Blackpool Bridge Walk, Holme, West Yorkshire, UK
- Julie James
- Jun 30, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 13, 2024
“Leave the road, take the trails.”– Pythagoras
Some walks are special because of their familiarity, a well-known, much-loved walk that doesn’t require any map reading/or reaching for a printed sheet of directions. A walk where you already know the best picnic stop and the best view.
Blackpool Bridge, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire is such a walk for me. It is a walk I have done many times over the years in all types of weather, and I never tire of it. The route can start at various points, but I have a favourite route I take each time I do this lovely 5/6 mile circular walk.
Starting in the village of Holme on the outskirts of the famous ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ town of Holmfirth you cannot help but be charmed by this charming, picturesque village nestled in the Holme Valley and just within the boundary of the Peak District National Park. The village is ‘holme’ to a delightful village school and a fabulous country pub – The Fleece. It is a warm, welcoming village full of country traditions and community spirit.
The walk, for me, starts on a public footpath on Meal Hill just below the village school, a grassy path leading onto a wide-open field.
Walking the gentle descent across the field, the view opens out through the trees giving you a glimpse of Digley Reservoir, a stunning blue water, reflecting the sky above and surrounded by rolling hills and lush trees.
The well-trodden path is easy to navigate with strategically placed benches, perfectly positioned to offer panoramic views of the water and surrounding countryside and a good picnic spot if you are doing the short reservoir walk.
Continuing the walk, you come to a charming stone bridge that crosses a narrow babbling stream feeding into the reservoir. The bridge, old and moss covered, adds a rustic charm to the view as the water meanders over the rocks sparkling as it catches the sunlight.
The first section of the walk is gently undulating, leading you through open meadows and woodland as you walk the path towards the waters of the reservoir.
The path reaches the dam that crosses between Digley and Bilberry Reservoir and doubly rewards you with beautiful, far-reaching views from both sides across the reservoirs.
Stop to saviour these views of the reservoirs, the wide blue waters surrounded by the sweeping hills of the Holme Valley and the rich greenery of the trees and bushes, leaning down to touch the waters edge.
As you leave the dam the path leads gently uphill away from the open view of the reservoir through a lush, leafy section towards a bench set high on the left, a seat with a view. At this point, the path does continue around the edge of the reservoir for a short but scenic and varied circular walk of about 45 minutes but we took a left turn just after the bench for a longer walk up over the rolling hills and across the moorland on the edge of the peak district.
The wide path climbs slowly upwards, following the drystone wall synonymous with this area of Yorkshire. As you climb upwards along this tranquil path it starts to feel like a country walk of lovely quietness with nothing but sheep and birdsong for company.
Eventually you come across a sty taking the walk over the wall and down to Blackpool Bridge.
Once over the sty the views are spectacular; heather capped rolling hills lead downwards towards the bridge and climb back up again in the distance as the winding path cuts through the outlying view, a wonderful invitation to keep walking.
We made our way down the stunning valley as Blackpool Bridge came into view, a picturesque wooden bridge across the flowing waters of Marsden Clough beck. Legend has it that the name Blackpool Bridge comes from the black pools below the bridge that once upon a time local people used to swim in.
It is now a beautiful picnic and paddle location as heather covered banks tumble steeply to the babbling river surrounded by gritstone rocks. A few larger rocks offer the perfect picnic seating with a view across the sparkling beck and up the heather filled valley.
The original Blackpool Bridge was a grander stone structure and remnants of it remain today across the far side of the beck.
Walking across the wooden bridge stop to take in the view upstream as the stunning, colourful rolling hills sweep down to meet the water.
Once over the bridge the path climbs steeply uphill, across the stunning moorland, rich in colour and varied terrain.
The path climbs, twists and meanders up and across the landscape and it is impossible not to be in awe of the breathtaking views and the feeling of beautiful wild isolation. Taking the ascent slowly and across the moorland, crossing rocky streams along the way the walk is a constant reminder of the gloriousness of nature and the open countryside.
At the peak of the walk the view sweeps down the valley with the lush flora and fauna, the patchwork of stone walled fields and the blue waters of the tree lined reservoir nestled amongst this vista.
Tearing ourselves away from this beautiful view we continued along the path leading away from the open moorland back towards Holme Village.
The walk ends at the top of the village and gives you a chance to stop at the gates of the village school. A fabulous, charming village school that at capacity has around 35 pupils aged 5 to 11. My daughter was lucky to be a pupil at this school from 2002 to 2008 and she still has a presence there as part of the artwork on the school gate!
Make sure you take time after this walk to visit the fabulous Fleece Inn; a gorgeous traditional country inn serving delicious food. It is a perfect end to this stunning walk, to spend time in the village having a well-earned meal and drink and time to reflect on the walk.
A walk of wonderful, natural beauty, a walk of babbling rivers, sweeping hills, historical charm and beautiful wild landscapes – a perfect escape into the countryside.
Walked and photographed many times in all seasons 🥾
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