Autumn in the Pennines Hostel Weekend

The itinerary for the weekend will be weather dependent and also depends on just what people want to do. Martin Hill will be leading the following walks.

Saturday Walk - Brontë Waterfalls

7 ½ miles (allow 3 to 3 ½ hours)

From the Youth Hostel we will walk downhill before turning onto a once private toll road to pass Ebor Mill, cross Brighouse Beck and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. There is a short uphill to enter the village of Haworth and pass the Brontë Parsonage before crossing a field towards Penistone Hill Country Park.

We will climb through woodland and onto the open moor to the trig point at the top of Penistone Hill. Then we follow the Millennium Way past the ruined Middle Intake Farm which was probably the inspiration for Heathcliff’s cottage.

There is then a well maintained path taking us towards the Brontë Waterfalls, where we can pause for lunch and enjoy the views. 

We will return by retracing our steps for a short distance before heading downhill slightly towards a wooded area near Lower Laithe Reservoir. The way back to Haworth is via a bridal path. We will continue through Haworth village passing the shops and railway station before heading back to the hostel. 

The walk can be reduced to 5 miles by returning to Haworth via an obvious road before heading to the waterfalls.

Sunday - The Railway Children Walk

(A circular walk taking in many of the filming locations from the 1970’s film)

6 ½ miles (allow 2½ to 3 hours)

From the Youth Hostel we will walk downhill passing Haworth Station and engine sheds before following a well-trodden path across fields and through a wooded area where you might be lucky enough to catch sight of some wild deer.

Just before Oxenhope Station we cross a level crossing where we can pause to watch the train coming into the station if we time it correctly, before climbing up to Bents House which is better known as Three Chimneys (the Railway Children’s home). Behind the house is Perk’s Style, which features in the film.

The walk then crosses fields and passes the village of Hole before returning to The Brontë Parsonage, which was used as the Doctor’s House. As we pass down Haworth Main Street we pass many of the shops featured in the film, including The Post Office, Tourist Information Centre (Butcher’s Shop) and 2 Lodge Street (Ironmongers).

We then head down towards Haworth Station where those wanting a shorter walk (4 miles) can make their own way back to the hostel.

The walk then takes a second loop past Mytholmes Tunnel the site of the land slide (although probably hidden from view due to 50 yrs of tree growth) to Oakworth Station, where most of the action took place in the film. Here you can enter the station by purchasing a Platform ticket from an Edwardian ticket machine. Please note you will need a Ten Bob Bit (50p)!

After crossing The Level Crossing and passing the Railway Cottages (Perk’s House) we will pass Vale Fold Cottages which can be seen in the film and follow a riverside path which allows for a better view of the Tunnel where Jim was injured during the paper chase and make our way to the site of the final scene of the film, although the bridge has been replaced by a more modern structure. There is a short uphill road back to the hostel. There is also the chance to finish the walk in the village and make your own way back to the hostel. T

here is great cycling in the area as well as the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, the Brontë Parsonage Museum, plenty of craft shops, pubs and tea shops.