Low Moor to Shipley (Alpine Version) 22/04/17

14.4 miles, via Wyke New Road Side, Royds Hall, Shelf, Queensbury, Mountain, Thornton,
 Stoney Lane, Sandy Lane, Noon Nick, Moorhead, and Saltaire.

So after the last stretch, two extra days of recovery were needed as my chest cold lingered horribly, and the short post Easter week ended up being only two days of work long, with all of it being toil, and thus a wiser man would have stayed home for the weekend, but the weather looked decent and my walking spirit still wants to make the most of the Spring days, so we are back to the trail with the lungs and legs still feeling less than 100%. An early start on the day isn't an option when Low Moor station is a complicated location to travel to, and so we resume our long loop around Bradford by setting course for Shipley again, but this time aiming for the hills to the west and our first major excursion over Alpine Bradford in a few years, and our first non-urban excursion of the year, departing at 10.05am and aiming ourselves off down the Spen Valley Greenway to get back to the circuit started last weekend. This involves noting that the most singular building in the Transperience complex has gone, demolished to enlarge the freight distribution depot, and also finding the plaque installed to commemorate the munitions works explosion of 21st August 1916 which killed 40 people, a useful reminder of the civilian casualties of the First World war that are still not fully acknowledged in the popular consciousness. This track leads us to Oakenshaw tunnel where we depart the Greenway to push up back to Wyke Lane and head into the green fields and onto the path to the west, rising up to Fearnley Farm and then splitting off to Wilson Road, which is partly un-adopted to prevent it being a rat run between Oakenshaw and Wyke, and as it rises above the rough fields and common land that used to be occupied by the chemical and munitions works, we get a visual confirmation that Low Moor is one of those rare enduring bastions of heavy industry. Soon we meet the outer edges of Wyke's suburban outspill, followed down to the B6379 Huddersfield Road, and then we get an older sort of face to High Fernley Road, leading us on to the A641 Woodside Road which illustrates that this quarter, New Road Side, seems to have two main roads running through it.

Oakenshaw Tunnel, North portal.

Wilson Road, partially in-adopted between Oakenshaw and Wyke.

We arrive by Appleton Academy, the large multi storeyed and circular school building that is surely the most distinctive building in Wyke and our path beyond leads us to Carr House Gate, which passes between the council estate and old terraces at the very edge of the village, gradually leading us to a more rural aspect and to some views to the south and west before fading down to a footpath at the hill top by the microwave towers. The lane beyond takes us to the perimeter of Royds Hall, a notable early 17th century establishment which used to be one of the dominant estates, along with Bolling Hall, in the pre-industrial age in Bradford, but its considerable formal gardens can't be seen through the wall and trees so attention wanders over the southern edge of Bradford, down to Park Dam and over Woodside and Buttershaw, districts that probably won't get any further attention this year. We do finally get a brief look at the back of Royds Hall as we arrive among its associated buildings, but it's all very private and a closer look is out of the question sadly, so we move on, hitting the field path that leads up to North Brow wood, getting a good look down to the woodlands associated to the estate, the same ones met near Wyke and Norwood Green, which illustrates that even when on a 5+ mile trip through virgin territory, you're never too far from a path previously encountered. Jagger Park Wood seems a popular trekking point for the locals, but our path will only skin its northern edge, dropping down sharply into the cleft that takes Royds Hall Beck down to the south, easily crossed but hard to get away from as the extremely steep path up the other side is a proper lung burster, not the sort on landscape you might expect in this vicinity as we shift into Calderdale district for the first time in a while. Not too sure why greater Shelf isn't part of Bradford, but our field path leads to Riding Hall farm, another ancient beauty, where the ROW no longer goes through its yard, taking a rather baroque diversion, joining Green Lane as it loops around Bentley Grange and through a largely rural landscape that still manages to have suburbia encroaching on it as former farm sites get redeveloped.

Appleton Academy, Wyke, very distinctive.

Royds Hall, too hard to see, even up close.

Royds Hall Beck, wild country south of Bradford.

Riding Hall farm, an absolute gem.

At least Shelf itself has a bit more of a distinctive feel to it, with a name suggesting elevation as we pace the edge of the cleft of Wood Fall Beck, previously encountered on the Calderdale Way, rising to meet the main drag through the village, the A6036 Wade House Road, crossed over by the Memorial garden and then onwards on the suburban high road of Shelf Moor Road, rising beyond the many housing styles, rural, terraced and suburban that have accumulated on this high village, and onwards to the countryside again. Rough, rolling fields and equestrianism aplenty can be found on this high lands on Giles Hill Road as we push up to the lands of Alpine Bradford, having gained a lot of altitude without really noticing, picking out Queensbury on the forward horizon, but also taking moments to look back to get the Kirklees panorama, as well as down the Calder valley into Wakefield district, All Saints Ossett and Woolley Edge appearing through the haze, and also getting the view right back across Bradford to the city of Leeds, a view I had hoped might be plausible from this location, and happily discovered to be actual from up here at moorland altitude. Arriving at the A644 Brighouse Road (one of the county's best scenic roads) and re-entering Bradford district, we immediately get forward views straight into Calderdale, right across the moors to Stoodley Pike, and as we pace around the rural southern edge of Queensbury, along Jackson Hill Lane and Syke Lane, we pass above the top of Shibden Dale, the local hidden valley of much scenic quality, a path that invites investigation on a future day. We turn to the town at hand, though, away from the farmsteads on Deanstones Lane and rising to Queensbury's suburban edge, inviting views towards Holy Trinity Church and Black Dyke Mills across the fields, before we favour the path to the former, leaving the road to trace a route on the paths around the school and the recreation grounds to arrive below the church on the A644 West End, and a heavy dose of sunshine makes this place look a whole lot more appealing, the dark stone having a much warmer and friendlier tone to it.

Wade House Road, Shelf, in Calderdale, not Bradford.

Giles Hill Lane and the path previously travelled.

Above Shibden Dale, this county's hidden valley.

Holy Trinity, Queensbury, blessed by sunshine.

Pause to lunch by the cemetery as it's the closest available parkland before pressing on to join Chapel Street and Lane, still mildly amazed that this stony and Victorian mining town could have grown to such a size and still manage to attract residential development in all periods since despite being up at moorland altitude, an elevation felt as the perimeter of Foxhill Park is paced and a field path is walked in the direction of the microwave towers on the edge of Mountain. An odd name for a suburb but entirely consistent with its height, as we pace around its newer edge to the south and west to get a view into the moorlands on Calderdale, virtually on the doorstep in this quarter with Halifax only a few miles distant, and Old Guy Road presents a viewpoint as good as any as it twists its way down to the A644, offering an elvated look to the nearby high point of Soil Hill and a good view to our next destination of Thornton, but the real reward is the view right up to the Dales, with Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent obvious. It's a spot everyone should pass on their travels, and our descent has to start soon as we move past the fields of Queensbury Celtic FC to follow Pit Lane downhill among the many farmsteads of Alpine Bradford that have been observed from the railway walk far below, the High Birks embankment showing up prominently, and a field walk is necessary to carve a couple of corners off the road and to get to the path that descends down sharply towards Pinch Beck, not really following the route marked on the map, offering many views of Thornton viaduct. I know I've been here twice before, but this is a structure that will always attract my eye, especially as its most scenic side is best seen from by the terrace on Alderscholes Lane, and the gentle curves of its 20 arches and 270m length need to be seen when the sun is shining upon it. Kipping Lane leads us into Thornton proper, over the main road and into the old heart of the village, where stone cottages and narrow terraced streets are the order of the day, all looking appealing in the sunshine, and here's where we find the claim to fame for Thornton, the house where the famous Bronte sisters were born and raised in the early 19th century, a very modestly scaled place that would have suited the means of their churchman father, if not the needs of his wife and six children.

Mountain, Queensbury's high suburb with Microwave Towers.

Old Guy Lane and the path to come, to Thornton and beyond!

Thornton Viaduct, always a welcome sight on our travels.



The Bronte family birthplace, Thornton.

Sapgate Lane is our route on to the north turning from terraced street to high suburban lane as it pushes uphill, not offering nice houses but providing good elevated views above them before we start to descend down the far side of Thornton's hill, departing at the lane's end to a field walk down to a converted farmstead and then find the problem of poorly marked paths on the ground and on the map, which seems to be a feature common to Bradford district. A keen eye can follow the field boundary though, down towards Pitty Beck and through a lush rural landscape that is well hidden from passing traffic, and the haul up the other side is certainly the most testing pull of the day, up to the Bailey Fold farms, mostly looking like upscale family retreats these days and the ascending along the lane below the terraced fields and amongst the threat of continuing suburban sprawl as we rise to meet Cote Lane and the outer edge of the Allerton estate. Pause for second lunch before continuing around the western extremity of Bradford, across  Allerton Road and along the wonderfully named Prune Park Lane before starting the eastward swing around the edge of the Stony Lane estate on the road of the same name, and as we descend towards Airedale a whole new vista opens up, with Rombalds Moor providing the backdrop, as we enter territory that I've never visited before in any capacity, and its good to report that the view is pretty special. Descend sharply to meet Haworth Road and the peculiar suburban village of Sandy Lane, where cricket is played on the appropriate field, and terraces follow the descending B6146 Cottingley Moor Road to the council houses and onto the bridleway among the allotments that keeps us away from the traffic, sending us in the direction of Baildon Moor, distant across the valley. we could descend all the way from here, but at North Bank Lane a sharp path back uphill is joined to gain us some more views, passing the smart suburban enclave of Noon Nick, which must only be appealing for about 8 months of the year, rising to regain views of the Aire valley, high above the St Ives estate and Bingley, another view well worth seeing.

The Valley of Pitty Beck, between Thornton and Allerton.

Stoney Lane and the backdrop of Rombalds Moor.

Sandy Lane, at Bradford's north-western extremity.

St Ives estate, Bingley and the Aire valley, from North Bank Road.

Meet Stoney Ridge Road in the midst of Woodlands where Spring still hasn't arrived and pace the descending roadside to gain Airedale views towards Baildon Moor once again, dropping to meet the B6269 Cottingley Cliffe Road, before continuing along the elevated High Bank Lane, frustratingly short of a footway and busier than the preceding lanes as we follow the ridge above the river valley and the Northcliffe Golf club, another place to get the Airedale panorama in full effect. The descent comes on fast as we meet the club house and the outer edge of Moorhead, this corner of Greater Shipley, following the long sweeping curve of the road as it descends into suburbia, giving us a pretty bold range of historical styles as we drop down towards the church of St Peter, hopeful that the sunshine will last as we approach Saltaire village, the style of which has definitely bled into the developments on this side of Bingley Road. As per predictions though, the cloud cover comes on as we cross the A650, by the tramshed that is now a pub, so we won't be getting any sunnier pictures as we pass through this UNESCO World Heritage Site, still gorgeous in any weather though I would do my bit for it by suggesting that anyone who lives in the terraces should be discouraged from parking their cars outside. Following the A657 Saltaire Road gives us possibly the harshest of style transitions as once we are across Exhibition Road the terraces immediately switch to the normal style for West Yorkshire and bare yards beyond that we are among just the ugliest type of council flats, which makes you glad to have the Wycliffe CofE school's Victorian stylings on the other side of the road to distract you. Shipley town centre then awaits, met by rising along Westgate towards the spindly-legged clock tower, which has become a singular landmark from its elevated placement atop the oh-so-Sixties covered market, in quite a contrast to the parades of stone built Victorian shops that surround it, and we are good for a drink in one of the many pubs along here too, if it wasn't for this day having gone on too long already. So meet the bottom of Kirkgate and pass across the wide A6038 Otley Road to approach the finish line along Station Road, a seemingly forgotten dead end below the cliffs hewn out to form the railway triangle, arriving on the station at the Skipton - Bradford curve at 4.30pm, half an hour over schedule, but this was the sort of day when getting out of second gear was never that likely to happen, but the legs and lungs have survived and we got a lot more sunshine than we were promised, so I'm still 100% happy with today's progress through so much previously unseen territory.



Baildon Moor from Stoney Bank Road.

St Peter's Moorhead, bathed in Sunshine.

Wycliffe CofE school, Shipley, aping Saltaire's stylings.

Shipley Market and Clock Tower, undeniably distinctive.

5,000 Miles Cumulative Total: 2708.9 miles
2017 Total: 143.9 miles
Up Country Total: 2464.6 miles
Solo Total: 2453.6 miles


Next Up: Remaining in the countryside, between Leeds and Bradford.