Hidden Hebden 

Hebden Bridge represents a trail running mecca. Endless trails, some wide and some technical, steep valley sides with open moorland at the top and superb local businesses offering street food, craft beers and much more for your post run wind down.  This route picks out many of the typical Hebden trails and serves as a great introduction to what the area has to offer.

 

Starting in the pedestrianised centre of Hebden on Bridge Gate, head West along the main A464 road for a short while before crossing over to pick the trail up Colden Clough at the base of Mytholm woods. This beautiful old packhorse route climbs gradually up through the steep wooded valley sides below Heptonstall, topping out through Lumb Bank before arriving at the plateau of Slack village. 

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Following the Slack-Colden road uphill for a short time, the route turns off right over the expanse of Popples Common before picking up the wide track to Mount Pleasant and the Pennine Way which comes in from the left. The route avoids joining the UK's premier long distance walking path and drops immediately down right through Bent Head Farm, below Clough House Farm and down to a crossing of the Widdop Road just south of the popular Hardcastle Crags car park. Passing through the car park, you now drop into the steep valley and historic Gibson Mill via the well-made ancient rights of way.

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At Gibson Mill (optional refreshments at the cafe), you cross over the main bridge and take the walkers path back East along the bottom of Hebden Water, toward New Bridge. This is fantastic running, not always smooth in progress but on beautiful woodland trails nonetheless. On reaching the large bridge, turn right across it to take the wide path by the river along to Midgehole Wier, continuing straight on and up at the crossroads of paths a couple of hundred metres later.

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Climbing at first, then traversing, stay on the paths below the road above, to pass through Upper Lee and toward Lee Wood proper. Tarmac along the last section brings you to the road, where you turn left for 100 metres and follow it down to the opening on your left at the top of The Buttress. This stunning cobbled lane drops steeply down into Hebden town centre. Be warned, in some conditions it can be incredibly slippy. Spare a thought for the heavily laden pack horses that would have had to labour up and down here during the height of the woollen and cotton industries in the Valley. Cross over the amazing curved packhorse bridge built in 1510 and turn right back to your starting point.

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