Walking: Jack of all Lanes?

1. Pass both the Castle Inn and St Mary’s Church on your right. Then take the left turn down Morehall Lane (aka Sunny Bank Road). After about 150 m, take the footpath on the right. Follow the path down the hill, passing the house. Continue downwards. After passing through three fields, you will emerge onto New Mill Bank.

2. Go left down the road for about 300 m until the next junction. Go left up Race Lane. After about 200 m, take the path right down the hill. Continue, across two fields, to the road by the side of More Hall Reservoir.

Sheffield Corporation started the Ewden Valley scheme in 1913, building More Hall and Broomhead Reservoirs, in order to provide water for the rapidly growing industry and population of Sheffield. Broomhead is used for drinking water while Morehall is used as compensation water.

3. Turn right and follow the road to the junction. Swing left along New Mill Bank Road and over the bridge. Follow Jack Lane to your left. After about 150 m take the footpath, number 12, on the right. Go up the field, aiming to the right of the bungalow.

4. At the top of the second field, go over the stone stile, right onto the farm track then left up the marked path and cross the stile.

5. Go right up Rocher Lane. This is a very steep climb.

6. When you reach the road, turn right. You will pass Rocher Farm on your right.

7. When the road takes a sharp right, downhill, take the path by the metal gate immediately opposite into Dwarriden Wood. Do not take the earlier path into Poggs Wood.

8. Follow the path through the woods for about 600 m. You will pass the Dwarriden Cruck Barn on your right.

Then turn right onto Dwarriden Lane, Originally built in the 16th century, this Grade II listed building was restored in 1991.

9. Follow the lane downhill. After 200 m, take the next bridleway (Rushy Lane) on your left. You will reach the start of the recently opened Wigtwizzle bridleway (SK255 958). At this point, you may wish to extend your walk by walking up, then down, the bridleway (930 m each way).

10. Countinue along Rushy Lane, taking the first right turn towards Broomhead reservoir. Cross New Road and pass through the gap in the fence, turn left and continue along the side of the reservoir.

11. When you rejoin the road, turn right. This is a main road and traffic can be moving quickly. Cross the road bridge which is 10 m in front of you.

12. Take the signed footpath to the left about 25 m after the bridge, into Yew Trees Lane Wood. Initially this path runs parallel to the river, but soon turns right.

13. Follow the path as it climbs up towards the woods. The path runs parallel to the road, passing between a drystone wall and a fence. When you reach the woods, follow the path which initially runs parallel to the wire mesh fence. This slowly rises up through the woods

14. After ~ 200 m, the path veers to the left and continues to ascend through the wood, gradually becoming steeper.

15. At the top of the woods go over the wooden stile into the field. Cross the field to the wall opposite the stile and then follow the wall up the hill, passing over a stone stile, to the farm buildings.

16. Go up through the farm yard and through the small gate on your right. Then take the path up the bank on the left up to Heads Lane. Turn left.

17. Continue until you reach the end of the lane at Hunger Hill Farm. Passover the ladder stile, and descend, keeping the dry stone wall on your left.

18. At the next junction climb the stile, then follow the path which bears right (Mucky Lane), keeping the wall on your right.

19. When you reach Lea House Lane, don’t take the sharp left (Long Lane). Instead take the second left (New Hall Lane). After 200 m, turn right towards Greave House Farm.

20. At the double bend in the lane go over the stone stile on your right, to the left of the gate and into the field. Turn left and follow the path along by the wall. Follow the path over a number of stiles towards the two stiles which take you across Whitwell Lane.

21. Cross Whitwell Lane and enter the field, opposite. Continue in a straight line across the fields towards the stone stile by the houses.

22. Cross the stile and follow the path, to your left, onto Maple Grove. Turn right along Maple Grove to Cedar Road. Turn right and go up hill a short distance before crossing Cedar Road and taking the signed footpath across the open ground.

23. Follow the path as it drops down along a narrow path between back gardens. Continue out onto Pennine View. Turn left and go along to Coal Pit Lane. Turn left onto Coal Pit Lane and the immediately right onto Hollin Busk Lane.

24. After 150 m take the footpath right between the houses and up across fields towards Bolsterstone. Pass through a series of five gates before you arrive back in Bolsterstone.

Bolsterstone originated as an AngleSaxon settlement. The name may be a corruption of Walder, a local Saxon Chief.

Alternatively, it may be derived from the existence of two huge stones now situated in the churchyard, generally known as ‘bolster stones.’ They were brought into the churchyard for safekeeping in the 19th.Century. Archaeological records state that the twin mortise holes in the upper stone may have supported twin Anglo Saxon crosses. Local legend gives the stones as either the base of a gibbet or part of the structure for some other means of execution.

St.Mary’s church was built 1872-79. The Lych Gate was erected to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897 with the present gates commemorating the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.

The sycamore tree between the church and the Castle Inn was planted in 1897 to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. An earlier tree was known as the

‘Custard Tree,’ under which it was traditional to eat custard pies on Holy Thursday.

Bolsterstone to Wigtwizzle

• Length 6.0 miles.

• Grade – This is a demanding walk with plenty of ascents (total: 320 m, 1000 ft.).

• The paths are well marked with a section on quiet roads. Some sections can be rough and/or boggy.

• Start – Bolsterstone.

• Grid Reference – SK 271 967.

• Maps – OL1 Dark Peak, OS Explorer 278.

• Public transport –SL1 buses pass along the route at (26).

• Refreshments –The Castle Inn in Bolsterstone.

• Public Toilets –none.

• This walk is described in detail on Stocksbridge Walkers are Welcome http://www.stocksbridge-walkers.org.uk/walks_around_Stocksbridge.html website.