Walks_1

Badsworth and the River Went

5.5 miles: Allow 2-3 hours.

Map: O/S Explorer 278 Sheffield and Barnsley

The Walk

From the parking area in front of the church enter Main Street and turn right up past the post box and Grange Court swinging left at Badsworth Hall.

Continue for 100yards and turn first right down Ninevah Lane. Ignore the sign for Grove Lane and continue down Ninevah Lane. When the tarmac finishes at Ninevah Farm carry on along the broad vehicle track. Continue past a lone house (rendered in grey) with the vehicle path now becoming a narrow green path. This remains prominent as it passes through trees to emerge in a huge field over a stile. The paths in this field have been ploughed out. Look straight across the field under the power-lines to make out a bridge on the rail embankment-this is our destination. You could head straight across the crop field to gain this bridge, but the best way is to take the route described.

Turn LEFT along a wide verge round the edge of the field and follow this as it turns right under power-cables. Go past a large tree and immediately turn left into the next field over the ditch and turn right along the field edge.

1) Follow this wide field-edge strip to its end, until beneath the rail embankment; turn right here along a dirt road which runs alongside the Wakefied-Doncaster railway.

After about 400 yards turn left under the railway and immediately leave the main track and go half right through a no-man's land.

Clip the right-hand corner of a dark green barn at Moor House Farm and continue for a few yards to a large oil tank and field corner Straight ahead in mid-field is a telegraph pole with another two poles to its right(ignore pole to your left containing a power box).Concentrate on the two telegraph to the right of the one in mid-field. Aim for the one at the bottom of the field by the hedge line where you will find a footbridge (rail viaduct to your right as a marker)

Go straight ahead over the next field (obvious) towards Low Farm and then bear right over the stone bridge. Almost immediately, as vehicle track swings left, go straight ahead over grass (reasonable path) to gain a hedge to the right of the barns.

Go past a redundant stile and follow vehicle track with hedge on your right. When the track finishes, press on along side of the sports field by hedge to emerge in the road at Low Ackworth.

2) Turn right along road, soon crossing to left hand side to pass the rustic buildings of Tempest Hill Farm (dating from 17C). Continue to Tan House Lane and turn right along it. When lane ends, press on past footpath sign and a house on your left, on a strong path which leads unerringly to the prominent rail viaduct with the infant River Went.

3) After a short mile you will arrive at a fenced off sewage works. Here turn right over a concrete bridge spanning the River Went and stride out along the unmade Burnhill Lane. After a good half-mile (fingerpost on left) ignore the vehicle path on your right to the farm-keep on straight ahead on narrow vehicle track to arrive at the Badsworth-Thorpe Audlin road at Rogerthorpe Manor. Turn right for 100 yards and then turn right through the gate at the fingerpost. Follow the new footpath with the hedge on your left and fence on your right; go through the next gate and then along the enclosed path to end up back at Badsworth Church.

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