The Penistone Line Partnership has published new station-to-station walking guides to encourage visitors to explore what the Penistone Line has to offer.
The Penistone Line runs from the textile town of Huddersfield, through rolling countryside, quaint villages and over viaducts, into the industrial areas to Sheffield, the city of steel.
In 2003, the Penistone Line Partnership (PLP) published ‘The Penistone Line Trail – a station to station walk between Sheffield and Huddersfield’, a 44-page booklet which included a foreword by broadcaster Alan Whitehouse, a history of the Penistone Line and information on the area of the trail.
Now, 20 years on and thanks to funding from CrossCountry and Community Rail Network, the station-to-station guides have been reproduced. There are trails to suit people of all ages and abilities – the walks vary between 1.5 miles between Shepley and Stocksmoor, to just over 6 miles between Penistone and Denby Dale.
Sarah Wells, Community Rail Support Officer at the Penistone Line Partnership, hopes that now the walks are available digitally on PLP’s website, online viewers may be tempted to explore what is on the doorstep of the Penistone Line.
Sarah said: “Looking at the map information on each guide, you are invited to discover places you may have never known about! Walks near Sheffield, Meadowhall and Barnsley are full of social history, disused railway structures, industrial history and heritage.
“Urban trails take you near otherwise hidden stretches of canal and river to discover industrial waterways. It is also a bonus to plan a route to end near a local pub, such as the Honley to Berry Brow trail where you can take in the views of Castle Hill and then enjoy real ales, good food and live music at the Railway public house, a few minutes’ walk from the station.
“Now that the trails have been digitally produced, we can periodically update each guide when changes occur to keep the information up to date. Helping research and gather information for these guides were many volunteers, too numerous to mention individually, but it would not have been possible without everyone involved, so thank you very much!”
Each station along the Penistone Line will have an artboard or poster with a QR code link to view or download the trails. PLP are also hoping to produce and distribute physical leaflets in the community at some point in the future, as well as work with local attractions, tourism promoters, walking groups and councils to promote the trail guides.
View the full Penistone Line Trail collection here.
