Monday 4th December 2023
Special Christmas Countryside Walk around Greenmount.
Lunch at Miller Carter Steak House
The weather forecast for the day was prolonged and heavy rain, fortunately it was incorrect, so when twenty-four walkers set out from Greenmount it was a chilly but dry morning. After heading down Kirklees Trial as far as Shepard Street, we turned right and made our way to Old Kay’s Park and across Turton Road onto Carr Street, which we crossed and followed the track up to a very narrow stile. Once across the fields we turned right on Clay Lane and headed towards Windmill Farm. At the farm we turned right down their access road, having to take great care as it was covered in black ice.
Before reaching the main road, we joined a footpath on our left and walked past several attractive cottages before joining Turton Road. After turning left, we walked along the road as far as Tom’s Cattery, where we turned right and followed a footpath to the restored chimney of Two Brook Mill. The footpath then dropped down into Two Brook Valley, which looked especially photogenic with the frost and volume of water coming over the waterfall. Once in the valley we headed for Hawkshaw Tennis Club where we stopped for our morning coffee break, and as it was our Christmas walk, we also enjoyed delicious fruit cake.
After our morning break, we turned right onto Two Brooks Lane and walked up tp Bolton Road, in Hawkshaw, where we turned left and walked as far as Walves Bridge, where we turned right and headed towards Top of Qualton. Once through two gates we dropped down to the small footbridge over Walves Brook and headed through the fields to Hawkshaw Lane, where we turned right at Higher House farm and made our way to the Rifle Range. From here it was only a short distance into Redisher Wood, which looked very attractive with the frost on the ground.
After taking our usual route back to Greenmount we first discarded our muddy boots before enjoying our Christmas lunch at Miller & Carter, which as always had been carefully organised, the walking distance had been 6.5 not so muddy miles.