September walks weekend 2025: Friday 12th September — Stoodley Pike

Leader: Dave Miller

Reporter: Helen Richardson

HA wet and windy day was forecast for our Friday Walk, but that didn’t stop fifteen of us (plus four dogs) meeting outside The White Lion Hotel, most donning over-trousers and cagoules in preparation for the downpour that started right on cue.

In something of a reversal of Thursday’s Walk, with it's generally north-westerly direction and its steepest ascent at the end, Friday’s Walk was in a generally south-westerly direction, and its steepest ascent was soon after the start.

We got a bit strung out as we walked through Hebden Bridge town centre, as our eyes were distracted by shops and cafes, but we soon regrouped, crossed the Rochdale Canal, River Calderand Calder Valley Rail Line and began walking steeply uphill. On a steep and narrow road bend, pedestrian-controlled traffic signals added originality by allowing our progress along the road like the traffic (as opposed to across the road); worthy of note, I felt, as it is the first time I have encountered this type of arrangement. Continuing steeply up, we followed a good track through Crow Nest Woodand passed Old Chamber to reach Rake Head. The gradient became much gentler, and the walking easier as we continued across Erringden Moor, and skirted access land, then followed a paved track for about half a mile. In time, this gave way once more to a steeper ascent on rougher ground to reach Stoodley Pike Monument on Langfield Common, a SSSI. Vanessa had warned us about how cold and windy it was likely to be near the moorland’s open summit, at around 400m, as indeed it was, — making us appreciate our extra layers! Finally, we reached the Monument, where most of the group ventured into its dark, dank interior, and climbed the 39-step spiral staircase to get an even better view of the surrounding countryside. Erected as a monument to peace, it was completed in 1856, at the end of the Crimean War. Interestingly, it was built to replace an earlier fallen monument on the same site, itself a peace monument to victory after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. An almost illegible inscription tells us that “by a strange coincidence the pike fell on the day the Russian Ambassador left London before the declaration of war with Russia in 1854”. Evidently its location had left it structurally vulnerable to damage by lightning strikes, and after it was rebuilt in 1856, it was further repaired and a lightning conductor fixed in 1889, since when it has reportedly resisted numerous lightning strikes without significant structural damage.

It was too cold and windy to eat lunch there. So, from this furthest point on our walk, we retraced our steps to the edge of the rougher ground, then descended steeply to a shallower slope out of the wind among rocks, where we enjoyed our picnic lunches, generously supplemented again by Steve’s Eccles cakes, for which “Many thanks, — much appreciated as always, Steve!”. (I shall digress at this point, to note that this was a significant birthday for Steve — “Congratulations, Steve! — We hope you enjoyed your special day!”)

Continuing on a gentle descent, we joined the Pennine Way for a short distance, then walked through Callis Wood before following the Rochdale Canal back to Hebden Bridge.

This walk was a case of ‘waterproofs on, then waterproofs off, then waterproofs on….’ and so on, but when we reached Hebden Bridge, the sun was out and it was warm enough to comfortably enjoy a cuppa and cakes outside one of the many cafes in the pedestrianised town centre, entertained by a busker further along the road.

All that remains for me to say is a big “Thank you, Dave, for leading such an enjoyable walk”, and “Thank you, Vanessa, for your patience back marking, and for keeping company with those of us walking with you from time to time.”