Bronte Country Landscapes

I was in two minds whether to go out when I looked out of the window. Despite the OK forecast, it was misty and raining.

I’m glad I made the effort, though. Misty days are good for woodland photos and with the amount of rain we’ve had recently, I decided to head for Hardcastle crags, near Hebden Bridge. On the drive over there, the open moors beyond Oxenhope were completely enveloped in low cloud – you couldn’t see you hand in front of your face – but as I descended through Pecket Well towards Hebden Bridge, the clouds cleared and I could see the characteristic mist hanging in the valleys and the cloud skimming the tops of the hills so I started to feel like I might get some good shots.

To make the most of the conditions, I headed up the Calderdale Way towards Wadsworth War Memorial, which sits in a prominent position, high up on Smeakin Hill, overlooking Crimsworth Dean. The colours of the almost-fluorescent moss on the dry stone walls and the bright orange leaves on the beech saplings really popped in the dull light.

The moss really stands out at the moment because there is little other colour to compete with it.

I left the beautifully paved Calderdale Way and headed up the steep, slippery track to the war memorial.

Normally, you’d be able to see the hill-top village of Heptonstall from here across the valley and, beyond that, Stoodley Pike Monument, on which this memorial is modelled.

Heading up into Pecket Well and into the clouds

We’ve had a lot of rain (and a bit of snow) lately and the ground is sodden.

If you know where to look, there are several of these interesting carved stone plaques on the buildings in Hebden Bridge and the surrounding villages.

Back on the Calderdale Way and those flagstones have seen some feet over the years. Thankfully, unlike the limestone in the Yorkshire Dales, which gets like polished marble with wear, the gritstone hereabouts has a natural coarse texture and remains safe to walk on. It’s always best to check, though, because some local stone, such as that used in Heptonstall, gets a slimy coating on it when it is wet and, as I’ve found to my cost, you can be on your arse before you realise what’s happened.

Pecket Well Clough

At the end of my walk, I took a slight detour along Hebden Water to capture some long-exposure shots. Because it was quite dull, I didn’t need to use any filters. The water was running quite fast too so I only needed to use a 1 sec shutter speed. The water is stained brown when it passes through the peat high up on the moors.

A bit of lost-property left on the bridge. Hope their owner managed to find them.

For more information about Hebden Bridge, local history and traditions, where to stay, eat and drink, go to www.bronte-country.com