Walking: Oughtibridge outing

This circular walk takes you from Oughtibridge via Beeley Wood, Middlewood, Worrall, Birtin Cemetery and Sensicall Park before returning to the start point.

1. From Millennium Green, go down Church Street passing between the Cock Inn and the Post Office. Cross the River Don by the road bridge, and continue up the hill (Station Road), passing Coronation Park on your left. About 200 m after crossing the railway bridge take the signed right turn onto a footpath

2. After 100 m, the path bears slightly left. After either climbing a stone stile or passing through the metal gate, continue parallel to the overhead electricity pylons

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

3. The path runs along the top of Beeley Wood for about 2 km. You will cross six fields, each separated by ether a metal gate or stile Beeley Wood is the remains of a larger, ancient woodland: a site that has been continuously occupied by woodland from before 1600. The earliest written reference to Beeley Wood is in a deed dated 1161 in which the monks of Ecclesfield Priory were given permission to graze their flock from January to Easter. Later it was used to make charcoal and was also mined for Ganister, a hard sandstone used in the manufacture of silica bricks used to line industrial furnaces.

4. At (SK 334912) take a right turn, crossing over a wooden stile. In wet weather, this may become boggy. Descend through the woods, away from the pylons, keeping the stone wall on your left

5. You will cross a railway bridge. Continue descending, keeping the wire fence on your left (signed, ‘Warning. Dangerous site and buildings’). You will emerge onto a road

6. Turn right. After 50m, follow the path around to the left of the factory. Take the path on the right marked out by the sleepers

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

7. Follow the footbridge over the River Don. Then take the steps up to the main road. Turn right. After 100 m, cross the road and go up the stone steps.

You will reach Stockarth Lane. Turn right towardsWorrall. The 2007 Sheffield floods caused the main road to collapse at this point. It was over 18 months before the road was passable again. 8. 25 m after the Worrall boundary marker take the Public Bridleway on your left and head up the path. You will pass through woods until you reach Haggstones Road

9. Turn right, then, passing the bicycle sculpture, take the first left onto Kirk Edge Road. If you wish to shorten your walk, take the second left onto Towngate Road. Follow the road past houses, the Memorial Hall and Sycamore Park. You will reach a public footpath, rejoining our walk at 15. 10. 10 m after Kirk Edge Drive, take the signed path(no.47) on your left . After 20 m, take the right turn and enter a series of fields

11. The path passes through a waymarked series of six fields, each separated by a stone stile, wooden gate or similar

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

12. Exit the final field via a stone stile to the right of a metal gate. Turn right up the farm track. After 30 m, turn right onto Derwent Lane

13. After 300 m, at the T-junction, turn right onto Kirk Edge Road. Cross the road and, after 50 m, take the signed footpath (no.31) on your left

14. Pass through two fields separated by some old gateposts (14a). Then pass through a metal gate onto a track. Turn right, passing between stone walls. At the T-junction turn left

15. Continue following the path between two stone walls. Cross over a wooden stile which is adjacent to a metal gate. Continue keeping the stone wall on your right. You will reach a footpath sign adjacent to an old stone gatepost

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

16. Turn left along the brow of the hill. Follow the footpath as it descends through the woods, crossing a wooden stile before you drop down towards Birtin Cemetery

17. Cross the road, bear left and skirt the cemetery by the Burton Road. You may wish to divert into the cemetery

18. Just past Birkin Farm take the public footpath, to your left, through the farm. Bearing slightly to your left, cross a stone stile into a field, keeping the stone wall on your right. After half a field, pass between two stone gate posts and continue, keeping the stone wall on your left

19. Cross a stone stile and head across the field to a footbridge over Coumes Brook. After 20 m, you reach a road (Coldwell Hill). Turn right over a stream and head down the road. At the end of the road, take a left down Church Street. Coumes Brook flows into the River Don. In the 19th.and 20th.centuries, water was channelled down hand-built gritstone walls to increase the speed and power of the flow in order to power local mills.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

20. Head down Church Street and take the first Public Footpath on left into Sensicall Park. This path is unmarked. It is opposite ‘Church Street Court,’ at the point where the double yellow lines commence. Bearing right alongside Coumes Brook coming out by the medical centre. Finally take a left and head back to Millennium Green

21. You may wish to explore Sensicall Park. At 20, instead of continuing alongside Coumes Brook: after the allotments, turn right up the wooden steps (21). Keep following the path. Ignore two sets of steps to your right. Keep following paths. You will slowly descend, emerging on the original footpath just before it cross a footbridge before emerging at the Medical Centre.

Sensicall Park is woodland originally developed by Manpower Services Commission (MSC) trainees in the 1980s. This was to celebrate a local resident and parish councillor, Robert Sensicall, for his work for the community. He formally opened the park in July 1984. Access works were renovated by the Steel Valley Project in 2008, working with the owners, Bradfield Parish Council.

Oughtibridge developed around a ford managed by Oughtred who lived in a local cottage. When the bridge was built in 1150 to replace the ford, it took his nick name “Oughty”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The local community became known as Oughty’s Bridge. Oughtibridge remained a rural hamlet until the late 18th Century.

WALK DETAILS:

Beeley Wood and Worrall

* Length – 5.5 miles

* Grade - Mostly well-defined paths, stiles and steady ascents. In wet weather, parts of this walk can become boggy

* Start – Millennium Green, Oughtibridge

* Grid Reference – SK 306 933

* Maps – OL1 Dark Peak, OS Explorer 278

* Parking - On street parking, Oughtibridge

* Public transport – 57, SL1 bus

* Refreshments – Cafes, pubs and shops in Oughtibridge : pubs and shops in Worrall

* Public Toilets – none on the route

* This walk is described, in detail, on the website of Stocksbridge Walkers are Welcome:

Related topics: