24th July 2016
Harden
Harden is between Keighley and Bingley, it is a lovely village.
A bit of history of Harden Beck and Goit Stock Woods, which links my job to this area, at the beginning of the 19th century, there were at least three textile mills (Hallas Bridge Mill, Goit Stock Mill and Harden Bridge Mill), producing silk, cotton and worsteds. Using the fast flowing beck to power the spinning and weaving machines.
I chose the walk from a book called AA 50 Walks in West Yorkshire, the photo of the waterfall is what swung it for me to choose this walk.
I arrived at around 10:40, parking on Wilsden road just before the bridge over Harden Beck. I sorted out my stuff, plugged myself into my iPod, put my boots on, and took a few photos.
Wilsden Road looking in the direction I arrived from.
Wilsden Road looking towards Harden Bridge
I set off on the walk at around 10:55, heading down towards the bridge, taking the second road on the right (Goit Stock Lane, follow the lane past a row of cottages. Just past the cottages you come to a cattle grid, just before the cattle grid, to the left there is a small waterfall (the book does not mention this waterfall). I made my way to the water’s edge and took some photos.
The Malt Shovel by Harden Bridge.
The Cattle Grid.
The first waterfall, just before the cattle grid.
Continue past the cattle grid along the lane, be aware that this lane leads to a residential caravan site, which will have traffic coming and going to the site. You reach a bridge to the caravan site, cross the bridge and continue along the lane, with a car park to the left and the caravan site to the right. Continue along the lane past the car park, going past Calgary Lodge on the left (the lane ends here and turns into a path), entering Goit Stock Woods. Ignore the path to the left, continuing straight ahead. This path is known as Millennium Way. In around a quarter of a mile you reach Goit Stock Waterfall. I spent some time here taking photos, I eventually packed my camera away, as it had started to rain.
Goit Stock Falls
From the waterfall, there are some steps with a handrail, climbing these to get above the waterfall, and continue the walk. You soon arrive at the next waterfall, the smallest of the three on this walk. As the rain had subsided a bit, I decided to take some more photos.
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From this waterfall, continue along the path across what to all intents and purposes is a plank of wood, which leads to a track, the track going to the right goes across a more substantial bridge (Hallas Bridge), but my walk goes left, up an incline towards some cottages. Take the drive way in front of the cottages, and follow to the end, then bare right towards a garage, to the left of the garage are a few steps, which lead to a stile, go over this stile and follow the well worn path along the tree line.
The road in front of the cottages, follow to the far end.
Turn Right and head towards this garage door.
Then turn left up these steps and over the stile
At the far end of the fifth field, the stile takes you into the upper fringes of Crag Wood, continue straight, the track becomes slightly over grown, when you clear this section, you are immediately under an electric pylon (which is not mentioned in the book). Continue straight, eventually coming out of the woods and following the field edge past a row of cottages, and through a gate onto Wilsden Road. Turn left here, going past the end of the cottages, once past the cottages; there is a car park to a garden centre. The garden centre has a cafe if you should wish some refreshments.
The track going under the electric pylon.
The track going past the cottages to Wilsden Road.
Wilsden road bends round to the right instead go straight on, down a steep narrow lane (Mill Hill Top). Re-joining Wilsden road at the bottom, with the Malt Shovel Inn directly in front of you across the road.
The cottages at the top of Mill Hill Top
Back at the Malt Shovel.
I bypassed the garden centre, as I had decided to go to the Malt Shovel Inn for some refreshment. The Malt Shovel Inn is a very friendly and welcoming pub, with a nice selection of beers and real ales; it also has a good selection of food. I arrived at the pub at around 13:25. I decided to have a pint of Theakston's Lightfoot ale, and a chicken and bacon toasted club sandwich. I enjoyed both, not too badly priced at £9.60.
My pint of Theakstons Lightfoot and my chicken & bacon toasted club sandwich.
After my refreshments, I headed to my car, changed my boots and headed back home, getting home around 15:00.
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I really enjoyed this walk, it wasn’t a long walk at around 2.5 miles, but just to get out and have the time to stop and take photos without thinking of rushing off to make sure you got the walk finished, with no major climbs, a nice easy walk for a Sunday afternoon.