thousandmilesblog | Walk Post 055 - Brighouse to Sowerby Bridge (Nice Weather for Ducks)

Date of Walk: 18/08/10
Walk organized by: Manchester and High Peak Area Ramblers
Start time: 11:00
Start location: Brighouse station
Walk length: 6.89 miles
Weather conditions: Cloudy, some heavy showers

Approaching Sowerby Bridge along the canal

Details:
Brighouse and Sowerby Bridge
Brighouse is a town in Calderdale, just east of Halifax. It lies on part of what was once the Roman road between Manchester and Wakefield. A settlement associated with a wooden bridge across the River Calder in that location was known to exist as far back as 1275. The coming of the Calder and Hebble Navigation Canal in the mid eighteenth century allowed industry to grow in the town. It is perhaps most famous for the Brighouse and Rastrick brass band, which was founded in 1881 and has won many competitions. In 1977, the band recorded a hit single, The Floral Dance, that was only kept from reaching number 1 in the charts by Paul McCartney's Mull of Kintyre.

Sowerby Bridge also lies on the River Calder, and is where the Calder and Hebble Canal meets the Rochdale Canal. It was a centre of textile production from medieval times onwards, but the poor quality of the land for agriculture meant that it stayed a small hamlet until the Industrial Revolution. Good transport links by canal and rail made the town a centre for heavy engineering, with Pollit and Wigzell manufacturing world-renowned steam engines. The town continued to prosper until the mid twentieth century, when the decline of heavy industry and cheap cloth imports hit the economy hard. There are currently several projects running to regenerate the area, with the canals being reopened for leisure use and redevelopment of former mills.

The Walk
A shorter than usual Wednesday walk, mostly on well-surfaced paths and road and with very little hilly terrain. From Brighouse station we walked into the town and joined the towpath of the Calder and Hebble Canal. We walked along the canal for a while, leaving it at a bridge and walking up a road that took us onto a path through a wooded area. At this point it began to rain quite heavily, and we were glad of the cover from the trees. We climbed steadily, joining a road and emerging on the hilltops to join the Calderdale Way. The rain was barely noticeable by then, and stopped as we followed the road and went down a steep cobbled lane into Exley. There were lots of brambles growing by the roadsides, which were full of ripe and lovely blackberries.

We rejoined the canal towpath in Exley and stopped for lunch just after doing so. The sun shone initially, but then it started to rain again and so we headed off down the canal. We passed a couple of narrowboat moorings which looked well used. Several sections of the towpath were open to cyclists, but the local council seems to have a very good campaign running to get people to cycle considerately with regard to walkers, which was good to see. The towpath is mostly very well maintained as a result of the cycling access. We continued along towards Sowerby Bridge, enduring more heavy rain showers. As we approached Sowerby Bridge, the sun came out again and it showed the town off well. We passed lots of lovely little shops in the centre on the way to the station, and stopped at quite a nice cafe in the station for post-walk tea. A thoroughly enjoyable walk apart from the rain, which was a bit heavy even for my liking.