January
8:00 Start with 16:30 (4:30pm) Return
11¾ miles (19km) with 2160ft (660m) Total Ascent
Just who the heck was Dick Delf to have a hill named after him? A Dutch Yorkshireman who invented an exquisite blue pottery but then found a 'T' added to the end of his surname to disguise his origins? Or a Yorkshire Dutchman, uncle to that bloke Heathcliffe? Despite extensive research by Dr Bente Kanin-Vakmester from Tromso University, who concluded he must have been a member of the ancient Horveht race of pygmies from Lakeland (a theory subsequently rubbished by our very own academic Professor John Warner (see 'Footprints' January to June 1992), no one really knows and I guarantee that by the end of this walk you will be none the wiser either!
We start near Cowling on then A6068 and follow the Pennine Way southwards over Wolf Stones (443m/1,453ft) and down into the Worth Valley, then up past Withins (no Kate Bush impressions allowed) to said hill. The descent to Haworth traverses Penistone Hill. If the clag is down, we will take an alternative route from Withins to Haworth past Bronte Bridge.
9¼ miles (14.9km) with 1507ft (459m) Total Ascent
An undulating walk across peaty moorland, a little steep climbing in short-ish bursts and some muddy bits, not much in the way of shelter and a bit exposed to the elements if bad weather.
From the rear of the church of St Michaels and All Angels we proceed past the graveyard onto part of the Bronte Way, passing farms and bypassing Hope. We move on up to Penistone Hill and down the other side where we cross Moor Side Lane before dropping down to cross Haworth Moor and then up to Spa Hill. From here we drop down and then go up Wether Hill and on to Round Hill. The next part is a rather muddy narrow path which is steep and rocky in places, but we are rewarded at the bottom as we cross the so called "Bronte bridge". It is now up a short-ish reasonably maintained footpath to the top where we turn south and walk through fields before dropping down to moorland (muddy and rocky in places) to cross Rough Dike via stepping stones. We climb up the other side to a well maintained path along to "Top Within" from where we retrace our footsteps along a wide track towards Stanbury with Ponden reservoir to our left and Lower Laithe reservoir in front. We turn and drop down, crossing fields and a footbridge before a steep climb up to meet the Bronte Way. Then onto the Millennium Way, skirting around Penistone Hill Country Park back to Haworth which has an abundance of refreshment establishments amongst its cobbled streets.
8 miles (12.9km) with 1200ft (366m) Total Ascent
Leaving the coaches at Bronte Village car park (coaches are free) GR030370 we will make our way to the nearby facilities. Heading south back towards the car park we take a right turn onto a footpath leading to Penistone Hill and eventually, Moorside Lane which we cross to join the Millennium Way. We soon join the Bronte Way and come to Bronte Bridge and the waterfalls. We will take a short break here before scaling the facing embankment to join the Pennine Way. We now head west to Withins and lunch. The return route takes us via Forks House to Bronte Bridge where we retrace our steps on the Bronte Way to Penistone Hill but staying on the road to pass the cemetery lying to the north of the hill. A short field walk takes us back to Haworth.
5 miles (8km) with 550ft (168m) Total Ascent
Starting from the Information Centre (used as the Butcher's shop) in Haworth we make our way to the ABC steps (guess why they're called that?). We make our way to Oakworth station where lots of the filming took place and where Perks cottage can be seen. We go round "HOOTs" corner past the cottages used for the paper chase and get a glimpse of Mytholmes tunnel. We cross the bridge where Roberta held the chalk board at the end of the film. On reaching Haworth station we will have lunch. So far we have had good footpaths but now we have grassy paths leading towards Oxenhope station where, crossing over the train track, we have a short steep climb to "Three Chimneys" (home of the Railway Children) from where it's back to Haworth for shops etc.