West Yorkshire 25-45s Hiking Group

Join us for our first challenge hike of 2025! Putting up early to incentivise people to keep their fitness over winter. Hopefully if timed this right there should be plenty of bluebells and spring starting to show its colours.

Start Time: 9:45am
Miles/Kilometres: 21.5mi/34.5km (Approx)
Total ascent: 770m (Approx)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Estimated length of time: Hike will take approx 9+ hours (including a lunch break).
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Public Transport: Yes, train leaves Leeds 9:15am arriving in Brighouse by 9:35am.
Parking - Park at the station car park at your own risk of a fine. Nearest official car park is Daisy Street - https://maps.app.goo.gl/F7bxQnRKyoCst47B9 otherwise can park on nearby roads.
Payment: £1 - Use this link to pay: https://settleup.starlingbank.com/jamiepope1 - please put "Brighouse" as reference.

Itinerary

Meet in front of The Shrub cafe near the station. The first part of the walk is nice and flat for 3.5mi/5.8km. We start off walking down Bird Royds Lane through an industrial estate until the road bends round and over the railway. We follow a footpath that runs in between the railway and a huge warehouse and comes out at the river/canal.

We walk along the canal towpath until we come to a footbridge, ascend up to the bridge but do not cross it. We follow a farm road over the railway to Lower Quarry Road, where we join the Kirklees Way (KW) and then follow this road back over the railway to Leeds Road (A62). We follow the A62 over the canal & river, under the railway, cross over the roundabout and briefly follow the A62 to Miller & Carter’s, here the KW veers off into woodland. We follow this and this is where the first ascent starts.
We follow the KW up the hill through farmland and woodland to Church Lane. Walk along Church Lane and turn onto Ladywell Lane walk along here briefly and then follow the KW through fields and over the motorway into Willow Valley Golf Course. We take the access roads through the golf course to the bottom of it, leaving the KW half way through. Following the edge of the golf course to Highmoor Lane.

We then walk through fields to Thornhills Lane, walk down this country road briefly before cutting through a field to Thornhills Beck Lane. We walk down this road briefly then follow a footpath around the back of northern Brighouse, through a new housing estate until we come out at Birkhouse Road where we join the Calderdale Way (CW). We follow this road down to the A649 and then follow this road into Bailiff Bridge, over the central crossroad and then turn off onto Victoria Road. We follow this road through a housing estate, until we can veer off onto a dirt road that turns into a footpath.

We then follow this footpath through fields to the A58, cross over and follow the CW through more fields, over the railway until we come out at Norwood Terrace, follow this to Village Street. Walk along this road briefly before veering off and leaving the CW route.

We follow a footpath through fields and woodland, crossing over Coley Beck, until we come out at the A644, walk down this road briefly, cross over and then walk through the woodland descending down to the A58. Walk along the road briefly, until we can take a dirt road under the railway. Follow this road to Halifax Old Road, walk along it briefly, then follow a footpath through the woodland to Norcliffe Lane. Ascend this country road until we can take a footpath up the hill through more woodland, then follow country roads around the hillside.

We then descend a footpath to Walter Clough Lane, follow this country road briefly, then veer off up through fields to a disused quarry. Walk around the edge of the quarry, then down its access road to Church Lane, cross over and cut through the woodland on the other side to Ashday Lane. Follow this old packhorse/farm road through woodland to the A6025. Cross over, then descend down to the canal, cross over it into the woodland opposite. Walk alongside the River Calder then cross over on the bridge here and then along the river on the other side, then carry on under the railway, ascend through woodland to Lower Edge Road. We walk along here briefly before cutting through a housing estate along another Church Lane.

At the other end of the estate is a footpath we follow to the B6114. Walk along this briefly to Pinfold Lane, walk along this road up to the motorway, we cross over the motorway to the A643. Walk along this road and then veer off onto Cote Lane, follow this road until it turns into a footpath. Follow this footpath to the A6107, cross over, follow a footpath back to the motorway, cross over it again and then descend down to Toothill Lane. Follow this road through a housing estate to A641, cross over onto Shepherds Thorn Lane, follow this to and through the local Scout’s centre, then descend back down through fields to the industrial estate we started it. We then walk back through the industrial estate to where we started.

Disclaimers

The walk organisers do not have training or insurance. Therefore, anyone who joins the walk is accountable for their own safety and anyone they bring with them. By signing up you accept this.

Check the weather (on multiple websites) before leaving your residence. Bring clothing & footwear suitable for the forecast. We advise you to bring walking boots for any medium or harder walk. Trainers are only recommended for easy walks. Bring a coat just in case (this is Britain after all...) and extra layers if it is going to be cold.

All proceeds go towards equipment for leading walks, group events & trips. A percentage will go to charities.

Bring a packed lunch and snacks. Bring enough food & water to last the estimated time.

We recommend bringing some cash just in case. Especially if parking. Not everywhere is contactless yet.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the walks organiser.

Start Time: 9:30am (please do get here on time - there is no signal at Buttermere. If you send a message to say you are running late, nobody will know).
Miles/Kilometres: 12mi/19km (Approx)
Total ascent: 1150m (if do not do Rannerdale Knotts at the end) - 1350m (if do the last one)(Approx)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Estimated length of time: Hike will take approx 7-8 hours (including a lunch break)
Dogs Allowed: Yes & are welcome in the pub at Buttermere.
Public Transport: N/A
Parking - https://maps.app.goo.gl/i8MWc8CySs4AXdp19 - park here. When facing the Buttermere Court Hotel GO RIGHT. Do not go left. Parking on the left side costs more. Right side you can pay with contactless & has toilets.
Payment: £1 - Use this link to pay: https://settleup.starlingbank.com/jamiepope1 - please put "Buttermere" as reference.

Itinerary

Meet at the front of the Buttermere Court Hotel. We start by walking to the main road, crossing over and entering Ghyll Wood. The ascent starts immediately. The ascent through the woods is quite gradual for 90-100m of elevation. Once we exit the woods it gets somewhat steep as we ascend up the backend of Rannerdale Knotts. Once up, it flattens out for a short period before becoming quite steep for 70-100m of elevation and then gradually levels out.

Once up, catch your breath, take a look back at Buttermere and then continue along the flat bit up here before taking on the final 220m of ascent up to Whiteless Pike (Wainright #1) - 660m. We then descend 40m to Saddle Gate ridge, walk along the ridge and then it is a 150m ascent up to Wandope (Wainright #2) - 772m. Hopefully we will have views across all the way Derwent Water.

We then descend 50m to then ascend 130m to Grasmoor. This ascent is steepish at first but the last 50m is a long gradual ascent. Once at Grasmoor (Wainright #3) - 852m, we will aim to have lunch up here. This is the highest point of the hike.

It is then a 250m quite long descent down to Coledale Hause, where we can hopefully enjoy views in multiple directions. Before we take a steepish 150m ascent up Sand Hill and then its an easy final 20m of ascent up to Hopegill Head (Wainright #4) - 770m. We then walk along Whiteside ridge (it is a wide ridge and the path goes nowhere near the edge). It starts of descending for 70m and then it is a flat walk all the way to Whiteside (Wainright #5) - 707m.

We then take a steep descent down Whiteside. Descending 200m, it then becomes less steep for the next 100m of descent before becoming steep again for another 200m of descent. Hopefully we will get great views as we descend of Crummock Water and Loweswater and the hills behind them.

The next 2.5mi/4km is pretty much a flat walk that gradually descends a further 50m as we walk around the bottom of Grasmoor. We walk through the fields here into the Rannerdale valley, where bluebells should be full bloom all over the area. Creating a stunningly beautiful landscape. We cross over Rannerdale Beck and then walk around the bottom of Rannerdale Knotts to the main road.

We walk along the road briefly alongside Crummock Water before veering off and start the ascent up to the top of Rannerdale Knotts. If anyone is struggling, after 35-40m of ascent a path goes along the base back to Buttermere, you can follow this. The rest of us will ascend a further 200m to the top of Rannerdale Knotts (Wainright #6) - 355m.

We then walk along the top of this hill slowly descending until we come back to where we started earlier. We then walk back through Ghyll Woods back to Buttermere and the pub!

Bring swimming costumes if want to go for a swim in Buttermere Lake or Crummock Water! Bear in mind though, mountain lakes are freezing at this time of the year due to water, snow & ice from winter still flowing into it and not yet warmed up. Therefore, if you do wish to go swimming be sure to bring the correct gear to get warm afterwards and understand the dangers of being in freezing water for to long and not getting warmed up quick enough afterwards.

Disclaimers

The walk organisers do not have training or insurance. Therefore, anyone who joins the walk is accountable for their own safety and anyone they bring with them. By signing up you accept this.

Check the weather (on multiple websites) before leaving your residence. Bring clothing & footwear suitable for the forecast. We advise you to bring walking boots for any medium or harder walk. Trainers are only recommended for easy walks. Bring a coat just in case (this is Britain after all...) and extra layers if it is going to be cold.

All proceeds go towards equipment for leading walks, group events & trips. A percentage will go to charities.

Bring a packed lunch and snacks. Bring enough food & water to last the estimated time.

We recommend bringing some cash just in case. Especially if parking. Not everywhere is contactless yet.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the walks organiser.

Start Time: 9:30am
Miles/Kilometres: 8.5mi/14km (Approx)
Total ascent: 1135m(Approx)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Estimated length of time: Hike will take approx 6-7 hours (including a lunch break)
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Public Transport: N/A
Parking - No official parking in Braithwaite, primary school is open for parking on weekends & bank holidays - https://maps.app.goo.gl/zgSKqEGkGR5fdawi8. Otherwise, there seems to be a few places to park near the Parish of St. Bega, St Mungos and St. Herbert.
Payment: £1 - Use this link to pay: https://settleup.starlingbank.com/jamiepope1 - please put "Buttermere" as reference.

Itinerary

Meet outside the Coledale Inn. We start by heading southeast along the road until we can veer off onto a footpath that will take us into the woodland. We cross over Barrow Gill and exit the woods to walk through the farmland here. Once we exit the farmland our ascent up Barrow begins. This ascent is 400m overall, starts off steepish, levels out to be more gradual, then goes steep again birefly before its a gradual ascent again. Once at the top we will be at Barrow (Wainright #1) - 455m.

We then descend 70m to Barrow Door, walk along the flat for a bit before taking a gradual 160m ascent up to Outerside (Wainright #2) - 568m. We then descend 70m again, walk around the bottom of Scar Crags, with the famous wiggly path up Sail in front of us.

The path gradually ascends to that wiggly path which we then ascend up. From the end of the last descent to the top of Sail it is approx 270m of ascent. Will up to have lunch here at Sail (Wainright #3) - 773m. Once ready, we continue along the ridge for a further 60m of ascent up to Crag Hill (Wainright #4) - 838m. This is the highest point of the hike. Will aim to have lunch up here where we can enjoy the views in all directions.

Once ready, we descend 240m to Coledale Hause (where we were on Saturday's hike). This time we veer off to the right for a more gradual ascent up this hillside to Hobcarton Crag (738m). Walk along the ridge here and then take the final 50m of ascent up to Grisedale Pike (Wainright #5) - 791m.

It is then a 2-2.5mi/3.2-4km stroll down to Braithwaite where if anyone wants to we can go into the pub for food & drink before heading home.

Disclaimers

The walk organisers do not have training or insurance. Therefore, anyone who joins the walk is accountable for their own safety and anyone they bring with them. By signing up you accept this.

Check the weather (on multiple websites) before leaving your residence. Bring clothing & footwear suitable for the forecast. We advise you to bring walking boots for any medium or harder walk. Trainers are only recommended for easy walks. Bring a coat just in case (this is Britain after all...) and extra layers if it is going to be cold.

All proceeds go towards equipment for leading walks, group events & trips. A percentage will go to charities.

Bring a packed lunch and snacks. Bring enough food & water to last the estimated time.

We recommend bringing some cash just in case. Especially if parking. Not everywhere is contactless yet.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the walks organiser.