Stoned on Midgley Moor

The last time I was on Midgley Moor I couldn’t get Joan to talk to me no matter how hard I tried, so I suppose I wasn’t surprised when she said nothing again this time, since seven long years have elapsed and although I am older, I seem to be no wiser.
I get out of breath more easily, especially where Brearley Lane Top begins. I had just had a pleasant time on the flat following the Rochadale Canal from the centre of Mytholmroyd and now I was being asked to climb a mountain, or, that’s what it seemed. I entered woods and climbed and climbed. Once this must have been a popular route since it is cobbled in places to aid travel. Gasping for breath has its advantages as otherwise I would have staggered past a path on the right that was hardly noticeable. It was steep with tree roots helping me climb up and at the end just before it reached Midgley Road, it had stone steps.
At the top of Midgley Road, I turned left up the asphalt Chapel Lane. That became a path coming out on the moor, where I was rewarded with a wooden post, topped in yellow plastic advising me I was on the right track to see Joan.
It was further than I remembered, but finally I could see her on the skyline. She might spurn me because I always call her Churn Mill Joan, whereas her real name in Churn Milk Joan; made sense to me, but not to her. Of course, it could be that she’s just a standing stone! To the right of her is a bench where you can sit and admire the view looking back to Mytholmroyd. In fact, there are several great views from a number of places on the top of the moor.
We didn’t say our fond farewells, but I left her gazing over Mytholmroyd as I took the second path to the right behind her as I set off to find Miller’s Grave. On the way, I passed many ruined low brick structures – perhaps old grouse hides? I turned off this path to the left after a while and seemed to have great difficulty determining which was left and which was right.
I got it right finally and found Miller’s Grave on my left without too much difficulty. This is the remains of a bronze-age burial mound. Soon after that I came to Robin Hood’s Penny Stone, a large boulder with a pronounced indentation in its top. Next on my finds was the Greenwood Stone – like Joan, this was once a boundary marker.
I deviated from the route that I had planned which would have gone through the Golf Course, because I thought I could see a more direct one. It didn’t go quite as I’d hoped, but I managed to get back on my route and joined Height’s Road. On the path leading down from there to Raw Lane is a bench called Richard’s Seat in memory of the death of a young man. On Raw Lane, there are a few houses and the correct route is to take the first road on the right that is signposted toward a farm.
I walked down through Redacre Wood and crossed the canal at Redacre Bridge to reach Burnley Road, where I turned left to reach the bus stop in the centre of Mytholmroyd.
There are four stiles on this route. I would not recommend doing this tour if it is windy: a light wind in the bottom becomes a howling gale at the top of the moor, making hiking unpleasant. I think you also want good weather – sun to cheer your spirits as you inevitably take the wrong path: they all look alike, and only differ in their width.
Thanks to Arry for the inspiration for this tour.