Mankinholes YH Walk. Day 2.

Hello there. Sounds of the Sixties is just finishing on Radio 2, and I will get this written up now while I'm in the mood. After a breakfast of beans on toast with the leftover pasta from last night, I stuck a few nibbles in my rucksack and set off from the hostel on day 2 of my walkabout. Yesterday I used a yellow marker pen to  record the route on the map, today is a green one. By using different colours I can check the mileage on bikehike when I get back. 

I thought I'd better make the climb up to Stoodley Pike while I was here, I've done it before and the views are quite good. It's easily accessible from the hostel, taking the Calderdale Way and turning right up the steep climb next to the wooden bench. Off I go, up there.  

Just a bit further, almost there. The blue skies were littered with puffy white and grey clouds which were scooting across in the high winds. The higher I got the windier it became.

A couple of views from the top, it was flippin freezing, not a good time to hang around for very long. My plan was to take the track south along the Pennine Way, but this meant walking across the top of a high ridge, and in view of the almost gale force winds I decided the safer option would be to get down to the bottom. I followed the Pennine Way north instead.  

It is so easy to take a wrong turn around here, there are literally hundreds of paths which crisscross each other. You need to know whereabouts you are on the map so you don't get lost.

I came down off the hill, along some farm tracks and through a few fields until I got down to the canal. I have walked most of this canal before when I did a long coast to coast walk. Across on the other side is where I'm heading. A small stone bridge over the canal, and a tunnel under the railway lines. The following few photo's are in the wrong order and I can't be bothered to move them around, so you'll have to bear with me.

The path up the other side is the Pennine Bridleway, it's twisty and turning, with houses dotted along the tracks. I've just come up through a wood here, the water from the hills above is cascading down the hillside from a spout through this stone whatever it is, ha ha. 

This seems to be a dumping ground for boots at the back of a house next to the path. Not sure how they have accumulated so many pairs. Are they lost boots, or have they been discarded? Mystery, I was not going to knock on the door and ask.

I turned around and look up the path I had just come down. The steps are quite steep.

In the bottom it was like a magical fairy grotto. So peaceful, so quiet, just the sound of running water washing over the stones.

Onward and upward, easy farm tracks to follow. Yes, it's sunny but it was still chilly. 

Now these are the back to front pictures. The steep cobbled path between two houses after I came under the railway bridge at the bottom after crossing the main road.

The spooky churchyard with no church. I asked a passing dog walker about it, he said there used to be a church but it was knocked down.

At the gate to the churchyard was this little wooden sign giving two routes for the Pennine Way. I chose the official one.

A bit further on I joined the road into Heptonstall. Coming down the main street it opens out into a cobbled area, with seating overlooking the remains of a church. It was too cold to sit down so I wandered around and took photo's. Apparently there are very few places in England where two churches share the same graveyard. The old shell has been left standing while the newer one was built next to it. For a bit more info on it, take a look at this site.  

A few more pics around Heptonstall.  Cobbled streets and cottages. 

I left the town and joined the road to Hebden Bridge. 

I had a bimble around Hebden Bridge. I have been here before so didn't stop long, and time was getting on.

The Old Mill which is an art gallery and shopping area.

The easiest way back was along the canal, so I took it. I've done enough climbing for one day. I got to the turn off on the main road where you drive up the twisty narrow road to the hostel. It seems much more twisty and steeper when you are walking it. I was ready for a sit down when I got back. One more person turned up that night, he arrived by bus. Derek sorted him out with a room, and after he had a quick snack in the kitchen, I didn't see him again until the following morning. I think he went out.

Check mileage for today, bikehike is telling me it was 12 miles. That's better. Glad to be back in the warm hostel though, out of that cold wind.

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up with day 3 tomorrow.
Toodle pip