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Birley Edge & Wharncliffe Wood

South Yorkshire Walk

County/Area - South Yorkshire - Sheffield

Author - Andy Chaplin

Length - 9.4 miles / 15.3 km    Ascent - 1100 feet / 333 metres

Time - 5 hours 50 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Birley Edge & Wharncliffe Wood
Click image to visit gallery of 3 images.

This walk covers some of the paths through the Greno and Wharncliffe Woods to the north west of Sheffield as well as part of the Sheffield Country Walk (SCW). The woods are very popular for walkers and bike riders so the car park can get busy. There are also sections along ridges and by the river Don - so it is not all trees.

Starting at grid ref. SK325950 take the SCW south on the west of the Woodhead Road. The way marking is not great and given that it is a popular location there are a lot paths. As you walk through the trees, keep a small open area to your left to start with, cross between two sections of trees then keep open fields on your left again as you go between Wheata Wood and Prior Royd.

By the time you get to the end of Prior Royd and turn right, still on the SCW, you will have left many of the other walkers behind. Above Hunter House Farm you turn left to walk along Birley Edge. When you cross Oughtibridge Lane you are at the "Cote d'Oughtibridge" - part of the Grand Depart in the Tour de France. Across the road is the Birley Stone orientation marker and great views of north Sheffield and the Don valley.

When you come onto Edge Lane angle down to Midhurst Road, turn left then go off right on the path that is called Dickey Lane. This is still the SCW and it makes its way down to Underhill Lane through the remnants of the Claywheels Lane industrial area - not the most scenic part of the route. Keep on to Underhill Farm then cross fields and the old Woodhead railway to come down onto Beeley Wood Lane at Rocher Bridge.

Go around to the right of the factory then follow the track in Beeley Wood along the river Don to Oughtibridge. For a semi-urban section of river, it is very tranquil and it makes for an easy and pleasant walk into Oughtibridge. The park which you come out opposite makes for a good place to stop - as would some of the pubs in the village. Otherwise, carry on up Oughtibridge Lane, over the railway then immediately left on an old path that was probably an access path to the old station.

Another un-scenic section takes you around the back of the Intermet Refractory Products site before you come to the entrance to Wharncliffe Wood. Take the Mouse Park Gate track - signed as Cycle Route 67 - until it bears of right at a section of open ground. Carry on north west on the Old Yew Gate track (with the open ground to your right) and keep going straight on until you reach a stile at SK306950.

Go past the aerial then turn right, away from Wharncliffe Cottage in front of you, and follow the moors track as it heads towards the farm at The Hollow. The most obvious track turns gradually northwards then west of north before reaching a track that runs east to west. Follow this westward towards Stanfield Ash farm. There are some great views up here above Wharncliffe Crags.

When you come to a stone wall follow it northwards to a gate onto the Woodhead road opposite Stancliffe House Farm. Walk south east down the road until you come to Toll Bar House then take the track down through the trees to an open area. Turn right here on another track heading south east towards Woodseats Farm. Again, at the edge of the wood you will come across markers for the SCW heading uphill and south west back towards the Woodhead Road and the parking. If in doubt, see where all the other walkers and bikers are heading.

Other walks nearby

Walk 3439 High Bradfield from Glen Howemoderate8.3 miles
Walk 2728 Wadsley and Loxley Commons, Sheffieldeasy/mod7.9 miles
Walk 3436 Hillsborough to Bradfield & Loxley Valleymoderate12.6 miles
Walk 1545 Wortley circular including Wharncliffe Crags easy/mod8.1 miles
Walk 1582 More Hall Reservoireasy3.4 miles
Walk 3330 Rivelin Valley from Malin Bridge easy/mod9.7 miles
Walk 1579 Damflask Reservoireasy3.5 miles
Walk 1285 Dungworth & Rod Moormoderate9.4 miles
Walk 1577 Low Bradwell & Agden Reservoireasy3.5 miles
Walk 1754 Agden Reservoir Circulareasy/mod4.8 miles

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