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Shelf Waterfalls

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Trail stats

Distance
3.97 mi
Elevation gain
361 ft
Technical difficulty
Moderate
Elevation loss
381 ft
Max elevation
819 ft
TrailRank 
29
Min elevation
463 ft
Trail type
One Way
Moving time
one hour 27 minutes
Time
2 hours 9 minutes
Coordinates
1122
Uploaded
May 18, 2023
Recorded
May 2023
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near Shelf, England (United Kingdom)

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Trail photos

Photo ofShelf Waterfalls Photo ofShelf Waterfalls Photo ofShelf Waterfalls

Itinerary description

This is not quite a circular tour, but the start and end points are not far from each other. The aim was to see a couple of waterfalls at Shelf and hopefully see lots of bluebells in the woods; unfortunately, I was just a bit late to see the bluebells at their best.
I travelled to Shelf from Leeds on the #508 bus (frequency hourly) and alighted at the stop just past Brow Lane; there is a pub here called The Duke William. I continued down Brow Road until I was able to enter a wood on my right. I think it is called Wood Fall. The path crosses over Wood Fall Beck on a small bridge and eventually leaves the wood to go across a field and join a lane.
Immediately before a farm, there is a signpost showing a path going off downhill across a field. The aim is to head towards the trees and then a well-trod path becomes clear. Crossing a stile leads to the first waterfall.
The route is then uphill on the stone steps and across a field before entering North Wood. Where the path splits, take the left-hand split leading downwards towards the beck and you will arrive at the second waterfall, which is higher than the first.
I then retraced to reach the path I had come on and continued across fields until I reached the hamlet of Norwood Green and Village Street. Sowden Lane led me away from Norwood Green towards Judy Woods.
At a right-hand bend I took the marked path off to the left through a gap in a wall. Once I had crossed the beck I took the right-hand path which has steps. The path here is known as Tinker’s Trail.
I left the woods, where there are clumps of bluebells, and was going in the direction of a housing estate, when I realised I had missed my planned path to the left. This path skirts the edge of the wood, drops down to cross a beck and then climbs up to reach Riding Hill. I think it is easier to turn right here and go along the road which becomes Manorley Lane to reach the main Bradford-Halifax Road.
Instead I took a little sign-posted footpath that is on the left just before a big house. This footpath is very overgrown in places. Eventually, it brings you to a field beside Bethel Chapel. You can follow the tramped grass to the wall on the far side of the field which allows exit to the main road. I chose to go through the churchyard, crossed the road and so arrived at the bus stop for the #508 back to Leeds.
There are three stiles on this route. I think it is done best in early May when the bluebells are at their best and the ground is not too muddy, which would make reaching the second waterfall quite tricky.

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