Spen Way Heritage Trail
A 21-mile long-distance path in West Yorkshire exploring the history of the old textile manufacturing area, visiting Cleckheaton, Scholes, East Bierley, and Gomersal. With map, statistics, and GPX route file.
Statistics and Files
Grid Ref: SE 199 246
Distance: 21 miles (34 km)
Time: 8–10 hours
Duration: 1–2 days
Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000):
288 Bradford, Huddersfield and East Calderdale
Summary
The Spen Way Heritage Trail is a long-distance footpath comprising a circuit and valley path in the former borough of Spenborough along the River Spen, a tributary of the River Calder. The way explores the history of the old textile manufacturing area, visiting Scholes, East Bierley, and Gomersal through a varied mixture of urban areas, parkland, and farmland.
It was created by the Cleckheaton and District Rotary Club in 2000 as a Millennium project. Starting at Rawfolds Park, it passes through the surrounding villages of Roberttown, Hartshead, Clifton, Scholes, Oakenshaw, Hunsworth, Birkenshaw, and Gomersal. It highlights the architectural and cultural legacy of the woollen trade and the later Industrial Revolution, including fine yeomen’s houses, churches, pubs, Luddite and Quaker sites, and Charlotte Brontë’s friends’ houses, which later featured in her novels.