Monday 11th June 2018

MONDAY 11th JUNE 2018

SHORT MONTHLY WALK

TOTTINGTON TO WALSHAW CIRULAR

 

This walk was a walk of two halves with the first section being on well used paths with regularly maintained stiles and the second half being just the opposite.  We started our route by making our way down the Kirklees Trail as far as Tower Farm where we walked down the cobbled track into Tottington Mill Wood. Just over the footbridge we stopped to look at a piece of graffiti, in the form of a pentagram, on a stone door lintel thought to have been part of the entrance to Tottington Print Works. Marks like these were often used as a symbol of protection against evil spirits.

Not wishing to offend the evil spirits we continued along the path through the Kirklees Valley past the Holcombe Hound Kennels, where the dogs were in good voice, and onto to Garside Hay Road continuing to the footbridge over Kirklees Brook.

 

 

 

Once over the bridge we walked through the fields to Sunnywood Lane and crossed Bury Road making our way to Booth Street which we crossed and joined a path that goes through the fields taking us up to Bradshaw Road.

 

 

After a short walk along the road we turned right, over a stile and walked through the fields to Hey Head Farm. This is where the second half of the walk started as we turned left and joined footpaths overgrown with brambles, nettles and self-seeded saplings, much to the dismay of the walkers wearing shorts. Heading in the direction of Gorsey Clough we encountered many obstacles where there should have been stiles, taking note of each one in turn.

 

Eventually we reached Harwood Road where we turned right and walked for a short distance along the road before making our way onto a footpath, on the left, leading to Stormer Hill Close, where we crossed Cann Street and walked down to Turton Road. The last part of the walk was along more familiar paths through Tottington Old Keys back to Greenmount having covered a warm and sunny 5 miles.