Walks from Penistone

The hidden Gunthwaite valley, bridleways and a packhorse bridge, past the 16th-century Gunthwaite cruck barn and 29-arch Penistone Viaduct, ending at the 'Pie Village' of Denby Dale. The trail's longest section.

Gunthwaite Hall barn: A 16th-century Grade I listed close-studded cruck tithe barn still in agricultural use today.

Denby Dale Viaduct: A 21-arch stone railway viaduct opened in 1880, built alongside an earlier timber viaduct of cobweb appearance.

Warnings: Steps onto Acre Lane can be overgrown.

Walk details: Penistone Line Trail / Penistone Line Partnership (PDF).

Impressive vistas. Old railway trackbed (Longdendale Trail/Trans Pennine Trail), moorland paths and country roads. Trans Pennine Trail follows the course of the old Woodhead Railway Line between Manchester and Sheffield. Electrified with new tunnel in 1950s, closed 1981 after 30 years.

Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.

Time: 7h–14h

Warnings: Steep tarmac section; busy A628 crossed three times; steep climb.

Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).

A walk that is an uninspiring pavement plod out of Barnsley along the main road, then footpaths and farm tracks west of Dodworth that can be quite muddy, with a steep climb giving good views and before crossing fields and woodland into Penistone. Passes a pack-horse bridge with an informative plaque, and a viewpoint over Penistone viaduct with a bench. Silkstone has two pubs just off the route.

Time: 3h30–6h30

1 lunch spot: the Bells

Warnings: Several busy, fast roads to cross, including the B6462 in Penistone, the A628 near Silkstone and the A629, plus a motorway slip road where cars accelerate fast. There are lots of high stiles. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.