Monday 3rd June 2024
Monthly Short Walk: Wildflower Meadows.
As usual our monthly short walk started from Greenmount, where nineteen walkers began by heading down the Kirklees Trail, as far as Shepard Street, where we turned right and made our way to Old Kays Park. Once across Turton Road we climbed the narrow path into Cann Street, where we turned left and walked to Harwood Road. After turning right, we took the first footpath on the left and headed through the spring meadows to Four Lane Ends. The meadows were filled with wild herbs and flowers and our resident biologist agreed to identify and catalogue as many as he could find. The sum total throughout the walk was 59 and they can be found by clicking on the link. Once across Bradshaw Road we continued through the fields to Bentley Hall Road, where we turned right and walked to Old Holts Farm.
Heading for Four Lane Ends
Wild orchid
Biologist at work
After crossing the road, we continued to walk through more wildflower meadows eventually arriving at Asmus Farm, where we made use of an old stone wall to enjoy our morning coffee and biscuits.
Coffee stop
We then joined the footpath to the right of a small pond and made our way towards Harwood. On arriving at Hardy Mill Quarry, we had to take an alternative footpath around the quarry as excavation work had begun, eventually arriving at Tottington Road. After turning right and walking for a short distance up the road we joined a narrow footpath, on our left, which led us through a dense wood, crossing a bridge over an attractive waterfall.
More wildflowers
Harwood
On arriving at Top o’ th Knots we turned right and headed through the fields to Affetside turning right onto Watling Street.
Top o’ th Knots
After walking down the road for a short distance we turned left and joined a less familiar footpath, near Howarth’s Farm, and retuned to Cann Street, through the fields. From here it was a more familiar walk back to Greenmount having covered seven floral miles.