Since my Physio has put my appointments on hold for a few months I’ve been trying to increase my endurance. In the past few weeks I’ve joined a fitness club, gone swimming, managed aqua-cise and a few sessions in the gym on the exercise bike and cross trainer. I’m feeling quite pleased with myself, but maybe a bit achey! Our weekend walks have been neglected a little with the kids having Birthday parties and weekend activities, so this week despite another rubbish forecast and a mad few days beforehand I made all of us leave the house!
Only half an hour drive away is Ogden water nature reserve and armed with a walk printed off from the website we set off.
Parking is 50p paid into an honesty box at the small shop just on the edge of the dam and this is where our walk started along The Promenade by the side of the reservoir. You can see the route we took here as I recorded it on my viewranger app.
Only half an hour drive away is Ogden water nature reserve and armed with a walk printed off from the website we set off.
Parking is 50p paid into an honesty box at the small shop just on the edge of the dam and this is where our walk started along The Promenade by the side of the reservoir. You can see the route we took here as I recorded it on my viewranger app.
The rough path takes you up the side of Halifax golf course and climbs steeply. The views are amazing across the valley and you can see for miles if your eyes aren’t streaming like ours were from the strong wind!
Once you reach the top there is an old pub called The Withens, said to be the highest pub in West Yorkshire. Sadly no longer open and I could have done with a pint at the top of that hill. We took a right here and carried along a small road for what felt like miles. I wasn’t keen on this part of the walk as we had the kids with us and I wasn’t sure how busy it would be. The odd leaner driver and a few cars were all we saw so we were fine, unfortunately there was lots of fly tipping as we passed the old quarries on the right hand side. The views across the moors though are spectacular and we looked down upon another reservoir (Warley Moor Reservoir) where they were sailing. The kids asked if we could stop and have a go!
As the road started to go downhill we found a small stile and took this off the road to to walk across Nab Hill and Thornton Moor. At this point I wondered if we’d gone the right way but there is a small worn path. In this area it’s a mix of heather, rocky path and bumpy landscape, there’s also a few cairns to be on the lookout for. The kids loved this landscape and my son decided it was quite like the Hobbit.
Once again fabulous views and the wind dropped slightly although I began to wonder why hadn’t a brought myself a hairband! I can see why wind farms are popular in the area. This time we looked over Oxenhope, and here we met a startled Grouse and a Swift or was it a swallow? I must get the kids a bird spotting book for our walks.
A stone seat and a welcome sit down and we were nearly at the end of our circular walk. We could see just over the hill to the reservoir we were heading for. The kids spotted a small bridge across to another path with lots of steps. “Look Mummy, it’s like the great wall of China” they shouted. They joked I should run up and down them for my training but we decided maybe I’d do that next time.
Now the path took us downhill and we met a friendly sheep, next to us was the woods surrounding the reservoir and there’s a path here should you wish to walk around it. We were nearly back at the carpark.
Once again fabulous views and the wind dropped slightly although I began to wonder why hadn’t a brought myself a hairband! I can see why wind farms are popular in the area. This time we looked over Oxenhope, and here we met a startled Grouse and a Swift or was it a swallow? I must get the kids a bird spotting book for our walks.
A stone seat and a welcome sit down and we were nearly at the end of our circular walk. We could see just over the hill to the reservoir we were heading for. The kids spotted a small bridge across to another path with lots of steps. “Look Mummy, it’s like the great wall of China” they shouted. They joked I should run up and down them for my training but we decided maybe I’d do that next time.
Now the path took us downhill and we met a friendly sheep, next to us was the woods surrounding the reservoir and there’s a path here should you wish to walk around it. We were nearly back at the carpark.
We all enjoyed our walk and saw lots of other little paths that we can maybe explore next time. If you are looking for a pushchair friendly walk then I think you need to stay at the reservoir , but my kids 8 and 5 managed the walk fine.
All views are my own and I received no financial incentive to write this blog.
Have you a walk idea for me? Let me know in the comments or visit me on my Facebook page where there are more pictures of our walk.
All views are my own and I received no financial incentive to write this blog.
Have you a walk idea for me? Let me know in the comments or visit me on my Facebook page where there are more pictures of our walk.