Calderdale Heritage Walks

Home
United Kingdom
Halifax
Calderdale Heritage Walks

Enjoy local history in the course of a 2-3 hour walk with a skilled, knowledgeable and usually entertaining guide!

Enjoy local history in the course of a 2-3hr walk with a skilled, knowledgeable and usually entertaining guide!

08/09/2026

Anne Kirker will be leading a walk round Barkisland on Sunday 20th September. The 1000 year history will be told through family stories and fine buildings in this hill top settlement. The walk will last about 2½ hours on quiet roads.

Meet Anne, at 2pm, in the garden opposite to Barkisland Post Office, Saddleworth Road, HX4 0AL. It is not suitable for mobility scooters. Dogs on leads are welcome.

A week later, on Sunday 27th David Glover will introduce you to Mary Hackett and Emily Pye from the 1950s, a murder site and other aspects of West Halifax. With mill explosions, lost pubs, a Speaker of the House of Commons and lots more.

This is a linear walk which starts just inside the gates of Lister Lane Cemetery Lister Lane HX1 5JL and ends in Gibbet Street HX1 5BP. The walk starts at 2pm and is suitable for mobility scooters. Dogs on leads are welcome.

Moving into October, on Sunday 4th, Ian Philp will take a walk round Brighouse. It will look at churches, chapels, pubs, mills, the library and art gallery and a war memorial with a name removed - because he hadn’t died after all.

Brighouse like all of our towns and villages change over time and view yet more changes today.

This walk is a new route taking in aspects of 3 previous walks. It is suitable for mobility scooters. Dogs are welcome on short leads.

Meet Ian somewhere in Thornton Square (HD6 1EA) at 2pm. He can’t be more precise because of the building work but you’ll find him.

01/09/2026

The first walk in September, on Sunday 6th., we have a new walk and a new guide. Michael Gray will be introducing you to the industrial development in Sowerby Bridge. The town has a proud history of producing high quality goods from its many factories.

The walk is a celebration of its people and legacy. There are steep steps and slopes so the walk is not suitable for mobility scooters.

Meet Michael at 2pm by Sowerby Bridge railway station, HX6 3AF.

Later September walks include Barkisland and a murder site in Halifax.

30/08/2026

August 31 Midgley Moor
Well, on Sunday we had the long-anticipated thunderstorm and downpour! The forecast for Monday is better, but you will need to bring waterproof footwear *at least* for our walk, which is one of our longer ones.
See you at the crossroads at 2!

26/08/2026

On Bank Holiday Monday, 31st August, John Billingsley is leading an extended walk on Midgley Moor lasting 3 hours. You may wish to bring a snack and a couple of small coins may be useful. There’s a lot of history to explore. The walk is not suitable for mobility scooters. Quiet dogs on leads are welcome.

Meet John at 2pm at the cross roads by Hare & Hounds Inn, Old Town HX7 8TN

The first walk in September, on Sunday 6th., is a new one with a new guide. Michael Gray will be introducing you to the industrial development in Sowerby Bridge. The town has a proud history of producing high quality goods from its many factories. The walk is a celebration of its people and legacy. There are steep steps and slopes so the walk is not suitable for mobility scooters.

Meet Michael at 2pm by Sowerby Bridge railway station, HX6 3AF.

Later September walks include Barkisland and a murder site in Halifax.

18/08/2026

On Sunday, 23rd August John Billingsley will take you round Heptonstall with stories on the way. This is a partially new and partially revised walk. It is not suitable for mobility scooters. No dogs, please.

Meet John, at 2pm, at Heptonstall Bowling Club car park, HX7 7LT.

On Bank Holiday Monday, 31st August, John is leading an extended walk on Midgley Moor lasting 3 hours. You may wish to bring a snack and a couple of small coins may be useful. There’s a lot of history to explore. The walk is not suitable for mobility scooters. Quiet dogs on leads are welcome.

Meet John at 2pm at the cross roads by Hare & Hounds Inn, Old Town HX7 8TN

Even with the current rain, these two walks will be passing through dry countryside. Please take care and no smoking is allowed.

Looking ahead into September, we have walks in Sowerby Bridge, Barkisland and a murder site in Halifax.

03/08/2026

On Sunday, 9th August, Mike Beecham will be leading a walk through parts of Northowram. ‘A brewery, a windmill and a lost settlement’ is the title. The lost settlement is Todd Bottom and there will be good views of Shibden Valley properties. There are some narrow pathways through fields. Dogs welcome.

Meet Mike at 2pm at Northowram Tennis Club car park. The Hough, Northowram. HX3 7AP.

Further into August, John Billingsley has 2 walks. The first, on Sunday 23rd, is a stroll round Heptonstall with lots of stories to tell.
Then on Bank Holiday Monday, 31st, there will be an extended 3 hour walk over Midgley Moor.

24/07/2026

Our walks round Lightcliffe usually include a visit to the 250 year old iconic tower in the churchyard. It has had a major restoration over the past 10 months.

It will be open on Saturday 1st August from 10.30 to 12.30 and on Sunday 2nd August from 2 to 4. Do come and have a look but don't expect to be able to climb to the top, that isn't possible.

It will then open on the 3rd Sunday of August, September and October between 2 and 3.30.

Free but donations welcome.

21/07/2026

On Sunday 26th July, Mike Beecham will lead a walk called 'Brynescoles Valley hidden histories'. The valley separates the communities of Northowram, Coley and Hipperholme, known locally as Chelsea Valley. You will explore medieval and later histories and its houses, a vicar and his hawking activities and a coal mining settlement. There are some steep pathways through fields so it is not suitable for mobility scooters. Dogs are welcome.

Meet Mike at the junction of Hedge Top Lane and Westercroft Lanw, Northowram. HX3 7BE at 2pm.

On Sunday, 9th August it will again be Mike leading a walk this time through parts of Northowram. ‘A brewery, a windmill and a lost settlement’ is the title. The lost settlement is Todd Bottom and there also will be good views of Shibden Valley properties. There are some narrow pathways through fields. Dogs welcome.

Meet Mike at 2pm at Northowram Tennis Club car park. The Hough, Northowram. HX3 7AP.

04/07/2026

Dobroyd Castle, the ‘Brass Castle’ built above Todmorden by John Fielden in 1869 will be open for our walks on Sunday 12th July. You will be able to explore both the house and the walled garden and learn about its history and that of the family.

Your guide is Anne Mealia. The walk is about 1½ miles including a ½ mile walk up the wooded hillside to the castle.

You need to book your tickets on https://www.ticketsource.com/calderdale-heritage-walks where further details are available. There are just a few places available today (4th July).

We will return to our normal ‘turn up and walk’ programme with a walk through Brynescoles Valley on Sunday 26th July. This valley separates the communities of Northowram, Coley and Hipperholme, known locally as Chelsea Valley.

Full details of this walk and the rest of our summer programme are on our website https://calderdaleheritagewalks.org.uk/summer.html

24/06/2026

Our next event is the visit to Robin Hood’s grave and this is fully booked – 5 walks over the weekend and 125 visitors. On Sunday 12th July, we are offering an opportunity to visit Dobroyd Castle above Todmorden. There are some tickets available on https://calderdaleheritagewalks.org.uk/summer.html

We will return to our normal ‘turn up and walk’ programme with a walk through Brynescoles Valley on Sunday 26th July. This valley separates the communities of Northowram, Coley and Hipperholme, known locally as Chelsea Valley.

Full details of this walk and the rest of our summer programme are on our website https://calderdaleheritagewalks.org.uk/summer.html

Address

Halifax

Website

http://www.calderdaleheritagewalks.org.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Calderdale Heritage Walks posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed Event/venue in Halifax?