Aroundtown Magazine May June 2023 edition

OUT & ABOUT
Double delights
A walk around two Bradfields and two reservoirs
A delightful moderate walk of
just over eight miles taking in
the villages of Low and High
Bradfield, and then across
open countryside to Agden and
Dale Dike reservoirs before
returning through woods and
along country lanes back to Low
Bradfield.
Start point: ‘The Sands’ free car park,
Low Bradfield (S6 6LA). Public toilets
are nearby.
Start by going through a gap in the wall and
turning right to follow a narrow path that goes
along a stream. Ignore the first footbridge on the
right and continue until a second one.
Cross it and continue up steps and up a
path to the lane. Cross the lane and take the
signposted footpath through a gate and uphill
across fields until you reach the church in High
Bradfield, St Nicholas, dating from the 1480s.
Go up a few steps on the left alongside the
churchyard. Follow the path and turn left at the
end to reach the main church gate. Go through
it and continue in front of the church then turn
right past the church tower, then left through the
cemetery to its end.
Go through the gate and straight across
onto the narrow path that goes through the
trees and eventually down through a gate onto
a walled path. Follow this to the left until you see
a gate ahead. Just before this turn right then
immediately left through an open gateway.
Turn right to go steeply uphill for a short while
until you reach a level grassy path to the left.
Follow this until you reach a ladder stile on your
left. Go over it and turn right to continue on a field
path and through a disused gateway onto more
open field paths until you reach the ruined farm
buildings of Rocher Head. This is a good place
for your coffee stop!
Go past these ruins and ahead is a gate and
stile. Go over the stile and follow the path (usually
quite wet as near a stream) to another gate. Go
through it and continue until you reach the lane.
Turn left along the lane and then after another
25m turn right down another lane until you see a
gate on your left. Go through this and a second
gate and follow a path bearing left along a wall
on your left.
Follow this path downhill until you reach
Agden Reservoir. Turn right and follow the path
along the reservoir over a stone bridge. Continue
uphill slightly until you reach some birdfeeders on
your right.
At this point before the stone bridge, bear
right off the track to enter Windy Bank Wood.
Follow the path as it turns left over a bridge and
up to a lane. Turn left and after about 100m, turn
right up a farm bridlepath until you reach a high
stile on your right. Go over this and follow the
path along the ridge across fields until it meets
a gate.
Go left through another gate and follow the
path downhill to a lane, Dale Rd. Turn right soon
turning left at the entrance to Dale Dike Reservoir
and continue on around it to a footbridge at the
far end of the reservoir.
Dale Dike was the scene of the Great
Sheffield Flood in 1864 just weeks after the
reservoir had opened. It caused devastation
along the Don Valley through the centre of
Sheffield and resulted in the loss of over 250
lives. It was rebuilt in 1875.
Continue ahead and round the other side of
the reservoir. Eventually, at a fingerpost, turn right
over a wall stile, and uphill into a wood, turning
left at the next path up to Blindside Lane. Turn
left here and keep ahead as the road descends
steadily to Annet bridge. Just before the bridge,
take a path over a stile and continue across fields
passing cottages, until you reach Mill Lee Road.
Turn left downhill back into Low Bradfield. Keep
ahead past the bridge on the right and turn right
into the car park.
Refreshments are available in Low Bradfield
at The Plough pub, The Schoolrooms cafe, and
snacks in the Post Office. Also the Old Horns pub
in High Bradfield.
Walk submitted by Beryl Faries of
Rotherham Metro Ramblers. For
more information on their walks and
membership, see
www.ramblers.org.uk/
rotherham-metro.
New members are very welcome. Come
along and try a walk with our friendly
group.
38 aroundtownmagazine.co.uk