A much as we love the Holme Valley, we also like to visit the Colne Valley, sort of north-north west, across the hill from Holmfirth.
Whether you go up through Netherthong, across and up from Upperthong, or over and up Thick Hollins Road, you pass through Meltham. On one drive, we decided to wander around the old mill town. We bought single malt in the grocery and pet treats at the Greyhound & Lurcher Rescue shop. And we got tours of a car dealership and a car repair shop. Yes, we do poke our noses into some interesting corners. These are the mills and moors of Meltham |
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Then over the moors and down into Marsden, the River Colne, and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We park at the train station, beside the canal, and walk the tow path to Tunnel End. They aren't kidding that it's the Narrow canal! |
From Tunnel End (where the 3-mile canal tunnel does end) we walked up the road and along a path to the packhorse bridge that is often used in The Last of the Summer Wine. And then we climbed up, along the packhorse road, onto Marsden Moor.
Chuck, with the moors, where we were headed. |
Me, atop a very windy Marsden Moor. Yes, what I'm standing in is the packhorse road. Can you imagine hauling goods along this? |
We crossed the moor and reached Marsh Haigh Reservoir. Another one with signs telling that the water is way to cold for safe swimming. We crossed below the dam and continued along Haigh Clough, through much softer land.
Me, crossing a stile at the dam at Marsh Haigh Reservoir. |
Chuck along Haigh Clough. |
It was a long walk above the roads along towards Tunnel End again. We did manage to get slightly misplaced. We could see The Tunnel Inn but couldn't find a way down for a while. Then we finally spotted the footpath sign and returned to civilization. We'd been about 7 miles of moors and woods and farms.
When in doubt, nurse! |
The path came down beside this patio. We couldn't resist the critter on the wall. |
That day, we came down into Marsden from Tunnel End, along the towpath again, and headed down itno town. It was the Cuckoo Festival. No, nothing to do with clocks or being a tad strange. It celebrates when the cuckoo birds, and spring, return to Marsden.
| The Marsden Silver Band playing Deep in the Heart of Texas for some odd reason. Part of the Cuckoo Festival, or course. |  |
On another drive, we went into Slaithwaite. For posh folks, it's "Slay-thwait". For folks like us, it's "Slah- whit".
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Walking along the towpath on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal in Slaithwaite, accompanied by ducks. |
There's a tea room (and ice cream shop) in a canal boat. We went in, but it was all what my brother named "whippy dip"; not want we consider real ice cream. But we loved seeing the inside of a canal boat.
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We walked along the canal, and watched this house boat go through locks and under bridges. The owner had to get out and work each lock. If you've ever watched The Nine Tailors on PBS, watching someone working the locks will mean a lot! And, once again, you can see how narrow the Huddersfield Narrow Canal really is. And how much one has to duck sometimes.
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