Enjoy a late summer ramble around Denby Dale

If you want to make the most of the weather this weekend why not try this 10.5-mile route which wanders through a pastoral landscape, WRITES CAROLINE SPALDING

It’s perfect if you are trying to extend your walks because despite its length, it is very easy and almost completely flat.

There are, however, a huge number of stiles along the way, especially at the start.

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It begins from the village of Upper Denby, South East of Huddersfield; HD8 8UN, GR SE 226 071 [you’ll need OL1 Explorer Map] which originated as a Danish Settlement in the 9th century.

We congregated at the church which was re-built in 1845; the original one, dating back to the early 1600s saved the villagers from the difficult and sometimes dangerous trip across the moorland to the neighbouring larger settlement of Penistone.

We walked away from the church bearing north-east along the road to meet Upper House Fold and the path that continues beside the cricket grounds and then across flat fields, crossing stone walls and stiles until meeting a gravelled path where you turn left onto a path with an apparently recent treatment of bark.

Follow the field edge, keep hopping the stiles; it is straightforward.

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Some way-markers show this as the Denby Dale Round Walk. Meeting a driveway, turn right then left, continue to another driveway where you turn left to walk up to the main road.

Cross the road, turn left, before a right turn next to the bus stop.

Cross the stile beside the gate marked Old Pump House.

Continue for some time along the easy track; at the very end, another stile into a field which you cross diagonally bearing left.

The sheep, busy grazing, paid us little heed as we passed; aiming towards the windmills up ahead on the hillside.

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We passed through a gate following the property boundary [marked as Broadstone Lodge on the map] then left away from the buildings, a stile onto a lane, where we turned left, joining the Barnsley Boundary Walk towards Ingbirchworth Reservoir.

We paused for a while to enjoy the wildflowers that bloomed right next to the water, but soon enough continued along the tarmac lane, turning away from the water [still the Barnsley BW].

Turn left at the way marker indicating a bridleway, continue until a right turn just beside the campsite.

After the path dips and re-climbs, pass through the way marker and gate on the right. We followed the periphery of Royd Moor reservoir anti-clockwise [an optional element of the walk] before passing a gate to gently climb up the field towards another gate, and kept ascending until the top.

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We sheltered from the powerful wind in the stone circle for some lunch here.

This is a purpose-built viewing platform with an information board about the local history.

Any other day I would have taken more time to appreciate the views; today however the wind was trying to knock me off my balance; and it succeeded in whipping the hat from my head!

Beyond the stone circle, descend bearing left along the road.

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Turn left at the second footpath way marker, along the lane towards a house.

Bear right at the top, then left to join the Trans-Pennine Trail, before a right turn takes you down a path with many a blackberry and bilberry to pick as you pass.

The bridleway approaches houses [Westfield Avenue], go left at the junction, right at the footpath way-marker; cross a field and through a wall into a garden to meet Kensington Avenue.

Turn left then immediate right at the road junction; and again, left towards the Emley Moor Mast.

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The path continues, peel off left at a gate and stile. Trace the field edge, then right over a wall as the reservoir comes into view.

We went clockwise around Scout Dike Reservoir and glimpsed many trout leaping from the water; a popular spot for fishing.

Turning right across a footbridge, we looped around until a left turn next to a green metal fence led us up a few steps to the main road.

Right at the road, before a left turn returns you to the start via the Trans-Pennine Trail.

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