walking in
calderdale

Walking Route Inspiration

Get some fresh Pennine air in your lungs with any one of our great Calderdale walks. Not only do we have wonderful rivers, hills, valleys and moorlands, but Calderdale was also the cradle of the industrial revolution, with mills and factories bringing wealth, prosperity and a sense of true community. Discover our wide range of walks around Calderdale, including routes you can follow on your own and guided walks to take you through the heritage of our historic location. Whatever you choose, there’s plenty of opportunities to get ‘happily lost’ in Calderdale.

Easy & Family
Friendly Walks

You can explore the landscape of Calderdale without needing to do a strenuous hike!

There are gentle walks on relatively flat routes (the canal towpath is an ideal gentle route with you being able to choose how far you want to go). A range of these walks are on the Easy Walks page of the Hebden Bridge Walkers Action website.

 

If you’d like ideas of ways to enjoy Calderdale’s outdoors with your kids and their little legs, then look no further than ‘Little Legs‘ – free online resources for walking and outdoor adventures with young children. Little Legs share their favourite walks, hidden gems and ideas, with easy-to-follow routes and lots of tips.

 

Mixenden’s interactive Wild Walk  and History Hike are ideal for kids and their grown-ups! On the wild walk you follow 12 wooden markers around a circular 1km route through the woodlands. Each post has a QR code which you can scan to listen to voices bring wildlife to life, or share an intriguing snippet of local history.

Child-Friendly Walks with 'Little Legs'

Walk the Calderdale Way

Up for a challenge? Then why not set out an epic 5-day hike exploring Calderdale’s hills, moors and valleys. The Calderdale Way is a 50 mile (80km) walk which encircles Halifax, Hebden Bridge, and Todmorden. It follows old packhorse routes, passing through pretty hillside villages and old mill towns, and provides exceptional panoramic views over the Pennines.

 

This itinerary breaks down the Calderdale Way into 5 sections, highlighting points of interest along the route, and providing information on where to stay, and places to eat and drink along the way. Unlike some long distance walking trails, there is an abundance of facilities along the route, so you won’t be short of places to enjoy a good meal, and rest your head, at the end of a long day!

 

You can also complete the Calderdale Way in sections, using the various link paths to make circular routes. You can find more information here.

Walking Information & Guides

There are so many walking routes in Calderdale, you’re spoilt for choice!

 

Hebden Bridge pioneered the UK initiative ‘Walkers are Welcome’ in 2007 with the aim of encouraging and creating a network of towns and villages that are welcoming to walkers. Now over 100 towns and villages across the UK have joined this community-led scheme.

 

Hebden Bridge  and  Mytholmroyd Walkers Are Welcome have several walks exploring the local landscape with detailed directions and maps that you can download from their website.

 

Whether you are looking for short, easy walks or a more strenuous option, there are many walking guides (leaflets, booklets and books) about the Calderdale area available from: The Discover Halifax Hub (The Woolshops, Halifax), Mountain Wild (Crown Street, Hebden Bridge), Hebden Bridge Town Hall, Todmorden Information Centre and online from the Heart of the Pennines on-line shop.

Guided Walks

There are plenty of options if you prefer to walk with a group or with someone who knows the area and the landscape and heritage.

 

A programme of guided walks exploring the heritage of Calderdale is offered all year round by Calderdale Heritage Walks. The majority of these walks are centred on towns and villages, but some have a more rural feel exploring the old lanes, paths and settlements of our extensive countryside. Almost all walks take place on Sundays and cost £4 per person.

 

Calderdale Ramblers offer weekly walks through their website.

 

Halifax has a surprising and quite amazing music history. The self guided Halifax Music Heritage Trail  celebrates  this important cultural history of the town. From Dusty Springfield, Rod Stewart, Iggy Pop to Joy Division, Pulp, The Cure, The Jacksons, the list of artists who have played the town is long and diverse.

 

Bus Walks

Bus walks make it easy to do linear walks and can get you up on to the tops without a big effort!

 

Enjoy twelve great walks from the 901 bus which runs from Hebden Bridge up Cragg Vale to the Ripponden Valley (and onwards to Huddersfield).

 

You can download six Todmorden Bus Walks from the Todwalkers website.

 

You can plan walks on your own by using the West Yorkshire Metro website.

Pennine Bridleway (Mary Townley Loop)

The Pennine Bridleway runs for 205 miles (330km) from Derbyshire to Cumbria. The Pennine Bridleway runs roughly parallel to, but separate from the Pennine Way and offers access for Horse Riders and Cyclists in addition to Walkers.

The Mary Towneley Loop is a 47 mile section of the Pennine Bridleway with a variety of tracks, looping past Blackshaw Head, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and Walsden. You will encounter open moorland, hidden reservoirs, ancient packhorse tracks sweeping into valleys with gritstone walls, mill chimneys and canals, all offering a glimpse of past histories.

 

It is easy to plan shorter walks using the Mary Townley Loop- a leaflet and map are available to download from the National Trails website.

Arrow (Down)

Calderdale Parks

Calderdale’s parks are great for fairly flat walking on good paths and you can combine a walk in the park with woodland walks and canal towpath walks.

 

Shibden Park, Halifax

 

Manor Heath Park, Halifax

 

People’s Park, Halifax

 

Savile Park, Halifax

 

Wellholme Park, Brighouse

 

Calder Holmes Park, Hebden Bridge

 

Centre Vale Park, Todmorden

 

When you’re enjoying Calderdale’s countryside, please follow The Countryside Code.