Walking: A walk from Wortley to Westwood Country Park

A walk over open farmland and through woodland. From Wortley village, the route passes across farmland before dropping into the woodland of Westwood Country Park. We then return through the village of Howbrook and Wharncliffe woods.

1. From the centre of Wortley, head east down Park Avenue, passing ‘Wortley Village Stores’ on your right.

2. Take the right fork down The Flats. The left fork leads to Wortley Hall.

3. Follow The Flats. You will pass through ornate wrought iron gates as you progress into the Wharncliffe Estate and open country.

4. Follow the track for about a mile until it ends at Westwood Lodge and a bend in the road. This bend is the junction between Carr Lane and Westwood Lane.

5. Our path runs parallel to Westwood Lane which is the road to your right. Cross the road and pick up the path. As you turn to the right, there are a couple of small arrows pointing over a small wooden bridge.

6. Keeping roughly parallel to the road, follow the path down through the woods until it opens out by the road at a bridge under the Stocksbridge bypass, the A616.

7. Go under the A616 and then take the footpath up the lane immediately on the left. The path passes to the right of the metal gate and can be a tight-fit.

8. After ~100 m take the wide track, on your right, into the woods.

9. Follow the track through the woods. You will pass under one set of electricity wires. The track swings slowly to the left before opening out onto Westwood New Road, the A61.

10. Carefully, cross the road taking the path opposite and down steps into the wood.

11. Follow the path down through the woods. Other paths intersect. Keep heading in the same general southerly direction and downhill. As the path reaches the steam it swings left and heads east. Don’t worry if you seem to be getting offtrack. After crossing a field, you will reach Greaves Lane. Turn right.

12. Go over the bridge and then past the houses.

13. Shortly after the houses and before the next property, take the marked footpath on the right over the wooden stile. This path may be overgrown.

14. Go along the bottom edge of the field. At the end of the field there are two wooden frames which are built in order to allow walkers to pass under the electric fence.

15. Go through the frame, down the concrete steps and over the bridge over the stream.

16. Follow the path up and then up the steps back to the A61, a busy road with fast moving traffic.

17. Go right for 50 m up the road, then cross the road to the marked footpath opposite and down into the fields.

18. Go along the path for ~200 m, with the hedge and stream on your right. This path is not well trod and the next turn is easily missed.

19. When the hedge starts left and uphill, take the path through the hedge, slightly to the right of the heading of the first section on the path.

After less than 100 m, you emerge into a field where there are a couple of footpath marker arrows.

20. Take the path up across the field, aiming to the left of the big tree on the horizon. Depending on crops, you may need to follow the edge of the field.

21. As you come over the crest there is a footpath marker at the start of a hedgerow. Follow the path keeping the hedge to your right.

22. Continue up the path until it opens out onto the road junction. Go left at the junction down the steep hill (Bromley Carr Road) towards the village of Howbrook.

23. At the crossroads go straight across, and proceed down Berry Lane.

24. After 50 m, take the signed footpath to the right up the track to the buildings.

25. At the top of the track take the footpath between the house and the barn.

26. Follow the field boundary, keeping the hedge to your right.

27. Near the crest of hill take the path across the field towards the telegraph pole in the middle of the field.

28. From the telegraph pole aim for the woodland which is ahead of you, which runs from the crest of the hill down to the valley.

29. Follow the edge of the woods down to the path which nestles in the bottom corner of the field.

30. Then follow the path through the woods and up to the A629.

31. The path opens out onto the road with no pavement. Cross the road and take the signed path opposite.

32. Continue up the track to the gateway into the field.

33. Take the left footpath, following the field boundary, keeping the hedge to your left.

34. Cross the wooden stile and follow the path, keeping the hedge to your right as you go up hill.

35. At the stone wall turn left and take the farm track up to Bank Lane. At Bank Lane turn right and then at the T-junction go left.

36. After less than 50 m go down the track on the right, through the gate.

37. When the track swings right, take the footpath left, through the gate. Cross the field past the trees to the metal gate opposite. Go through the gate and turn right.

38. Follow the path up over the crest of the hill and then down into Wharncliffe woods, passing Wharncliffe Chase on your left.

39. Continue down through the woods. About 200 m after passing a large pond on your left, you will pass between two old gateposts before joining the main track through the woods as it slowly rises and bends gently to the right.

40. Continue along the road as it drops down and passes under the A616, the Stocksbridge Bypass.

41. Immediately after emerging from the tunnel go through the stile on your left and continue along the ‘Upper Don Trail,’ part of the Trans Pennine Trail. Just after passing Mallard House Riding School on your right, you will pass, the buildings of long closed, Wortley Station.

42. Before the over bridge take the track up to the right and past the car park.

43. Pass the farm buildings. About 20 m before the road, on your left, a stone stile leads to a footpath which heads off across the fields towards Wortley at the top of the hill. The first part of the path is paved.

44. Continue up the path until your reach the main road, Halifax Road, the A629, cross the road and turn right, to return to the start point of the walk.