Todmorden Edge - Lumbutts - Mankinholes - Charlestown - Blackshaw Head

Sam Roebuck

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The Calderdale Way is a circular long distance footpath running around the beautiful Calderdale Valley area. It is bisected by the Pennine Way, which runs from South to North, crossing Calderdale at Charleston, between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. Walk 1814 takes advantage of this layout by using the Pennine Way, and the western half of the Calderdale Way.

The walk itself is quite challenging, with several steep climbs and descents, but the varied views it affords over Calderdale are well worth the extra effort.

The walk starts at the Leisure Centre in Todmorden, and drops you right in at the deep end with a climb up to Todmorden Edge, giving awe inspiring views of the hills around Calderdale, before crossing the valley (another good climb here). After passing through the villages of Lumbutts and Mankinholes (where there is a Youth Hostel), the walk climbs steeply up to Langfield Common and picks up the Pennine Way near Stoodley Pike – an impressive monument (120 feet high) situated on a hill overlooking much of Calderdale. Stoodley Pike was built in 1814 to celebrate victory in the Napoleonic wars, and has been rebuilt twice since. It is possible to climb the Monument (the entrance is on the north side), but be aware that after the first turn on the spiral staircase, you will be in complete darkness for five steps. It is an unnerving experience, but keep your hands on the sides and plough onwards – the light soon returns. It may be worth whistling, just in case you meet someone walking back down.

From Stoodley Pike, the Pennine Way drops down to cross the Rochdale Canal at Charlestown, before the hardest climb of the day, out of Calderdale to Staups Moor, where Wainwright’s Pennine Way route leaves the official route for a while. The walk crosses Staups Moor via a field side path (rather than the peat we usually encounter on Pennine Way moorland), and drops to the pretty little dell of Colden Water. Here, Walk 1814 leaves the Pennine Way to once again pick up the Calderdale Way and a much more gentle climb (and the last climb of the day). Having returned to Staups Moor, the walk stays high on the northern side of the Calderdale valley apart from the final drop into Todmorden, and back to the start.

England - North England - Yorkshire - Pennines

Features

Ancient Monument, Church, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Moor, Woodland

1/8/2016 - Ian Brindle

Well I thought I would get myself back in trim after xmas, I was a broken man when I finished, fantastic walk but very hard great scenery great views, But a few paths are out due to the bad weather from boxing day floods so a little bit longer all fields are water logged and boggy which made a harder walk but I'm sure it will dry out. As for dog friendly I took my lab she loved it depends on how the dog handles stiles and sheep I'm lucky she fly's over them and doesn't bother with sheep. The walk says 14.7 but with a few diversions from car to car it was 16 miles on gps. Top walk thanks.

11/10/2014 - lee holmes

Wow i hurt this morning 10/11/14 Did this walk on Sunday 09/11/14, loved it but my legs hurt this morning, as said before some of the signs are down or missing so a map and a GPS are a great help, i would personally park the car at the end and walk to the start first off in the morning then at least you dont have the trouble of the traffic at the end as its quite a busy little town, didnt do too bad 6 hours in all but no stops, as said before where training for Yosemite and this was great for that, glad we didnt take the dog too many styles and loads of sheep

9/20/2014 - Marilyn Monaghan

A challenging and beautiful walk but it took us 8 hrs at a moderate pace with a short break. Some of the landmarks and signage may have changed since the guide was written and therefore took a bit more working out. We took the dog on the lead but had to do a lot of coaxing over some stiles. He was too big to lift over and we were fortunate enough to find a break in a wall at one particular ladder stile or we would have had a problem! Lots of sheep too!

10/9/2011 - Sian Harris

Some killer climbs. Brilliant training for anyone planning a long trek. Essential pain for those of us slightly out of condition! Some very useful exit points for the fainthearted, those doing it in short winter days and when the weather really closes in.

4/22/2010 - Brian Smith

The start of this walk is a very steep climb & more of a scramble to the top than a walk. It's then only a short walk over the top before descending again into Todmorden. The walk is 14.7 miles. If I were to do this walk again I would park at point one but walk back down the main road and start the walk at point 12 in the description "The Golden Lion Pub" A more steady climb from here & the views are just as great.