Leg 1 - Calderdale Way Relay

Leg 1 Map which you can download to your Garmin

The race will start in Clay House Park, West Vale.

From here the path goes north under 2 sets of pylons to the edge of North Dean Woods. The path bears left to skirt the edge of the woods for a mile and a half. Ignore paths to the left and right, until a metalled road is reached; bear right for Clough Moor Bridge, Norland and Sowerby Bridge.

From Clough Moor Bridge (069220) follow the signed path onto Noorland Moor.

Cross the stream and aim for a squat pylon.

Turn left before the next stream following a wall past three clumps of trees, then turn right onto a cairned path; cross the moor parallel with a row of pylons and turn left on reaching some iron railings.

Across the valley, Crow Hill stands guardian over the old hilltop village of Sowerby and the newer town of Sowerby Bridge below.

Continue along the moor edge to the Ladstone Rock then for another quarter of a mile before dropping down to the road in the direction of the New Rock Inn.

Turn sharp right into Highlee Lane, passing between two farms; go some distance downhill then left through a concealed field-corner stile after passing a path back to New Longley.

Walk along the wall-side to a farm, then along Moor Bottom Road to its junction with the main Elland Road (B6113) at Ripponden Bank Top.

Go down the main road passing the Fleece Inn and a farm track before taking the narrow right-hand fork to Ripponden.

At the bottom of Old Bank note on the left the Pennine Farm Museum and on the right St Bartholomew's Church and the Community Centre.

Cross the packhorse bridge, passing the old Bridge Inn and Georgian vicarage up to the main Halifax/Oldham/Rochdale Road (A58).

Cross the road and follow Royd Lane to the right of the Conservative Club uphill for 150 yards.

Turn right through stone gateposts at the wide opening below a bungalow, then left through a stile onto a paved path through fields to Birks farm. Go through a stile in front of the farm into a walled lane.

Ahead is another stile and through this a fine view of the Ryburn Valley. Follow the top edge of the meadow, keeping by the wall to another stile.

Turn left up Cow Lane to Soyland Town. Turn right up the road, keeping to the pavement then turn right through a gate in the wall.

Cross over the field with the wall on your left then bear right into Highfield Lane. Follow the lane as it bends to the left, then bear left again, and soon you will be dropping steeply down steps into Foxen Lane. Turn left to the road then right for Mill Bank.

From Mill Bank (035213) turn sharp left at a corner cottage before the stream, continuing along the clough to the end, where bear right on the bend of Gough Lane, staying on this lane to the junction with Lighthazles Road.

Cross the road and follow the narrow lane for nearly a mile as it zig-zags uphill.

After Waggon, the fifth farm on the left, turn right onto a walled track leading to the derelict Flints Reservoir; note in passing, the old boundary stone and Flint Hall Farm.

Climb the stile onto the left embankment, cross another stile and continue diagonally over the rough field (300 degrees bearing), heading for a ruin on the skyline.

Cross a wall-stile and continue on a sandy track towards the horizon for a dramatic view of Stoodley Pike and Cragg Vale.

After the ruin, turn right and continue across the moorland with the fence on your left.

Continue towards Sowerby Crow Hill, sensing here the bleakness shared in prose and verse by poet Ted Hughes; Buttoned from the blowing mist; Walk the ridges of ruined stone.

Continue along Waterstalls Road through a gate to where the wall ends on the left.

Turn left, following the clearly defined track downhill past Catherine House Farm with its unusual chimney.

Cross the metalled road, continuing straight ahead for 100 yards.

After the first farm, Bent Close, turn left down a track to a gate. Go through the stile and downhill keeping to the main track as it bears right towards Deacon Hill Farm.

Turn left at the 'T' junction over a stile and stay on the path beside the wall until it zig-zags down towards the farmhouse below.

Turn sharp left short of the farm to a wall stile and continue downhill to a small gate. From here, the path is paved with causey stones, slippery and overgrown in places.

Turn left just before the field corner, through a stile over a stream, and continue a short distance alongside the wall then descend diagonally to join a sunken lane.

Turn right down the lane past a farmhouse on the right then left down to the main road in Cragg Vale.

Cross the main road in Cragg (002232) following it for a short distance downhill before turning sharp left down to the church of St John the Baptist in the Wilderness and the Hinchliffe Arms.