Rural villages on trail to attract visitors

The new section of the trail, which runs from Penistone in South Yorkshire to Kirkburton, in the West Riding was officially unveiled yesterday afternoon.

People in the mainly rural communities along the route hope it will attract more visitors and bring their spending power to shops, pubs and other businesses.

The trail, which has both an on- and off-road option, has been built with a grant from the East Peak Innovation Partnership, a body which awards Government cash to countryside projects.

In this case the cash for the construction has come from the Rural Development Programme for England, which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union.

A spokesman for the partnership said; “The on-road option travels from Kirkburton through Stocksmoor, Shepley, Haddingley and Royd Moor and joins the Trail at Millhouse Green.

“This route is primarily for cyclists, but can also be used by walkers.

“The off-road route is slightly longer and travels from Kirkburton, through Shelley, Shepley, Cumberworth Common, Denby Dale, Upper Denby, Ingbirchworth, Royd Moor and joins the Trans Pennine Trail at Thurlstone.

“This route has been designed for walkers, cyclists and horseriders.

“This project offers a wonderful opportunity to bring visitors from Kirklees onto the trail and provide a route for our existing Trail users to travel to the delights of Kirkburton, through some wonderful villages along the way.”

The Trans Pennine Trail is what officials call a “multi-user route” which runs from Southport in Lancashire across the north of England to Hornsea in East Yorkshire.

It was designed to be accessible to walkers, cyclists and in parts horses.

The extension was opened by three local councillors, two from Kirklees and one from Barnsley.

The East Peak Innovation Partnership was established in 2008 and links together three similar areas covering Penistone and district, north Sheffield and the parishes of Denby Dale and Kirkburton.

Other projects it has supported include a Penistone-based community radio station, a rural advice service, and a project to help Bradfield Parish Council near Sheffield to digitise records dating back to the 1700s.

The partnership was established to deliver what it calls a “community led approach to rural development”.

Its spokesman added: “The route is well signed and provides an ideal route to encourage an active lifestyle and to re-engage with nature.”

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