8. Saturday 21st March 2020 High Gate Farm


My  next  choice  was  to  visit  some  old  haunts  around  Hebden  Bridge  notably  the  off  license  at  High  Gate  Farm  where  we'd  been  served  booze  despite  being  only  fifteen  and  fourteen  at  the  time. Boris  Johnson  had  shut  the  pubs  down  the  night  before  but  hadn't  clarified  the  extent  of  the  new  lockdown  rules  yet  so  I  took  the  gamble  that  it  would  still  be  open.

Gregg's  at  Ramsbottom   was  still  open  and  Simon  wanted  a  coffee  when  I  stopped  for  petrol  so  I  bought  one  there. We  then  moved  on  via  Todmorden  to  Eastwood  where  after  some  trial  and  error  I found  a  parking  space near  to  where  the  Pennine  Way  crosses. The  little  playpark  there  was  looking  a  bit  neglected  as  Simon  observed. He  hadn't  quite  finished  his  coffee  so  I  took  it  with  us  on  the  first  stage.



The  first  part  was  just  as  steep  as  I  remembered. I  had  imagined  that  the  little  graveyard   passed  on  the   Way  would  now  be  so  overgrown  it  could  almost  pass  unnoticed. However  it  now  looked  very  tidy  and  there  was  a  guy  mowing  the  lawn. We  stopped  for  a  chat  and  he  said  he'd  made  it  his  mission  to  look  after  the  yard  since  he  retired. Just  after  we  left  him  Simon  stopped  for  a  pee.



We  moved  on, trailed  for  a  bit  by  a  greyhound.  I  cut  my  hand  slightly  on  a  stile  which  bothered  Simon. We  had  a  stop  by  Hebble  Hole  Bridge  and  then  moved  on  to  our  objective. High  Gate  Farm  was  open  and  looked  much  the  same  as  ever  although  I  couldn't  find  any  Woodpecker  on  sale. We  bought  some  stuff  for  lunch, some  plasters  and  a  Mothers  Day  card.
A  couple  had  beaten  us  to  the  picnic  table  but  invited  us  to  share  it. It  was  a  nice  day  but  a  bit  too  windy.




We  moved  onto  the  edge  of  Heptonstall  Moor  then  turned  right  for  Slack, the  only  part  of  the  walk  that  was  new  to  me. We  then  picked  up  the  Calderdale  Way  through  Eaves  Wood  and  on  into  Heptonstall,  noting  some  new  housing  on  the  approach. We  looked  round  the  church  and  allowed  a  guy  to  show  us  David  Hartley's  grave. I  noted  the  supermarket  had  now  closed.




We  took  the  Buttress  down  into  Hebden  Bridge. It  was  quite  busy  and  though  the  Shoulder  of  Mutton was  closed  people  were  using  the  outdoor  seating. We  went  into  a  shop  and  bought  a  Mother's  Day  present  then  caught  the  bus  back  to  where  we'd  parked. We  over-shot  it  a  bit  and  had  to  walk  back.
 

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