9 Mile Circular Walk - Stanbury | Top Withens | Oxenhope Stoop Hill | Top Of Stairs | Leeshaw Reservoir

Distance: 9 miles

Ascent: 1400 ft

Walking: Andrew

Weather: Frosty & sunny

OS Map: OL21 - South Pennines

Starting point: Bully Trees Farm, Stanbury

Photography: Andrew using Nikon D750 / Nikon 24-70 mm f2.8

First light over Stanbury Moor

The stone stoop and the lone sycamore at Lower Withens are familiar landmarks on the way up to Top Withens 

The remains of Middle Withens Farm, demolished in the 1930s along with Lower Withens

A panoramic view of a frosty Top Withens, just before dawn 

The orange light on the frosty grasses and sphagnum moss made for some unusual colours

Sphagnum moss

Beautiful orange light just after sunrise

Selfie - Well, everyone else is doing it....

Looking back to Top Withens from Dick Delph Hill

Near Oxenhope Edge

The view towards Crimsworth Dean and Hebden Bridge from Near Oxenhope Edge

Ovenden Moor Wind Farm in the distance, seen from Oxenhope Stoop Hill

Oxenhope Stoop marks the boundary between (I believe) Haworth and Wadsworth parishes. I guess it is 18th century but could well be older

Just when you think spring has finally sprung...

The summit of Oxenhope Stoop Hill

Note the animal bones top left

I made a short diversion to get this shot of Leeshaw Reservoir

This section is known as The Waste. It seemed to go on for ever and got boggier and more difficult to negotiate the further I went.

 

Another interesting combination of frost and early morning sunlight

Another short diversion and another boundary stone. This one is on Stairs Lane near Top of Stairs and presumably marks the Oxenhope / Wadsworth boundary

The view down Crimsworth Dean towards Hebden Bridge from Stairs Edge

Looking down Stairs Lane from Top of Stairs

This kind of Victorian water collection architecture is all over these moors with an impressive system of conduit channels connecting the many reservoirs in the area

Looking back up Stairs Lane

Leeshaw Reservoir again, this time from Bodkin Top

Bodkin Lane. You can see where the constant running water has washed away the cobbles and made the lane almost impassible for vehicles

Well, I did say 'almost'. He nearly got stuck a few times and he said he wasn't looking forward to going back down. It's much worse and steeper than it looks here.

Bodkin Farm

Dunkirk Mill

Looking back up Bodkin Lane

Drop Farm

At last, I can see the car in the distance...

Springs Farm

Stanbury

Near Enfield Side

Until very recently, this was the site of the ruined Middle Intake Farm. Unfortunately, the building was unsafe and had to be demolished and now the area has lost a much loved landmark.

Looking up Sladen Beck with Top Withens just visible in the distance

The very steep path down to Sladen Beck and even steeper back up the other side to Bully Trees Farm

Sladen Beck

This gives some idea of how steeply the path climbs up to the farm

Stanbury and Lower Laithe Reservoir