Updated 22/03/2024
Length and time
4¾ miles (7½km). Should take you 2½ hours.
Highlights
Stunning views, immense variety of landscapes, spectacular rocky outcrops.
Gradients
Long steep climb at the start followed by contouring with some minor ups and downs.
Terrain
The route is on good tracks and lanes with long stretches of good paths some with causey stones.
Obstacles
There are a great many stiles of varying design and accessibility.
Facilities
Lots of places to eat and drink in Todmorden, nothing else on the route.
Bus access to the route
To get to Todmorden, buses from Halifax, Rochdale and Burnley. From Blackshaw Head 596 goes to Hebden Bridge.
1. At the junction of Ewood Lane with the A646 turn left, cross at the lights, and walk away from Todmorden. After about 400 metres, turn right down Stoney Royd Lane. Ignore the path to the right, until you go under a railway bridge.
2. Continue past the farm buildings. Follow the concrete path up ahead for 500m as it zigzags steeply up through the woods to a gate on to the moor. Turn right to a farm building where you bear left to a T-junction.
3. Turn right on to an old packhorse path. Go through three gates and continue downhill on the causey stones with fine views of Todmorden ahead.
4. Follow along a walled bridleway passing a farm on your right. Turn right down a tarmac lane to a bridge across Wickenberry Clough.
Link Path E descends to Hole Bottom and the town centre.
5. Ignore the lane to the cottages. Go ahead about 50 paces and follow the footpath uphill. Almost immediately turn left through a gap stile and gate (very easy to miss) and continue ahead.
6. After going through a series of stiles, you will see the golf course on your right. Skirt the golf course until you reach a road where you turn left. Turn right opposite West Hey Head Farm along the waymarked footpath to the next gateway and farmyard.
7. Pass above East Hey Head Farm to the gap stile and gate and continue ahead passing over a number of stiles to a cutting and then go straight across on to Law Hill with splendid views towards Stoodley Pike. Bear left over the brow of the hill and go through stiles, crossing a walled path.
8. Keep to the left of the fence, past the farm on your right and continue following the fence to the next stile which leads to a rough path down to the stream. Climb up the bank, passing in front of a holly tree on your right and go around the back of the farm. Fork left uphill and then turn left and continue uphill with the fence on your right.
9. At the next junction turn right and continue along a walled path passing through a small stile to the right of a gate until you come to a tarmac road. Turn left and within 75m turn right and go ahead until you reach Great Rock where you turn left.
10. Follow this path towards Hippins Bridge; keep to the wall side and after a ladder stile, descend the path to the gate leading to the road below. Cross the bridge and turn right on a track to Hippins.
Link Path F to Jumble Hole leads off right towards the clough.
11. Bear left along a path between farm buildings to a stile. Follow the electricity poles to a farm, cross a track to a stile to the right of the drinking trough, and continue on a paved path to the next house.
12. Take the path towards a group of buildings and then cross another stile before bearing left through a gate on to a paved path, joining the road opposite the graveyard at Blackshaw Head.
Here you have the option of getting the 596 bus back to Hebden Bridge or walking on to the New Delight at Jack Bridge.