Saturday, 4th June 2016

Walk: Railway Children Walk, Bronte Way, Penistone Hill, Bronte film set, Millennium Way, Bronte Bridge, Top Withens ruin, Dick Delf Hill, Oxenhope Stoop Hill, Conduits, Nab Hill, Bronte Way, Back Leeming
Start Point: Oxenhope railway station Grid Reference: SE 032 353
Distance: 13.6 miles Ascent: 1,670 feet
Time: 7 hours
Weather: Sunny and hot with hardly any breeze
Comments: Today I joined Pat on her recce for a group walk in Bronte country. We were treated to an example of a film set, built for a film about the life of the Brontes.

The exterior replica of the Parsonage is taking shape on Penistone Hill, chosen by film location experts to better resemble the original 1840s setting for a major new BBC drama. To Walk Invisible, created by award-winning Yorkshire writer and playwright Sally Wainwright, will tell the story of the world-famous family.

A pleasant walk in open countryside which also included following some of the conduits, reminiscent of the levadas in Madeira. The Top Withens ruin was busy as usual so we quickly headed off across the moors to eventually walk beside the conduits. We then made our way onto Nab Hill, dotted with cairns and shelters, before returning past Leeming Reservoir.

Stopping for refreshments in the station cafe, a condition for using their car park, our second treat of the day was the arrival of a steam train.

Arriving at the edge of Penistone Hill . . .

these buildings seem to be rather out of place . . .

with some parts looking bare

Walking around the back of the buildings . . .

reveals a very different picture . . .

especially when you get a closer view

It is, of course, a film set replicating the Bronte Parsonage
in nearby Haworth, former home of the Brontes.

The location was chosen by film location experts to better resemble
the original 1840s setting for a major new BBC drama.

To Walk Invisible, created by award-winning Yorkshire writer and playwright
Sally Wainwright, will tell the story of the world-famous family.

The sign next to the film set . . .

doesn't reflect what you find behind it!!!

Pat checks out Bronte Bridge before we decide . . .

to stop on the left bank for elevenses

The ruin at Top Withens farm . . .

is believed to be the inspiration for Emily Brontes' Wuthering Heights

It was farmed until the early 1890s. In 1930 the doors and windows were blocked to deter vandals and the Middle and Lower farms were demolished

Caterpillar time

Crossing the moors . . .

to reach the the conduits . . .

which we follow . . .

to find . . .

a good spot for lunch

Interesting spot for a stile

Zooming in on another ruin

Nab Hill is a very pleasant section of the walk . . .

with interesting cairns and shelters

Descending towards Leeming Reservoir

A spectacular lilac bush . . .

with beautiful blossom . . .

and leaves to help identify it

Returning to Oxenhope railway station . . .

we find a beautiful flower bed on the opposite side of the tracks . . .

and are lucky enough to be in time . . .

to catch a steam train

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