Yorkshire Divide

Welcome to a new circular trail that connects bridleways and quiet lanes along moors and valleys shaped by three rivers. We’ve called it the Headwaters Trail as the 350km circular route takes you to the ‘head of the waters’ - the source - of the River Calder, the River Aire and the River Don high up on the Pennine moors or what locals call ‘the tops’. The route has 5,200 meters of climbing. The trail takes you from Hebden Bridge, along the canal towpath up through the oak woodland on the steep valley slopes and north onto superb moorland trails on plateaus of millstone grit. We climb up onto limestone ridges to arrive at Malham Tarn and onto Mastiles Lane and then south along ancient packhorse lanes to arrive in Skipton. Our first campsite is on a farm a few miles outside Skipton and you can eat and rest up here or press on to find a bivy spot further along the trail. The Headwaters Trail is not all moorland and Pennine hills as the route uses the towpath for a long easy ride on the Leeds - Liverpool canal, past the spectacular Five Rise Locks at Bingley and onto the docks in Leeds city center. From here we travel south following the thick blue watery vein that is the River Aire along many miles of flat cycle paths to arrive at Castleford and then on through woods, fields, the edges of modern industrial estates to arrive at a World Heritage Site that celebrates our mining heritage at Elsecar. Turning west we head to the gem that is Wharncliffe Woods with its fast flowing gravel tracks as good as any trail center and onto a reclaimed railway line to Penistone. Here there are excellent cafes and pubs to sample or press on a few more miles to our second campsite on a farm outside Shepley with its grass field for your tent and cosy barn to enjoy a much needed artisan pizza. We are now at the edge of the Peak District and we make a line due north on lanes and tracks the highlight being the long flowing descent down Wessenden Valley and into Marsden. The finish line at Mytholmroyd is a few hours ride away and here pie and peas are waiting for you on Monday. You don’t have to hurry though as we’ll wait till everyone returns.