Slaithwaite Trail

The town of Slaithwaite is located in the Colne Valley, and probably has one of most mispronounced place names in Yorkshire. The town’s name is derived from the Old Norse for “timber-fell clearing”, and despite the spelling, it is pronounced “Slah-wit”. Briefly boasting a spa from the early nineteenth century, the town – like some many in the West Riding – flourished during the Industrial Revolution and still has several surviving former mill buildings, particularly around the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Slaithwaite Trail Google Map

Slaithwaite Railway Station was originally opened in 1849 by the London and North Western Railway, and closed in 1968; the current station, a simple staggered two-platform affair without modern waiting shelters but no other buildings, opened in 1982. The eastbound platform of the current station is on the site of the original, four-platform station, whilst the westbound platform occupies the site of a goods yard. From the station, we walk downhill along Crimble Bank, and at the junction with Station Road turn right. Turn left along Lewisham Road, then right along an alleyway between houses to reach Carr Lane. Turn left and follow the road past a former bank (now café), passing the imposing Globe Mill on the right. Bear right just past the bank and cross the bridge over Pickle Lock No. 22E to gain the towpath of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Turn left and follow the towpath to Waterside Lock No. 21E. To the left, on the opposite side of the canal, the Grade II-listed chimney of Platt Mill towers over the waterway. Leave the canal at Waterside Bridge No. 42 immediately below the lock, and turn right along Platt Lane, which promptly ends at Bridge Street. Turn right and the left along a signed public footpath, crossing the bridge over the River Colne to enter Slaithwaite Spa Park. Take a detour to the left to explore the park, otherwise walk straight ahead up steps and then turn right along a path that runs through trees to exit the park on Manchester Road.

Turn right and follow the road, looking out for the former Wesleyan Chapel on the left. The chapel is Grade II-listed and dates from 1839. When the junction with Hollins Row appears on the left, take a short detour along this to see the Providence Baptist Chapel (also Grade II-listed, dating from 1816, and enlarged in 1886), then return to Manchester Road.

Providence Baptist Chapel.

Continue along the road, and just after passing the Star public house on the right, turn right down steps to reach Kitchen Fold. Turn left and follow the road (now Kim Hill) across the bridge over Bradley Brook to reach Britannia Road, then turn right, passing Britannia Mills on the right, the chimney of which, like that of Platt Mill, is Grade II-listed.

Follow Britannia Road to Britannia Road Bridge No. 44, which carries the road over the canal. Across the canal on the right, the Commercial public house can be seen. Do not cross the bridge, but turn left along the towpath and follow it to Slaithwaite Bridge No. 44A. Take a detour over the bridge to the Grade II-listed Shoulder of Mutton directly opposite and the former Free School (which is marked by a blue plaque) along Old Bank to the left. Otherwise, continue along the towpath, soon passing Old Bank Bridge No. 45, immediately followed by Dartmouth Lock No. 23E. Proceed along the towpath, next passing Upper Mills on the left, then on reaching Upper Mill Bridge No. 47 turn right and cross this to reach Howgate Road.

Turn right and follow the road until it ends at Nabbs Lane, then turn right. Follow the lane until it ends at Bank Gate, just before which the Silent Woman public house can be seen on the left. Directly opposite the Church of St. James can be seen. This is the third Grade II-listed church on the walk and dates from 1796. Turn left and follow Bank Gate uphill, passing under the railway bridge and soon passing Bank Gate Mill on the left. This mill is another Grade II-listed building, but lacks a prominent chimney. Just before Bank Gate ends at a crossroads, turn left along a signed public footpath to reach the dam wall of Hill Top Reservoir, which was built from 1795 to 1799 by canal engineer Benjamin Outram to supply water to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Cross the bridge over the overflow but do not cross the dam wall; instead turn right and follow a path along the edge of the reservoir.

Hill Top Reservoir.

After passing the end of the reservoir, turn right and follow a path uphill through trees to Clough House Lane. Turn right and immediately left along Heys Lane and follow this uphill as it eventually bends right to reach the hamlet of Sunnydale. Follow the lane as it turns right, becoming Tiding Field Lane, and when this curves to the left, turn right and follow a waymarked public footpath over a wooden stile. Follow the path straight ahead across the edge of one field and the middle of another. At the end of the second field, climb over another stile, then turn left and follow a path along the field edge. At the top of the field, turn right and follow the Colne Valley Circular Walk past houses and then between two fields to Meal Hill Lane, from which panoramic views of Slaithwaite can be seen.

Turn left along Meal Hill Lane, then immediately right along a signed public footpath that runs slightly left across a field to a belt of trees by a house. Follow the waymarked path over a wooden ladder stile, then turn right across the drive to the house and proceed along the footpath as it runs past the edge of the trees to another house. Continue past this, soon after which the path turns right and runs downhill past farm buildings on the left, before turning right and running downhill past another belt of trees to end at a drive. Here, turn right and follow it until ends at Surat Road, then turn right again.

On reaching a group of houses, turn left along a signed public footpath and carefully follow the treacherous and overgrown path downhill through woods, before descending through a meadow to a wooden stile. Climb over the stile and continue along the edge of a field, then on reaching another stile climb over this and follow a short path between houses to end at Brook Side. Turn left and follow the lane as it becomes Rock Lane. Near the end of the lane, turn right over a bridge that crosses a stream and ascend steps at the other side to reach Crimble Clough Road. Continue straight ahead up the hill, then right along a signed footpath.

When the footpath reaches Wood End Cottage, follow it to the right and then left around buildings and continue straight on through scrubland, eventually reaching a row of houses. Walk past these to New North Road, then turn right and follow it to a crossroads. Turn right again along Radcliffe Road, then left along Carr Lane. Follow this as it curves left, passing the currently closed Swan public house on the right. Follow Carr Lane under a railway viaduct and then continue to follow it, soon passing Slaithwaite Town Hall on the left. Just past this, Slaithwaite Methodist Church is located on the right. Continue along the road, then just before the junction with Stable Court on the right, turn right and follow a steep path uphill to Station Road. Finally, turn left to return to the railway station.

With our tour of Slaithwaite complete, we now board the train once more, for a trip a little further down the line, to the village of Marsden – and one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways…