May Weekend Hebden Bridge

Once again the team of Margaret and Deborah have pulled off a star turn with a memorable three days of walking from Hebden Bridge. This was a truly splendid weekend. The sun shone and Yorkshire was able to show itself off at its best. There was a wonderful mix of ghosts, industrial history and natural phenomena.
20 of us met on Friday evening and we walked up to Heptonstall. This was a significant small town in the 16th Century and the centre had retained old houses, inns etc. It was occupied by Oliver Cromwell in the Civil War when attacking King Charles who was occupying nearby Halifax. More recent residents included Ted Hughes and he brought Sylvia Plath's body back for burial in the graveyard.
Saturday was the major walk with challenging ups and downs over astoundingly beautiful countryside with lunch at Gibson Mill. The area retained much evidence of its industrial past with old mills and their attached large chimneys. Many of the mils have been turned into dwelling places of great charm but it is a sobering thought when one reflects on the pollution and misery that was inflicted on the 19th century worker. Many of the rocks and older buildings were covered in black and we weren't sure if this was a reflection of pollution or the type of rock.
Sunday's walk involved another steep climb to Stoodley Pike which has a peace memorial built after the Napoleonic Wars.