Sunday, 25 January 2026

Pennine Way/Kirklees Way: Wessenden Head to Marsden

 4.5 miles, 1.5 hours (downhill to Marsden) 4.5 miles, 2 hours (uphill to Wessenden Head)



For those who have reached the high-altitude junction of the A635 and Wessenden Head Road, the return to civilisation via the Kirklees Way offers a more nuanced, intimate encounter with the South Pennines than the high-octane Pennine Way. This stretch, roughly five miles of steady descent, swaps the brutal gritstone plateaux for a gentle valley masterclass. It is a journey through a "staircase" of water, where the industrial heritage of the Colne Valley meets the wild, unkempt beauty of the Marsden Moor Estate.


The walk begins on the eastern side of the valley, initially sharing the wide, stony track of the Wessenden Valley road. The terrain here is delightfully "standard class"—a firm, manageable surface that allows you to lift your eyes from your boots and soak in the views. As you pass Wessenden Head Reservoir, the first of four, look out for the "Framing the Landscape" installation. This giant metal picture frame, designed by local artist Ashley Jackson, perfectly captures the brooding, cinematic sweep of the valley, ensuring even the most amateur photographer leaves with a masterpiece.

As you descend further, the path hugs the shoreline of Wessenden Reservoir. Keep a sharp eye on the cloughs—the narrow, steep-sided ravines—that feed into the valley; Blakeley Clough features a charming waterfall that provides a refreshing soundtrack to your trek. The terrain remains largely hospitable, though the Kirklees Way occasionally tests your resolve with uneven, muddy patches where the moorland tries to reclaim the path. The transition from the high, bleak peat to the encroaching bracken and hardy grasses signals your gradual return to the shelter of the lower valley.

The visual crescendo of the walk arrives at Butterley Reservoir. Here, you’ll encounter the Butterley Spillway, a spectacular piece of Victorian engineering. This Grade II-listed masonry overflow, with its elegant curves designed to handle the ferocious Pennine run-off, is the only one of its kind in the country. It serves as a stark reminder that this "wild" landscape was meticulously tamed to quench the thirst of the textile mills that once hummed in the valley below.


The final leg into Marsden is a gentle transition from moor to mill town. After descending the 210 stone steps beside the Butterley dam, the path meanders past the old cricket ground and under the railway bridge, depositing you directly into the heart of the village. Your journey concludes at Marsden railway station, a Victorian gem perched above the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. After five miles of Pennine air, the sight of the station—and perhaps the promise of a pint at the Riverhead Brewery Tap nearby—is the perfect "arrival gate" for any weary traveller.


As a rule of thumb, and especially because of the restricted bus service to Wessenden Head, we recommend parking where you intend to end the walk and then catching the bus to the start. This allows you to take your time on the walk, without having to worry about possibly missing the last bus.

If you're travelling without a car, then start the walk from Wessenden Head, so that you can take your time getting to Marsden, safe in the knowledge that trains and buses from there run late into the evening.



If you're just getting the bus between the start and end points, or if you're travelling in from elsewhere in Greater Manchester, then you'll be connecting with the 352/357 Wessenden Head services at Greenfield Railway Station. From there the Bee Network 184 bus runs over the hills to Marsden.



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Pennine Way/Kirklees Way: Wessenden Head to Marsden

  4.5 miles, 1.5 hours (downhill to Marsden) 4.5 miles, 2 hours (uphill to Wessenden Head) For those who have reached the high-altitude jun...