Overview

This is the longest, most complete section of the trail, and will take you first along the banks of the Little Don, then through the Fox Valley Centre with its shops and cafes, then above the dramatic heavy industrial townscape of the huge Stocksbridge Steelworks and on to the contrasting tranquility of Sheephouse Woods and the Underbank and Langsett Reservoirs.

The section from Deepcar to Underbank Reservoir is tarmacked and useable for wheeling, walking, cycling and horse riding.

From the crossing of the Manchester Road A616 between Underbank Reservoir and Equitrek to just before Langsett village the trail is also designated as a bridleway. The surfacing is not sealed and may present issues for some wheelchairs especially in wet weather.

There are two ‘missing links’. The first is an on-road section on Underbank Lane followed by the uncontrolled crossing of Manchester Road to Underbank Reservoir. Please take care when crossing. The other is the final 500 metres to Langsett which is currently diverted to an unmarked path across fields only suitable for walkers and with no safe crossing of the busy A616 in the village.

The Trust is working with the relevant authorities to improve both of these access points.