Get active, locally - just go...

BIRDSEDGE CHALLENGE

Birdsedge Village Hall, Penistone Road, Birdsedge, Huddersfield HD8 8XT

The Birdsedge Challenge is a multi-terrain annual rural race of about six miles. Start and finish on Birdsedge Lane, off A629 Huddersfield-Sheffield Road, near Denby Dale.

Link: www.birdsedgevillagehall.co.uk

CLAYTON WEST VILLAGE TRAIL

A short trail around the scenic village of Clayton West.

Link: www.denbydale-walkersarewelcome.org.uk

DARK PEAK LINK

The Dark Peak Link is a feeder to the Pennine Bridleway and joins Penistone to the National Trail.

Link: www.nationaltrail.co.uk

THE DEARNE WAY

This 30-mile walk picks up the start of the River Dearne at Birdsedge and follows its route via Denby Dale and Scissett to Bretton Park, with lovely countryside along the way to Darton, through Barnsley to Mexborough.

Link: www.ldwa.org.uk

DENBY DALE PARISH WALKING GROUP

Monthly walks of up to six miles on either a Saturday or Sunday, throughout the winter and summer.

DENBY DALE PATHWAYS TO HEALTH

A range of healthy walks by the Kirklees Walking Network around Denby Dale.

Link: www.kirklees.gov.uk

DENBY DALE VILLAGE TRAIL

A scenic walk around the village of Denby Dale. The trail is about five miles long, so allow 2-3 hours. The walk starts at the Memorial Car Park.

Link: www.denbydale-walkersarewelcome.org.uk

DENBY DALE WALKERS ARE WELCOME

The website of the Denby Dale Walkers Are Welcome Group is now live. There are fourteen different walk leaflets to download, free of charge, including walks of various lengths in different parts of the Denby Dale Parish. A square of Denby Dale This Denby Dale square is part of the national Walkers are Welcome quilt. It is a fabric collage of a typical but imagined landscape of our area with moorlands, hills, river valleys & drystone walls. Within the landscape are weavers cottages, Denby Dale viaduct, Emley Moor mast, a packhorse bridge as at Clayton West & a cluster of mill cottages. Sheep are grazing in the river valley – the two blackbirds are NOT among the ingredients of the famous Denby Dale pies, despite the nursery rhyme! The collage was made by a group of crafty ladies who meet every week in Denby Dale. Various fabrics and methods were used, including a piece of Huddersfield worsted suiting that was used for the moors. The fabric for the sky was hand dyed, the tree was made by wet felting, highlights were needle-felted and the sheep were knitted.

Link: www.denbydale-walkersarewelcome.org.uk

EMLEY BOUNDARY WALK

A 14-mile walk around Emley and its surrounding countryside. Boundary walks or ‘Beating the Bounds’, were part of English village life, but died out long ago in most parishes. The Boundary Walk uses private land for much of its course and is only used once every seven years with the kind permission of the landowners.

Link: www.denbydale-walkersarewelcome.org.uk

EMLEY VILLAGE TRAIL

The village trail is approximately three miles long. Allow a couple of hours for a leisurely stroll. The starting point is the Stone Cross by the village car park.

Link: www.denbydale-walkersarewelcome.org.uk

FAMILY MOUNTAIN BIKE ROUTE 6

A 9-mile pleasant country ride with most of the hardest climbs on road. The off-road sections are either gently undulating or downhill. Much of the route is through woodland and reasonably sheltered.

FARNLEY TYAS WARDROPER WANDER

A 5 mile farmer's walk. Rev Cutfield Wardroper, vicar from 1848 to 1899, 51 rumbustious years. He rode to church on a white horse. He was married 4 times, on the last occasion in his 80s to a girl half his age.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

FIVE CIRCULAR CYCLE ROUTES IN AND AROUND DENBY DALE

Five self-guided short cycle routes in Clayton West, Denby Dale, Kirkburton, Shepley and Upper Denby. Request a free leaflet from Council Information Points, local cycle shops and libraries. Contact the Kirklees Cycling Officer on 01484 224611

FLOCKTON BILLY SWEEP SAUNTER

A 4 mile settlement walk. Billy Sweep (real name William Guest) was the village sweep of no fixed abode who lodged in the boiler house of a winding engine near Haigh Bridge down Haigh Lane, just up the lane from Common Lane. One Sunday in Sept 1889, pure water was running in the shaft, Billy Sweep descended to collect some and was killed by the winding cage. A grave stone was erected to his memory in Flockton.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

GRANGE MOOR BEAUMONT'S BOLT

A 6 mile historical walk. The first Baron of Whitley Beaumont was one Richard Beaumont, knighted by James I / VI, in 1609 and made Baronet in 1628. He earned the nickname Black Dick of the North from King James, quite why we don't know. There are references to Sir Richard being a highwayman. All that is left now of Whitley Beaumont is the summer house, a small structure locally known as Black Dicks Tower, d’ivvels tower or the Temple but was however built some time after his death. Black Dick is rumoured to walk the grounds with his head under his arm every year on 5 July.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

HIGHBURTON PC DIBB DASH

A 5 mile hilly walk. The Chronicle of 8th August 1868 reports that a Highburton man having being arrested by PC Dibb for being drunk and disorderly, then appearing at Huddersfield Police Court. He claimed he had been robbed, but on being searched was found to have 18s 4d. The man was happy at this until the court fined him 5s with 15s 4d costs. The rest taken by warrant.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

KIRKBURTON HESTER'S HAUNT

A 5 mile ghostly walk. During the First English Civil War the villagers supported the Parliamentary cause. The local priest, the Reverend Gamaliel Whitaker, angered his parishioners by openly supporting the Royalists. He was denounced to the government forces who attended upon the vicarage to arrest him in 1644. During the struggle the soldiers shot his wife Hester in the ensuing confusion. Local legend has it that her ghost haunts the old vicarage.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

KIRKHEATON LIZZIE'S LOLLOP

A 6 mile rural and urban walk. Elizabeth Drake was buried in Kirkheaton Churchyard and a monument was erected in remembrance to the other children who died at the same time. The monument was erected to commemorate the seventeen girls that perished in the fire that ravaged Atkinson’s mill, at Colne Bridge, on the 14th February 1818. The fire was caused by a young boy called James Thornton who went downstairs with a normal uncovered candle which set fire to a loose bit of fabric or cotton fibre particles. This soon turned into an inferno and the girls were trapped in the upstairs accommodation. The rumour-mongers said that the girls were chained up in a locked upstairs room, but the fire spread so quickly that the girls had no chance of escape. The outrage which was caused by the gossip had one good outcome. A campaign started and, led by local man Richard Oastler, the Child Labour Acts were reformed.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

KIRKLEES BOUNDARY CYCLE ROUTE

A challenging route along the Pennine Yorkshire boundary.

Link: www.kirklees.gov.uk

KIRKLEES COUNCIL HEALTH WALKS

Information on a range of walks, from short group walks to longer led walks and ramblers. Visit their website to download a Walkers Network Timetable.

Link: www.kirklees.gov.uk

KIRKLEES EASTERN RIDING ROUTE

The KERR is a route for cyclists and horse riders that forms a rough 'figure 8' shape, with Lepton at its centre. The northern part of the route is 13 miles long and is much harder and more challenging than the southern section which is 17 miles long. The two sections can be ridden as two distinct circular rides.

Link: www.kirklees.gov.uk

KIRKLEES WAY

This challenging 72-mile walk starts and ends at Marsden. The walk is split into 12 sections and a guidebook can be purchased from Huddersfield Tourist Information.

Link: www.ldwa.org.uk

LEPTON JESSOP'S JAUNT

A 7 mile walk with views. Mrs Mary Ann Kilner complete with bonnet, was said to be the oldest woman firework maker in the country at this time, She was not only the mother of Harry Kilner but daughter of Allen Jessop. Mrs Kilner told reporters that, as a girl of eight (Mary Ann Jessop) she would stand on a stool, filling fireworks, with a chuckle, the grown ups would sit on barrels of gunpowder to work. I used to work from six in the morning until ten at night, but look at the young people today they are idle. Mary Ann Kilner died age 91 in 1941.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

THE OXLEY TRAIL

A fun day out exploring the beautiful countryside in and around the Skelmanthorpe and Deffer Woods area with a romantic historical theme. Developed by and for young people. The trail is 7 miles long.

Link: www.kirklees.gov.uk

PENISTONE LINE PARTNERSHIP GUIDED WALKS

Starting from several stations on the Penistone Line, between Sheffield and Huddersfield. The scheduled walks are intended to encourage people to use the train to see some of the local scenery. Join them for an enjoyable day out and learn about the history of the Penistone Line and its surroundings.

Link: penline.co.uk

SHELLEY FITTON FROLIC

A 4 mile rambling walk. Shelley was in the past an important centre - in The British Empire no less - for the making of 'Stays' better known as corsets. Albert Fitton was a corsteer extraordinaire.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

SHELLEY STROLLERS

Weekly group walks in and around the Shelley area. New members are welcome. Check out the website for more information.

Link: www.shelleytimes.org.uk

SHELLEY WELLY WALK

The Shelley Welly Walk originated from the early days of the Village Hall in 1978. The event takes place every year on the 1st of January starting at 10am from the Village Hall. The walk covers about 8 miles of footpaths around the village roughly following the village boundary.

Link: www.shelleytimes.org.uk

SHEPLEY HIGGLER HIKE

A 5 mile walk. Shepley Higglers were tailors, with shops at the back of their houses, a team of 8-12 girls would cut the cloth to match the orders collected during the day and stitch the suits. The newly opened railway of 1850 meant that Shepley 'Higglers' could travel further in a day selling completed suits to customers through extended finance schemes. This meant that a finished suit costing a few shillings would actually cost a few pounds at the end of the finance period

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

SKELMANTHORPE VILLAGE TRAIL

A scenic three mile walk around the historic village of Skelmanthorpe. Starts from Skelmanthorpe Council Offices.

Link: www.denbydale-walkersarewelcome.org.uk

THURSTONLAND & STOCKSMOOR MOLLY MANGLE'S MEANDER

A 4 mile nature walk. Molly Mangle was the only person in the village who had a mangle so everyone came to her to wring their clothes out.

Link: www.kirkburtonparishwalks.co.uk

THURSTONLAND VILLAGE WALKS

5 walks in and around Thurstonland - a selection of linear and circular walks, covering areas such as Farnley Tyas, Stocksmoor, Woodend, Storthes Hall etc. They vary in length and difficulty, so you're sure to find something to suit you.

Link: thurstonland.org

TRANS PENNINE TRAIL

The Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) is an exciting route for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders linking the North and Irish seas, passing through the Pennines. The trail runs close to Denby Dale as it passes between Barnsley and Penistone.

Link: www.transpenninetrail.org.uk

TRY CYCLING

9a North Road, Kirkburton, Huddersfield HD80NX

Telephone: 01484 607830

Try Cycling stock a wide range of bicycles, clothing, equipment and accessories, to suit all ages and price ranges.

Link: www.trycycling.co.uk

WEST YORKSHIRE CYCLE ROUTE

This 150-mile signed circular route roughly follows the West Yorkshire county boundary. Much of it is on quieter minor roads with the occasional track section and some mixing with heavier urban traffic.

Link: www.cycle-route.com