There was a tricky bit of wayfinding from the road, along the edge of the woods inside the wall, then stiling into the next-door field, and stiling back through the corner of another field. Cragg Road was, as I’d hoped, an easy-to-follow moorland road of earth and stone, with extensive views including of the local landmark of Stoodley Pike....

Mary Oz

I walked from Ripponden to Cragg Vale (and on to Hebden Bridge) on a dry day after a lot of dry weather but one wet night. I used bus 901 to get to Ripponden from Hebden, which was an awesome bus ride over the moors....

Mary Oz

We walked this route as the second section of a longer walk starting in Hebden Bridge to Cragg Vale to Ripponden on a warm and dry day in July. There is an abandoned farm building at top of the first hill out of Cragg Vale which has been fenced off for safety reasons. If you're planning to do this route or include as part of a longer one, ensure you have both routes marked up on a physical map or OS maps app or similar that isn't reliant on having phone signal as there was none in Cragg Vale until you get near the crest of the first hill towards Ripponden. After the farm building, the route remains reasonably accurate and easy to follow along old farm tracks, footpaths and bridleways, whilst providing lovely views of the surrounding area. The correct way route is not particularly obvious here but luckily the owner/resident was nearby and directed us to follow the path around the house to the left (coming from the Cragg Vale side) although I assume the "official" public footpath formerly went to the right side of the house as this is much more direct connection to the next section of footpath but the owners have fenced this off. Overall a really nice walk with beautiful scenery, plus there's easy bus options to take you back to Cragg Vale or Hebden Bridge after you've finished....

Dwfm

We walked this route on a warm and dry day in July and it was a very pleasant walk with lovely scenery and views of the surrounding valleys. You soon ascend the hills out of the town and the route mostly goes through fields and woodland until you descend into Cragg Vale. The route through the fields is fairly simple and goes over some stiles. I don't know the area, so can't add any commentary on potentially better routes down in to the village but the current route via Cragg Hall is simple to follow....

Dwfm

From the ruined Deacon Hill to Coppy Nook Lane the path is very little used, but passable with care and a keen eye on navigation, though there was one stile where I had to move a wooden pallet out of the way to get down. The path down from the lane is not marked and becomes very confusing above Hey End - there are builders fences blocking the obvious lane and you have to go right (south) of them to find the stile. I couldn't see the overgrown entrance to the lower section of the path (though a local on the lane assured me it exists) so by this point I decided that following Shield Hall Lane would be easier and quicker....

Hugh Hudson

From the old packhorse bridge in Hebden Bridge, we head down Bridge Gate and across a small park to reach the canal, then cross another park and the Calder to reach the railway station. We head down to a bridge under the railway then follow Wood Top Lane (a farm lane) up to and through Wood Top farm, then take another lane left which maintains a fairly flat course before descending towards the edge of Mytholmroyd....

Hugh Hudson

At the Cragg Vale end, I would try sticking with the track to Hill Top as the route through Old Cragg Hall is not obvious....

RGW

This is an enjoyable route which after relatively steep climbs at either end is surprisingly flat through the central section of the walk which follows the edge of the moor giving great views of the upper Calder Valley and across to Rochdale and Manchester. From there the path is straightforward with a steep but relatively short climb up to Blackstone Edge Moor and the White House pub....

RGW

There is much of the area's former industrial heritage too to be seen around Lambutts, with four small dams and a delightful piece of woodland - and a fine pub, the 'Top Brink', very well worth seeking out just off the route in the village. After leaving Todmorden and crossing over the Rochdale canal, continue up Kilnhurst Road to regain the route above the new housing estate (still under construction at the time of writing) which, for the time being at least, has obliterated the right of way on the footpath shown on the OS map and also suggested by the Slow Ways map online. For those walking east to west, on passing the third of the dams before coming to the road in Lambutts, the footpath shown on the maps (i.e. a right on to the road, and then almost immediately left alongside the stream through the clough) is nonexistent, and probably has been so having been eroded away for years....

Sneil68

On a dry summer's day this would no doubt be a very nice walk, albeit one with a few boggy patches....

Sneil68

As a direct route between Cragg Vale and Sowerby Bridge (SB) this is OK for Slow Ways purposes, although all but the first km after the climb up out of Cragg Vale is on roads which steadily get wider and busier the nearer you get to SB. To compensate a bit there are great panoramic views over the Calder Valley eastwards once you pass the summit by Aaron Hill. I am slightly mystified as to why the Slow Ways team didn't propose a walk that passed over this piece of access land, instead of bypassing it, and then continue on (mostly) tracks and paths for a further 4km, which would leave only the last km or so down the road into SB....

Sneil68

Several new boardwalks across more of the boggier bits have been put in place, since a previous reviewer's comments on the route, by 'CROWS' the local Community Rights of Way volunteers, in anticipation of increased use of this trail (which also follows part of an excellent walk inspired by the novel with maps and illustrations by Christopher Goddard)....

Sneil68

Too much tarmac...

Pete Thomasson

This is a convoluted way to get down from Erringden Moor and involves some very decrepid stiles around GR999239. I would recommend coming doen via Hill Top at GR 997236....

Pete Thomasson

I walked this route in the opposite direction (from Sowerby Bridge to Cragg Vale) and connected it with other Slow Ways routes to Hebden Bridge and then to Todmorden to make a good day walk. Although this route is almost entirely on roads they are mainly little country lanes with hardly any traffic. The route is lovely, great views into the Calder Valley, passing by some interesting old buildings, and Cragg Vale is a pretty area too....

fruitbat

It has a good variety if walking....

Andyhemsley

I walked this route in the opposite direction (from Cragg Vale to Hebden Bridge) and connected it with other Slow Ways routes to start in Sowerby Bridge and end in Todmorden....

fruitbat