Circular walk from Holme: wet and wild!
Stream crossing at Stopes Moor
December 2023 started with a cold snap here in Yorkshire. The weather was icy, with glorious sunny, blue skies. Sadly, by the time we finished work for our Christmas holidays, the conditions were a little different. Strong winds and constant rain had turned our local paths and trails into a waterlogged mess.
We spent a couple of days hunkering down, insulating the loft and cleaning the house. But, by the time Christmas Eve arrived, we were both desperate for a walk and a dose of fresh air.
Only thing is, the weather forecast was even worse that day - heavy rain and gusty winds of up to 60mph 😱 It would have been much easier to sit in front of the fire with a box of Christmas chocolates. But instead, we grabbed our waterproof clothing and looked for a wild but relatively sheltered walk.
Circular walk from Holme, West Yorkshire: approx 5 miles
With flask and mince pies in hand, we parked up in Holme village with its cosy pub. The conditions were truly vile and our waterproofs were sodden after simply changing into our walking boots by the van.
Still, we set off intrepidly towards the moors getting battered by the wind blowing straight into our faces.
Issues Road (track)
We knew the route out of Holme village was on a good track but the wind, driving rain, and waterlogged surface made it tough going. Two runners passed, coming the other way. They were the only people we’d seen so far and they shouted something in greeting. The wind was so strong, it took their words away.
The small streams were fast flowing, and rivers had turned into raging torrents
It was a close call whether to abandon the walk at one point. I’d had enough of the wind blowing in my face and the cosy pub was calling. But, we finally turned away to walk across the moor towards Marsden Clough, getting battered from the side instead.
The path we were now on is usually great with just a couple of small stream crossings. Not today! The heavy rain had turned them into fast flowing water, deep enough to give our feet a thorough soaking. Check the video below 👇
Flooded river, Stopes Moor, Holme
We wandered downstream, looking for a crossing point where the stream narrowed. It was a big step for short legs and I welcomed the slight tug on my arm to help me over!
Side note: we walked the same path three weeks later and the streams were back to normal levels.
Brew stop!
By now, we were thoroughly wet and ready for a cuppa. Thankfully, we came across a handy wall near the river crossing at Marsden Clough. It gave enough shelter from the strong winds for us to hunker down and get the flask out.
Top tea break, Marsden Clough
River crossing, Blackpool Bridge, Marsden Clough
The conditions weren’t conducive to lingering long so after a quick cuppa (and the mince pies of course) we were soon on our way.
We crossed the river at Marsden Clough, over the wonderfully named Blackpool Bridge. It’s not the widest bridge and only has a handrail on one side, so I have to admit that I hung on lest I tripped and got swept away by the raging torrent below!
Once over, we made our way to Nether Lane. This bridleway is a hard surface but the heavy rain had turned it into a 2 inch deep stream. We paddled downhill to Digley Reservoir.
The final section from Digley back to Holme was on a good surface. But, by now, the wind seemed even stronger and it was tough going. Our original plan had been a Christmas drink in The Fleece pub but the weather had finally won.
By the time we reached the van, we simply wanted to get warm and dry. We quickly stripped off our soggy waterproofs and made our way home to light the fire.
Despite the vile weather conditions and the muddy, dripping wet clothing still hanging around the house on Christmas Day, we’d both loved getting out.
I’ll admit that it’s not always easy when the conditions are so terrible. It takes lots of mental effort, but I’m usually glad afterwards. Maybe it’s a little of Type 2 fun (it’s not always fun while you’re doing it, but you look back fondly afterwards).
Check out the blog post I wrote about going outdoors in bad weather: 10 reasons why bad weather can be good for our health.
Even so, sometimes I simply CBA to fight the weather. In the days after Christmas, the heavy rain continued and our local paths and fields were waterlogged. The fog was down, and it felt that the daylight was eluding us. We lit the fire, ate chocolate, and did a jigsaw.
You have to pick your battles!
Route details
Length: 5 miles
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Relatively easy in good conditions, and often used as a dog walking and running route. But remember it goes onto open moorland which can be disorientating in bad weather. Make sure you turn off Issues Road towards Marsden Clough, otherwise you’ll start walking uphill to the summit of Black Hill!
Refreshments: The Fleece Inn, Holme
Route download: Download a free GPX of the route here
Parking: Roadside in Holme village - please be considerate to residents
Map showing the area walked - click image to see the route in Outdoor Active
Note: Big thank you to Ride Holme for getting his phone out to take most of the images and video in this post!
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Outdoor-Girl is run by Jacquie Budd, an outdoor adventure and marketing content writer for brands that care about their impact on people and the planet.
