Andy Leader

The Thongs & Wolfstone

Heights.

Route Summary

A walk from the centre of Holmfirth to the twin villages of Netherthong and Upperthong taking in Wolfstone

Hieghts which is one of the valleys finest view points.

Route Overview

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Category: Walking

Length: 6.270 km / 3.92 mi

Last Modified: 29th May 2015

Difficulty: Medium

Rating: Unrated

Surface: Average

Date Published: 29th May 2015

Description

A walk from the centre of Holmfirth to the twin villages of Netherthong and Upperthong taking in Wolfstone

Hieghts which is one of the valleys finest view points.

The thong villages often put a smile on peoples faces but the word may be derived from the vikings and

means "strip of land". So it's higher and lower strip of land and underware does n't come into it!  

The walk follows typical stone walled paths,field paths and a little bit of moor up at Wolfstones.

Wolfstone Heights www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

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Waypoints

Start of Walk.

(53.57229; -1.78519)

Head off out of Crown Bottom carpark by the back of the fire station and onto Bridge Lane. Turn left at Bridge

Lane and cross Huddersfield Road by the Technical College.

(53.57322; -1.78534)

The bottom of Wood Lane is your very own personal Everest for the day. Take a deep breath and head

straight up the lane. Incidently two very accomplished Holmfirth mountaineers,the Burgess twins, lived along

this lane and one of them did climb Everest back in 1989.

http://my.viewranger.com/uploads/storage/t_4770810

(53.57391; -1.78714)

Keep on walking up with the old Wood Farm  to your right. You'll go through a wooden gate where the path

becomes greener.

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Wood Farm. www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57414; -1.78960)

You'll be glad to see this as it appears at the top of Wood Lane. I always park my bum on here and admire the

view down to Holmfirth.

Turn right here and carry on walking past the transmitter towards Mark Bottoms !

Seat on Wood Lane www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

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Holmfirth Parish Church from Wood Lane www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

Holmfirth from Wood Lane www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57492; -1.78940)

The delightful Mark Bottoms Lane gives long views down the valley and is lined with Foxgloves in summer.

Mark Bottoms Lane www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57608; -1.79556)

Just as you hear the little beck at Mark Bottoms the path splits. Take the right hand branch crossing the beck

and continue walking up hill and to the right.

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The path splits at Mark Bottoms www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

The beck at Marks Bottom www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57706; -1.79480)

The path climbs a little to join another walled lane. Follow this all the way to Netherthong.

Netherthong path www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

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Sunrise Farm www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.58001; -1.79443)

Here's another place to sit down and admire the view. Turn right here and head towards the houses and

Broomy Lea Lane at Netherthong.

Netherthong Seat www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.58050; -1.79289)

Follow Broomy Lea Lane into the village.

(53.58279; -1.79193)

Turn left when you reach Towngate and walk along the road a short distance. Look out for a public footpath

sign on the left side of road.

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Netherthong www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.58275; -1.79287)

When you see the ffotpath sign cross the road to follow the path. 

(53.58259; -1.79299)

Head for this sign but don't go through the gate (unless you want some eggs). The path goes left between the

houses towards the chickens!

Farm sign www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

The chickens usually come and say hello as you walk along the path by the run.

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Chicken run www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.58212; -1.79356)

Leave the chickens behind and head across the next field to a gate and stile. 

Cash crop www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

The path continues over what is a large field for around here but it is easy to follow.

Castle Hill from Netherthong www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

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(53.57995; -1.80022)

The views open out at the top of the field. All the way to Castle Hill and Emley Moor.

(53.57934; -1.80231)

There are two stiles in quick succession here. Climb both and keep heading gently uphill behind Sunrise

Farm.

Sunrise Farm www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57928; -1.80241)

Leaving the field via a stile cross the farm track and another stile into the next field to carry on gently uphill.

(53.57843; -1.80571)

This is a lovely bit of footpath. Just keep straight on until you come out on Wolfstones Road.

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(53.57850; -1.80952)

Cross Wolfstones Road and head along a short stretch of moorland track until you reach the obvious white

trig point marking the top of Wolfstone Hieghts.

Wolfstone Hieghts path www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57817; -1.81295)

The top of the hill as its name suggests is said to be where the very last wolf in the valley was despatched.

There's no record of when this was or who did the deed.

A stone seat with compass points has been added to the trig point and makes a glorious place to sit down.

When you leave retrace your steps the short distance back to Wolfstones Road.

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Wolfstones trig point www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

Castle Hill from Wolfstone Heights www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57828; -1.81001)

When you get back to Wolfstones Road turn right. If you need another sit down there's a seat for you!

The seating options are endless on this walk www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57743; -1.81182)

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Look out for a public footpath sign on the left side of road and turn off left down towards Carr Farm.

Carr Farm www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57698; -1.81088)

Head towards and go through a series of farm gates.

Carr Farm gates www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57597; -1.81024)

The last gate takes you over Wickens Dike and into the meadow beyond. Follow the clear path through the

grass up a bank before turning right where the waymarks indicate so.

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Wickens Dike www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

There's a lovely and very ancient spring here.

Spring www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57507; -1.80927)

One more seat with a view.

One more sit down www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

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(53.57436; -1.80892)

At Back Lane bear right uphill and then turn left through the first stone stile.

Stone stile on Back Lane www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57313; -1.80902)

Head over the field to an obvious and well marked stone stile.

Stone stile www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57281; -1.80905)

The path past Midgley Farm is very clear. Just aim for the corner of the house.

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Midgley Farm www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57262; -1.80904)

Turn left after the final stile on to the road.

Last stile www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57225; -1.80883)

Turn left onto Towngate at this sign.

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Upperthong

(53.57212; -1.80709)

You could have a proper sit down in here.

Royal Oak www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57228; -1.80581)

At the end of Towngate keep straight on down Hill Lane.

Hill Lane www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

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Hill Lane www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57196; -1.79470)

There's usually a nice old David Brown tractor parked up here.

David Brown www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57222; -1.79196)

Just keep going downhill.

(53.57324; -1.79043)

At this economical sign bear right down the hill.

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Hill www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57193; -1.78980)

At the top of Cooper Lane turn left and head on downhill.

(53.57140; -1.78912)

Keep an eye out for this little path on the right which will take you down into Victoria Park

Cooper Lane path www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

(53.57050; -1.78860)

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Victoria Park gives great views over Holmfirth. If you follow the cobbled path downhill you will arrive at the

Tourist Information Centre back in Holmfirth.

Victoria Park www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

Holmfirth www.madeinholmfirth.co.uk

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