HEBDEN BRIDGE WALKERS ACTION

901 BUS WALKS 7
Cragg Brook and over to Hebden Bridge

Main features of the walk
This linear walk takes you down a wooded stream and then over the shoulder on the top edge of the Calder Valley

Length and time
It's about 8 km (approx 5 miles) and should take you about 3 hours (plus stops).

Gradients – how strenuous?
There are two quite steep up hill stretches, but both have steps.

Terrain – how uneven?
Most of the walk is through woodland on good paths which are often muddy in places. Some of the walk is on farm tracks and lanes.

Obstacles – stiles, steps etc.       
There are a number of stiles and quite a few steps.

Facilities on the walk
Refreshments may be obtained at the Hinchliffe Arms and the Robin Hood in Cragg Vale.

What to take?
You need a pair of reasonable walking shoes with 'grippy' soles as parts of the route can be muddy after rain.

DIRECTIONS

Detailed directions for Walk 7: Cragg Brook and over to Hebden Bridge

1. From the bus turning circle you walk up hill to the top end of the terrace called Green Bank and at the end turn right down through the garden and follow the path downhill to the river (ignore the path that goes off to the right) and cross the river at a stone footbridge (careful if the river is high)
2. Bear right and follow the way-marked path through the woods with the wall on your left. After the stile, take the path heading up. You might wonder about all the broken trees – this is the result of a mini-tornado in October 2014! Also look for the strange carved stone in the middle of the path – sadly, no-one knows quite what this is.
3. When this well defined path reaches a tarmac lane (about 20 minutes walk), turn right down hill until you reach a T junction. Make a short detour here and turn left for 100 metres until you reach the Arts and Crafts style gatehouse of Cragg Hall on your right. Retrace your steps to the Hinchliffe Arms the first stop for possible refreshments.
4. Coming out of the Hinchliffe, you turn left along the road, cross the stream on the stone road bridge and follow the tarmac lane which goes below the church and in between two houses. Go through a double gate on to a grassy riverside path, coming out on to a tarmac lane by New Bridge. Go ahead on the lane for 5 metres and take the permissive path off to the left down some steps to the river. This path runs close between the river and a goit (water channel) feeding a mill dam. Once past the mill dam, follow the path to the right, up some steps to rejoin the tarmac lane from New Bridge.
5. Turn left on this lane and at the end of Castlegate Mill (now private dwellings) take a half-left path through their garden which goes back down to the river (if you want to take a a refreshment break at the Robin Hood, carry straight on and you will see the pub 200 metres down the main road).
6. Turn left and cross the river at Paper Mill Bridge and immediately turn right through a gate on to a way-marked path which climbs up through Paper Mill Wood. Ignore the path going off to the left, taking care as the path is high above the river. When the path forks, keep to the route nearest the river.
7. The path emerges from the woods, goes through two fields and comes out on to a tarmac lane. Turn right down to Spa Bridge (spot the date on the bridge 1827). Just before the bridge is the site of Cragg Spa, a small spring.
8. At the bridge, take the way-marked permissive path ahead which follows the river. When you reach the tarmac lane beside Clough Foot Bridge, turn left and after 30 metres take the way-marked footpath off to the right through a gate. The path crosses a stile and then you cross a stream on a wooden bridge. Climb the bank and follow the path ahead. You will shortly join a concrete track.
   
   

   Here you have two choices, if you want to get the 901 bus back to your start, turn right and rejoin the main road and the bus stops at Dauber Bridge.
   
   If you want to walk back to Hebden Bridge (another 4 km), turn left up the track.
   

9. Climb steadily uphill to a junction of paths and a sign board for Broadhead Clough, owned by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Go straight ahead (signed Erringden Moor), following the main path uphill as it zigzags through the clough. After climbing a steep flight of steps, turn left and follow the path until you reach a waymark post some way ahead.
10. Turn right here and follow the way marked path, through a gate, following the fence to your right and crossing a footbridge. The landscape gradually opens out with splendid views of Cragg Vale. The path then bends up to the left towards a series of marker posts that guide you through a gate, downhill again and past a farmhouse on your right.
11. Pass through a wooden gate along a green track until two metal gates are reached; take the gate to the left uphill towards a wooden stile. Do not cross this stile but turn sharp left and continue climbing diagonally uphill through another stile. Go through a gate, forking uphill to the right to a narrow gate stile in the stone wall ahead, above the woods.
12. Go straight ahead through 2 fields to a junction of paths. Go straight ahead here on an old grassy track. The track passes below an old farmhouse, past more houses to Great Jumps, comprising a farmhouse on the right, a collection of farm buildings and a converted barn to the left.
13. Just past here, the track continues right downhill but on a bend go straight ahead through a metal gate on a way marked foot path through a field. Follow the wall through the first field and then diagonally downhill through the second field to a stile in the corner. Cross the track and go straight ahead on the waymark footpath downhill diagonally through the field.
14. The path then crosses a series of fields through stone stiles and gaps downhill to a wooden stile, the remains of a causey paved path can be spotted partially hidden by grass. Climb over here into Crow Nest Wood and follow the path downhill to a junction of paths.
15. Cross the rutted path and turn sharp left downhill on a path that becomes a tarmac track. At it's junction with the road 'Park View', turn left, over the bridge and take the footpath on your right down steps towards the canal. Turn right, then over the bridge into Hebden Bridge town centre.