Barnsley Boundary Walk

A couple of weeks ago I did the Barnsley Boundary Walk, about 73 miles in 6 days. The rural views were beautiful, and many people would just not believe just how pretty the countryside around our town is, on all sides.

As an example, one of these photos is on the magnificent Yorkshire Wolds Way near Huggate, the other is on the Barnsley Boundary Walk near Grimethorpe. Apart from @JamDrop, who has an unfair advantage, can anyone say which photo is which?

 

I should know this. I'm going to guess the first is near grimethorpe? Looking towards the brierley direction? But that's purely a guess

 

I'm not going to give the answer yet, but suffice to say that neither of the photos are looking in the Brierley direction...

 

The bottom one is classic chalk wolds, so it's the top one.
Some of the views round Gunthwaite are stunning.

 

That top one is typical of anywhere around Barnsley. Could have been taken at Ardsley, Darfield, Worsbrough, Hoyland, Dodworth, Silkstone, Cawthorne, Staincross or Royston.

 

Just to add to this, we started and finished the walk at Cawthorne. The route was as follows, but for most of the places it only skirts the villages:-
Day 1: Cawthorne, High Hoyland, Bretton Park, Woolley Edge, Notton, Royston, Shafton.
Day 2: Shafton, Brierley, Grimethorpe, Clayton, Thurnscoe, Goldthorpe.
Day 3: Goldthorpe, Bolton, Broomhill, Brampton, Hemmingfield, Elsecar, Tankersley.
Day 4: Tankersley, Howbrook, Wharncliffe Woods, Wharncliffe Crags, Finkle Street, Hunshelf Bank, Underbank Res.
Day 5: Underbank Res, Langsett, Dog and Partridge, Woodhead Pass, Dunford Bridge, Winscar Res, Hepworth.
Day 6: Hepworth, Ingbirchworth, Upper Denby, Gunthwaite, Cannon Hall, Cawthorne, Spencer Arms, Curry Mahal.
Couldn't recommend it enough!

 

Had my first trips to those last two destinations recently, thoroughly enjoyed

 

Cant give an answer, but my Grandfather's family were farmers in Huggate and Bishop Wilton in the 19th c....so gerroffa my land.

 

followed your route on an old (not metric!) O S Map. Passes the Barnsley Sign in the wilds of Woodhead many times - now I know why it's there!

Does the route not take in Wentworth Village - always thought it was part of Barnsley?

By chance found my way from Pilley to Hood Green (via Crane Moor) recently - beautiful countryside round there.

Well done.

 

Right, as many of you correctly spotted, the first picture is Grimethorpe. It's taken from the end of Burntwood Road, just past its junction with Ladywood Road. It's looking in the direction of South Kirkby, which is not visible as it's over the hill. Like wot I am.

 

Wentworth is Rotherham I think or maybe Sheffield, it's right where all three meet.

 

I think you're right - Wentworth House and park were taken over by Rotherham Council at one time.

 

Thank you!

Wentworth is actually in Rotherham, but it has a Barnsley dialling code which is why many people think it's in Barnsley. It's just outside the Barnsley boundary.

Up on the moors the route deviates substantially from the actual physical boundary, which goes up from Langsett onto the watershed known as Howden Edge, then drops down to the Woodhead Road at the sign you mentioned. It then continues up again, over the old Woodhead tunnel and across open moors with no path. It's a hard full day walk with difficult navigation and in bad weather it would be dangerous. I wanted to do it, but my 26 year old walking companion chickened out.

The "official" boundary route goes past the Dog and Partridge pub then climbs the old snow road onto the moors at the highest point of the Woodhead road, then cuts across the open moor to Dunford Bridge at the sailing club.

And as you say, the countryside surrounding our town is beautiful.

 

did you camp or stay in pubs etc?

 

I came to this too late but the photo of Grimey made me all nostalgic. Before I even read your post I’d looked at the pic and recognised it straight away.

 

I also did the Boundray last year, used 2 cars and approx 11 miles at a time. you are spot on about the views, my missus got fed up of me waxin on about how beautiful some of the areas around us are but must admit after many years in the Dales /Moors and Peaks I was amazed at whats on the doorstep, especially the Grimethorpe section..
(No insult intended) as all I knew of the area was taking mi Dad to the pit..

 

As it was close to home we just went home each night. We used 2 cars, leaving one at the end point each day, then driving to the start point. It was a very cheap walking holiday!

 

I knew you'd recognise it, hence my decision to mention you in my original post

 

I'm doing the Boundary Walk atm. I've done 6 of the 12 sections, starting at Ingbirchworth and have reached Elsecar so far. If time permits I should finish it off this month. Beautiful countryside, although not always easy to keep to the old paths due to new housing development etc.