Pennine Bridleway

Infobox Hiking trail
Name=Pennine Bridleway
Photo=Pennine bridleway information board.jpg
Caption=Information board at Hartington station
Location=Northern England, United Kingdom
Designation=UK National Trail
Length=convert|130|mi|km|abbr=on
Start/End Points=Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Derbyshire Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
Use=Hiking, horseback riding, cycling
ElevChange=
HighPoint=Top of Leach, Convert|474|m|ft|0|abbr=on
LowPoint=
Difficulty=Moderate
Season=All year
Sights=
Hazards=The Pennine Bridleway is a new National Trail under designation in Northern England.

It runs roughly parallel with the Pennine Way but provides access for horseback riders and cyclists as well as walkers. In its southern part, it follows the High Peak Trail along the track bed of the former Cromford and High Peak Railway. The trail is around convert|130|mi|km long; convert|73|mi|km through Derbyshire to the South Pennines, the convert|47|mi|km|sing=on Mary Towneley Loop and the convert|10|mi|km|sing=on Settle Loop http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/penninebridleway/text.asp?PageId=2 Pennine Bridleway website - about this trail] . The highest points along the trail are South Head Hill in Derbyshire; between Roych Clough and Hayfield, and Top of Leach is the highest point on the Mary Towneley Loop.

History

In 1986 Mary Towneley rode on horseback convert|250|mi|km from Corbridge, Northumberland to Ashbourne, Derbyshire to launch the idea of the Pennine Bridleway. This followed on with a feasibility study and route investigation from 1987 to 1990. Finally in 1995 approval for the Pennine Bridleway National Trail from Carsington Water, Derbyshire to Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria was gained.

In 1999 Sport England awarded and donated £1,841,876 towards the route from Derbyshire to North Yorkshire and 3 feeder routes from Keighley, Bolton and Penistone. The Pennine Bridleway project team was appointed by the Countryside Agency and work began shortly.

In 2000 there was a proposal for an extension to the Pennine Bridleway from Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria to Byrness, Northumberland. This extension was approved in 2002.

In 2002 the Mary Towneley Loop was opened followed by the opening of the southern section; from Derbyshire up to the Mary Towneley Loop and in 2005 the Settle Loop was also opened which is currently not joined to the Pennine Bridleway

Route

Starting in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Derbyshire, the Pennine Bridleway is mainly situated on historic routes and trails following the flanks of the Pennines. The trail starts by following the High Peak Trail along a disused railway passing through a limestone plateau of the White Peak. (An alternative starting point is the site of the former Hartington railway station, utilizing a short section of the Tissington Trail before joining the High Peak Trail at Parsley Hay.) Following on from the limestone plateau is the millstone grit of the Dark or High Peak area and the trail follows the line of the Packhorse Road from Tideswell, via Peak Forest to Hayfield.

Leaving Derbyshire the trail follows the edge of a heather moor and picks up an ancient highway along the Tame Valley. From here the trail descends to follow a dismantled railway where the route heads towards Hollingworth Lake. It later joins the Mary Towneley Loop which climbs to the highest point of the loop; Top of Leach at 474 m. The trail passes through the town of Waterfoot in the Rossendale Valley and follows new tracks via Lumb before entering the Cliviger Gorge and then climbing up to the Long Causeway. The trail joins the Gorple Road which is of a more remote stretch of the trail which leads to Blackshaw Head. The trail drops down into the valley where the town of Hebden Bridge resides where the route picks up London Road which follows a heading towards Bottomley.

The Mary Towneley Loop was dedicated to the memory of Lady Mary Towneley who rode in 1986 from Derbyshire to Northumberland and campaigned for the Pennine Bridleway. She died in February 2001 due to illness.

It is not to be confused with the Pennine Cycleway which is part of the National Cycle Network.

ee also

* Sabrina Way The new bridleway that links southwards through Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire into Oxfordshire

Notes

External links

* [http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/penninebridleway/index.asp?PageId=1 Official Pennine Bridleway webpage]
* [http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/penninebridleway.html Pennine Bridleway info]