Best Foot Forward Walk around an uns

This week’s featured South Pennine walk courtesy of www. walkingbritain.co.uk is full of interesting sights including Crimsworth Dean, Lumb Falls and Hardcastle Crags. Starting from the unspoilt hilltop village of Heptonstall with lots to see the 7.5 mile route explores two valleys and crosses open moorland.

ROUTE

Start at the car park and picnic area on Heptonstall Road and turn right into the village. Before starting the walk it is worth exploring the church and its fascinating churchyard. The latter contains the ruins of the church destroyed by storms in 1847 and some very interesting gravestones, which reflect the wealth of this village in times gone by. As a whole the village has an unspoilt feel with many buildings retaining their character. With your exploration complete, take Northgate and passing one of the oldest methodist chapels in England take the signed footpath on your right. This path drops steeply to a road, cross this and continue downhill towards Hebden Water, which is followed uphill to a footbridge. Cross this bridge and follow a rough lane up to a road. Turn left and then right onto a signed bridleway. This track leads onto a tarmac lane. Turn right here and continue uphill. Follow this lane, which degenerates into a track, for just over two kilometres as you pass through the beautiful valley of Crimsworth Dean. Leaving the woodland behind, you reach open country. Reaching a footpath sign bear right downhill. This path soon leads to Lumb Falls and a pretty bridge, which offers a perfect spot for a picnic. Retrace your steps uphill to the derelict farm, The Nook. Go straight across with the ruins on your right and walk west along a walled lane crossing the flanks of Shackleton Knoll. The mar dow attra Turn lane to th fork Crag as it matu Mill. river Wate at th ston Turn of th narr the y left, sign quic to re is fol the v strai sign and reac this Bear of tr tarm just left, righ top o outc far b plac drop Reac into chur