Hewenden Viaduct (3)

The objective of our walk was Hewenden Viaduct, which you see from roads in the area but which I'd never seen up close. It's an impressive stone structure, built between 1881 and 1884, with 17 huge arches. Its foundations had to be half as deep (62.5 feet) as the height of the bridge (124 feet) because of the soft shales and clays it is built upon. The viaduct was part of the Great Northern Railway, linking the industrial towns of Keighley, Bradford and Halifax. The railway closed in 1963 but the route is now being re-opened in stages as a cycle trail.

Our walk wasn't intended to take us across it but, encountering a herd of cows and bulls in a field, we decided to take the safer option of a shortcut along the viaduct! It actually proved very interesting, with scenic views over the parapet.

The reservoir, seen below, was there before the railway. It provided a water supply for the nearby City of Bradford. The city Corporation objected to the railway's originally planned route, fearing it would pollute the water. The revised route necessitated building the huge viaduct.

Walking with friends (2)

Part of our walk around Cullingworth (see also yesterday) took us along the Millennium Way, through Goitstock Woods and past Goitstock Falls. I described this on a walk last year (see here). Despite our spring having been very dry, there was still plenty of water going over the falls, which I think are rather pretty with those three separate cascades.

A little further upstream, the beck (stream) is dammed. At one time this provided water power for a cotton mill. The mill is now converted into residences and the mill dam has become a garden pond, full of waterlilies.

Wildflowers are out in profusion, among them a few orchids. I'm not good at identifying them but I think this is a Common Spotted Orchid - not rare but still good to see.

Senior Way (1)

I recently took a walk with some friends around the nearby village of Cullingworth. The first part of it followed a footpath signposted Senior Way. The name is not, as might be expected, because it is aimed a senior citizens (such as me!) It is named after the late Ron Senior, a local man who helped to get the walk recognised and signposted.

I always love this valley. It's so lush and green; you could be miles from civilisation although it is not at all remote. My eagle-eyed friend spotted a heron skulking in the grasses. Harden Beck runs along the valley bottom and it tends to be a bit marshy in some parts; fertile territory for a heron looking for frogs, I guess.