A photo trip to Hebden Bridge.

 Wednesday 22nd March 2023.

On this sunny day Sheila decided we should have a train trip to Hebden Bridge. It's not far from us, just half an hours journey. Hebden Bridge is now a quirky market town in the Calder Valley. It grew up as a town due to it's involvement in wool weaving. It's steep sided position giving plenty of access to fast flowing water which provided power.

During the 15th and 16th centuries this area made more millionaires than the rest of the world combined. Their legacies and buildings can still be found today.

The Rochdale canal, opened in 1804 passes through Hebden as well as the Rivers Hebden and Calder. The canal being the major transport for wool until the  Manchester to Leeds railway was built and opened in 1841.

Designer Lucy Casson's cast iron horse bench can be found on the canal towpath. Located in 2013 it represents the horses that once pulled the narrow boats. The seating is made from the same wood as the Black Pit Lock Gates.

The tourist street runs parallel to the River Hebden and is prone to flooding after heavy rain.

This weir on the Hebden is located next to an Archimedes screw turbine and a water wheel. I didn't photograph it as there was a picnic table sited over the grating. It was built in 2013 after the bad floods of 2012. It provides power for the attached building.

Looking North from the ancient pack horse bridge.

This is the "Ancient" pack horse bridge. It replaced an old wooden bridge. This one was built in 1510. The current bridge has been repaired a number of times and was the pack horse route between Halifax and Burnley. The pack horse section between Hebden and Heptonstall is called the Buttress. It is still a cobbled path and opens up great views of the town.

Start of the Buttress route.

The camera tells lies. It was much steeper than it looks.

I had to clean out this OS Bench Mark but it does not exist in the OS benchmark data sheets. It is shown on the 1894 map of the area. 

View of the town-1

View of the town-2

Part of the steep staircase from Heptonstall down to Hebden.

Back on the Rochdale Canal.

The narrow boat dry dock. (cannot be used very often).