This is a tale of a spontaneous ramblers walk through Bronte Country during a rare February heatwave. The best hangover cure ever!
Out with my soul sister, Rachel, one night enjoying a catch up over a meal and a few glasses of Malbec, Rachel tries to persuade me to join her the following day for a walk in Bronte country with her walking group. Let me set the scene, at this point I’d already drank half a bottle of wine and two cocktails and just started on a pint… talk about mixing my drinks. I also had a walk planned for the Sunday and had never done a group walk with ramblers before. So I took a lot of convincing but in the end I said yes and put down my hardly touched pint and headed home straight for bed.
A bright early start the next day I went to meet Rachel’s at hers as she was driving the 1 hour 40 to the West Yorkshire Pennines. However, that last whiskey had really left its mark on Rachel and she answered the door in her pyjamas and a blanket (face palm). There was much groaning but after a bit of a stern talking to and a change of plan in driver, I managed to get us both in Howard the van and on our way to Bronte Country. Windy and bumpy country roads made for a fun drive for poor hungover Rachey and required some expert van handling through some very tight spots (as if, I mostly get by on luck!). With the combination of running late and feeling a bit stressed after the drive I even forgot to feed the parking meter, oops. I’m sure I would have had a fine through from February by now wouldn’t I? Fingers crossed I’ve escaped a fine!
And of course, it was February and the UK had been blessed by a very unusual winter heat wave reaching around 18 degrees c. An incredibly beautiful day for a walk in the Yorkshire moors with a spot of literature thrown in.
I had been meaning to join a walk with the Merseyside Young Walkers for a long while but fearful of embarrassing myself by not being able to match pace and falling behind I kept putting it off.
My first experience was simply brilliant! Before we embarked, we all gathered in the car park and the walk leaders Emma and Anna introduced themselves and gave an introduction to the walk ahead and who was back marker. ‘Aha!’ I thought, stick with them and I’ll be fine. Everyone was so nice and really welcomed me into the fold. The group of over 30 walkers all kept good pace, we weren’t bombing it either with heads down, we took our time and chatted leisurely.
The 7-mile walk passed the Bronte Parsonage Museum and a very old and atmospheric church with aging headstones shrouded in snowdrops. The path then became sheltered by trees and carried onto the wind-swept moors of Penistone country Park to the Bronte Waterfall. Here we stopped for a quick snack (Jelly Babies!) and for our enjoyment, a short reading from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights by our wonderful guide Emma.
“Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living. You said I killed you–haunt me then. The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe–I know that ghosts have wandered the earth. Be with me always–take any form–drive me mad. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”
As we carried on through the moors, I began to relax and go at my own pace. I took some time to walk on my own, allowing myself to stop and take in the amazing scenery surrounding me and check in with my senses for a little bit of outdoor meditation.
The path then climbed up to Top Withins surrounded by stunning views. Top Withins is said to have been the house that inspired Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. I slowly ascended the hill with no pressure to move faster then was comfortable for me. Once at the top, and, surprisingly, I was not the last up the hill, we settled for lunch. Rachel and I enjoyed a good little giggle over the drunken sandwich she had made for me the night before, my tasty bribe for coming along on the walk. Which although included ingredients she just couldn’t remember if I wanted or not, happened to be the best drunken sandwich ever, albeit a little squished! We listened to Kate Bush as the sun beat down and the wind whipped up our hair. I was very tempted to kick of my boots and socks and have a good dance about Kate Bush style! By this time, the walk and the elements of the outdoors had blown away the cobwebs and fully cured Rachel of her hangover.
During the return section of the circular walk I spent much of my time walking on my own which I really enjoyed and dipped into conversations with my fellow walkers. Some seasoned veterans and some first timers like myself. I met a lovely young woman from Liverpool and enjoyed a great chat. We crossed a small river and over an interesting stile in a high wall, well high to me! I do have to note the ‘squeeze’ stiles dotted throughout this walk, I’ve never seen one before and trying to squeeze with dignity, both backpack and bum through the tight gap in the stone walls provided an amusing challenge!
The walk ended on the unspoiled Victorian main street in Howarth, it’s like something out of Harry Potter and I loved it. The group parted ways for some time to let us explore the high street which was filled with cute independent cafes, apothecaries and artsy shops spilling with handmade wares. Finally, we gathered once more for a good old pint (of soda water) in one of the many quaint and cosy pubs.
Although I’m not a lover of Wuthering Heights, preferring at the age of 17 to ditch it midway and write my book report on Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale instead, I really enjoyed the historical nature of this walk and snippets of literature. At the time I first picked up Wuthering Heights I remember thinking, ‘I don’t get why all the other women in my class are swooning over the classics such as Bronte and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice’. Maybe I’d missed the point or simply didn’t get it but I for one thought it a very poor portrayal of female role models for us young women. Thankfully I had a very good teacher, shout out to Mrs Niccol! Who after hearing why I simply could not stand to read another word about how one can simply not live happily without love, handed me a book by a feminist writer and started my literary love affair with Atwood. And my book report received top marks!
The literary aspect of the walk made for great discussion within the group about the book and its characters. I’m pleased to say that whilst the writing of Emily Bronte is rich and beautiful in its descriptions of passion and emotion, I’m not the only one who detested Heathcliff and Cathy and their toxicity. Perhaps that was the point all along? Having said all that, the walk reminded me of some bits that I did enjoy, it’s hard not to appreciate the poetic language of Bronte.
Here are a few of my favourite quotes from the book. And another photo of those incredible Literary Landscape sandstone book sculptures by Martin Heron because I’m simply in love.
“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees.”
“Whatever our souls are made out of, his and mine are the same.”
“I wish I were a girl again, half-savage and hardy, and free.”
I’m very much looking forward to my next walk with the Merseyside Young Walkers and would recommend joining to anyone, although I think i’m pushing their age restriction! I’ve added a link to their Facebook page below for you to check out yourself if you’re interested. Their website, also linked below, includes a walk schedule and each walk is graded with a difficulty level. You’ll also find a mini bus service is optional on some walks if you don’t drive. I think you get the first or first few walks free with the group to see if you like it and then you can join and become a member for a small fee, the guys who handle any new members and inquiries are very nice and very welcoming. Maybe i’ll see you on one of their future walks?! And of course I must say a big thank you to Rachel and the Merseyside Young Walkers for a fantastic day!
In case you fancy taking a walk in Bronte country yourself, I’ve also added a few handy links below to routes similar to the one we took.
Happy Wandering x
Handy Links
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fillyaboots/
http://www.fillyaboots.org.uk/#/index
http://www.bronte-country.com/walking.html
https://www.walkingenglishman.com/westyorkshire04.htm
UP NEXT- Llyn Padarn Circular Walk
LISTENING TO: Running Up That Hill, Kate Bush (sorry Wuthering Heights!)
A Little Wilder 
This is one of my favourite walking areas in England. While I was there, the purple heathers were in bloom which made it so much more special. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you for your lovely comment. I definitely need more trips to Yorkshire after that beautiful walk!
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