused lane to the right of the wall is virtually impassable now, so keep to the right on higher ground and head for a style in the bottom left corner of the field.

14. Cross the style and note that you have entered horse pastures now, with a mix of ankle breaking deep hoof marks and muddy ground. Continue a line towards a waymarker next to a bend in a driveway coming down from the right. Turn left here and cross the field to the opposite wall corner. Ahead lies a wooden stile to take you over and downhill along what remains of Slacks Lane.

15. Drop downhill to a gate into another horse pasture, where directly ahead a waymarker post shows the line of the path. Follow this line across the field to arrive at a gate and steps leading down to Scout Lane.

16. The lane and the Colne Valley Circular path drops steeply and unpaved, down to the left, but go straight ahead here, down a concreted lane called New Close Lane, until reaching the first house. Look to the right for a wooden stile leading to an indistinct field path.

17. Head uphill, keeping to the RH side of the wall. At the top, a stile takes you into another garden with a terrace of houses on the right. Reaching the drive, go straight across to a path thru the trees which comes out at the cross roads of Marsden Lane and Holme Lane. Now head for the The Rose and Crown pub just up the hill. You are now at Cop Hill.

It is well worth a visit to the pub. It appears that the pub faces the wrong way, with it's back to the road. In actual fact, this used to be a farm and was at the end of Marsden Lane, since then extended down to the crossroads. In front of the pub, a cobble lane is the remains of the lane into the farm. The ales here are good and the Landlord explained the history of the place to me. The views from this PH are excellent while sitting on the veranda, with the twin masts of Pole Moor towering up on the left, and with Slaithwaite and the Colne Valley down below.

18. Leaving the pub behind, go uphill for a short distance before dropping downhill along Marsden Lane until reaching Green Lane. Turn left here, and start more steeply downhill.

19. As you reach a very steep section of the lane at a bend, turn right along a level metaled lane, terminating at another house. At the end is a stile, leading onto a pack horse trail beyond. Here you now have a good view of the rail line and Huddersfield Narrow Canal below, Marsden ahead, with Cop Hill rising sharply above you.

20. Continue down this ever steepening trail to eventually reach the beck at Booth Gate Clough. The path turns left here and continues down to the road below and a bridge under the rail line.

21. Turn right here and follow the narrow lane, which is actually the other end of Marsden Lane. The lane starts to rise sharply uphill passing houses on the left, to reach a sharp RH bend. Just above the bend lies the 15th C Slaithwaite Hall, formerly a residence of the Earl of Dartmouth who owned all of the land in the area, when it was known as the township of Lingarths. If you look across the valley from here, you will see the area known as Lingards Wood, the modern name for Lingarths. The village of Linthwaite derives it's name from this.

22. Leave the lane here and bear left to follow another PH trail, once again walking parallel to the rail line. The trail then drops very steeply down Park Gate Clough to turn towards the rail line again.

23. Cross the bridge over the beck. This is the same water flow coming down off the moor from Old Clough and Blake Clough, where your feet have taken you beforehand. The stream feeds the reservoirs on either side of the canal that you will have spotted already.

24. On reaching another railway bridge, with Netherwood Lane crossing the way, continue ahead up a steep embankment to walk near the rail line. The path then turns right to climb up the side of the steeply sided Green Hill Clough. Watch your footing here,

25. The path crosses a stile higher up and follows a line across more horse pasture to climb up to the front yard of a house known as Ashton Binn. Continue along the paved lane here, for some easier walking now.

26. The lane passes the housing estate of Dirker on the left, the terminus of the 185 bus service is down below, but continue on ahead until the pavement ceases.

27. At this point, the grassed lane continues on as Spring Head Lane for a short distance, before once again becoming paved at a turning circle for a large house. Follow the lane steeply down to Dirker Drive below, where a right turn brings you to the bridge over the railway and the finish at Marsden Station.

Tips: Following heavy rainfall, the bog at Netherwood Heys can be difficult, with water reaching knee depth and covering the numerous stepping stones.

Try not to imbibe too much ale at the Rose and Crown as the pack horse trails are tricky on the way back to Marsden.

Points of Interest

map

National Trust Marsden Moor Estate

The Exhibition Centre. A wealth of knowledge about the moorland environment and history

Other Resources
National Trust Marsden Moor Estate Office

map

Huddersfield Narrow Canal Lock

One of the 74 locks on this 20 mile stretch of inland waterway, which runs between Huddersfield and Ashton-under-Lyne. The 44 locks on the Huddersfield side of the Pennines raise the canal some 428 feet to reach the summit at the Standedge Tunnel(3).

Peak District - Marsden and Standege - 28 08 2009 -7 Photo

Peak District - Marsden and Standege - 28 08 2009 -3 Photo

Peak District - Marsden and Standege - 28 08 2009 -2 Photo

map

Tunnel End

The Standedge Tunnel was dug out by hand starting in 1794. A trip on a canal barge into the tunnel is available, as well as a worthwhile visit to the Visitor Centre. A canal-side cafe at the tunnel entrance was once the home of 'leggers', men who pushed cargo barges through the 3 mile tunnel by 'walking' along the roof of the tunnel while laid on their backs. The horses that pulled the barges along the canal towpath were walked over the top of the hills above to meet the barges on the other side.

Other Resources
Standege Tunnel