{"id":56218,"title":"The Sunday Series #001 - Wentbridge","description":"An unplanned Sunday walk following the River Went \u2014 quiet paths, open views, and a day shaped by whatever came next.","content":"

Welcome to The Sunday Series<\/strong> \u2014 a weekly journal of slow explorations.<\/p>

Sundays are a break from routine \u2014 a chance to move at a different pace, to get outside, and to pay attention to what\u2019s usually missed.<\/p>

This series follows those days as they unfold \u2014 unplanned walks, quiet places, and whatever happens along the way.<\/p>

26th APRIL<\/h3>

\"kbaylmxhy3pjzp1mjpejydks6l9yaez1c5knk5oyx167vtyp.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"This week began in my hometown of Hemsworth, West Yorkshire - UK, before venturing across to the neighbouring village of Ackworth \u2014 the only stretch of the walk that felt familiar.<\/p>

From there, I picked up the River Went, which would become my guide for the rest of the day.<\/p>

A signpost pointed in a few different directions \u2014 Thorpe Audlin, Badsworth, Wentbridge \u2014 but I wasn\u2019t too concerned with where any of them led. It felt like the right place to stop thinking about the route and just follow the path.\"4dklvs9wv9wyagra9ycrbga92igzaid21th1hrlbp5dwblhc.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&project=noziroh-445659&v=2\"The river ran quietly alongside \u2014 sometimes hidden behind trees, sometimes opening up just enough to remind you it was there. Wooden bridges, narrow paths, and small clearings came and went without much notice.<\/p>

It was the kind of stretch where you don\u2019t really keep track of distance \u2014 just the feeling of moving forward.<\/p>

A key feature soon came into view \u2014 the \u2018Six Arches\u2019 railway viaduct rising above the path and river.<\/p>

It\u2019s the kind of structure that feels out of place at first \u2014 too large, too solid \u2014 until you realise how naturally it fits into the landscape around it.<\/p>

I later learned that it carries the line between Pontefract and Rotherham, though in the moment it was just something to stand beneath and take in.<\/p>

\"hv8cwrimqfycejr5avsyh8hczzotkl46bio2gbzm62w4m6jm.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"Beyond the viaduct, it now felt like I\u2019d left Ackworth behind and moved into the next stretch of the day.<\/p>

A few more signposts appeared \u2014 turn-offs for Badsworth and Upton \u2014 but I stayed on the same line, continuing ahead towards Wentbridge. By that point, the pattern had set itself; less about choosing directions, more about following what was already in front of me.<\/p>

The path stretched on quietly, with the river still nearby, guiding things without needing to be seen.<\/p>

\"yizykluzxtnqzv7spzwstaybanya8ep66qzdh66igtenjowc.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"I crossed the A639 \u2014 a brief interruption to the quiet rhythm of the walk.<\/p>

There were options to follow it in either direction \u2014 towards East Hardwick or Thorpe Audlin \u2014 but neither felt quite right. Instead, I picked up the track on the other side and continued alongside the river, which had guided me this far, heading on towards Wentbridge.<\/p>

The river eventually slipped away as I veered right into Wentbridge.<\/p>

A short stretch of country road led me into the centre of the village, where another public footpath appeared \u2014 signposted for Brockadale Nature Reserve and on towards Kirk Smeaton.<\/p>

The mention of the reserve was enough to catch my attention. It felt like something worth following, with Kirk Smeaton marking the next point of reference along an otherwise straight and steady route.<\/p>

After joining the footpath, I passed Wentbridge church on my left \u2014 a quiet, imposing presence set back from the path, midway up the hill.<\/p>

It wasn\u2019t long before the River Went returned alongside me, as if it had been waiting to be picked up again. Further ahead, the A1 road-bridge came into view \u2014 a much heavier, more industrial contrast \u2014 which I eventually passed beneath whilst following the dusty, uneven trail.<\/p>

\"2pd8vma9cxtwcjoo1e2qr2hh0ppdfkfefy3lsj3bekctzsyw.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"The next stretch felt longer than expected, the rocky path carrying on with no real sign of the reserve.<\/p>

At that point, I started to wonder if I\u2019d missed it altogether! But after a while, a wooden walkway appeared off to the left, quietly marking the entrance.<\/p>

I spent some time moving through the woodland before rejoining the path. From there, the route followed a higher line along the edge of the valley, opening up views of the River Went below.<\/p>

I spent a good amount of time in this section, admiring the views from the cliff-edge and capturing a few photos. The group of people who were enjoying a picnic by the riverside below reduced to looking like mere Subbuteo football figures, such was the sheer scale of the rock face that I was stood on.<\/p>

\"hpvzdrhgfd0ktbm22onu7uz2wikk7mncmsf9ylzywlewsuza.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"Not long after, the continuation of the path led me into Kirk Smeaton \u2014 a quiet, picture postcard-like village that felt almost set apart from everything that had come before.<\/p>

Once I reached what would be my final destination, I was met by one of the familiar red telephone boxes seen throughout the UK, standing out against the quiet of the village.\"r3sxucb6kassyswejyb67zzurwqkcmvkam6iwdtksr81uudg.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"Nearby, a second church of the day came into view \u2014 another reminder of how much of the walk had been shaped by these small, historic details.<\/p>

I took some time here to pause, take a few photos, and check my progress on the map.<\/p>

When I stopped to review my travelled distance, I realised I\u2019d covered around nine miles \u2014 far enough for one day.<\/p>

In Kirk Smeaton itself, I came across a small country pub \u2014 the Shoulder of Mutton \u2014 and decided to call in for a well-earned drink.<\/p>

I stayed there for a while, chatting with a few of the locals (who were very friendly, as you would expect from humble Yorkshire folk). It felt like the right kind of ending \u2014 unplanned, quiet, enjoyable. Exactly how the day had unfolded.\"y3a0phegpgg9doccp0twq7ghmvc0omgdqpghcwyptbozco19.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"The journey didn\u2019t end there however \u2014 I still had the small matter of the walk back ahead of me. The same route - only in reverse, presenting the opportunity for a second look at the some of the wonderful scenery I had witnessed earlier in the day.<\/p>

By the time it was all done, the day had stretched to just over eighteen miles \u2014 a full loop without ever really feeling rushed. It felt like the right way to spend a Sunday.<\/p>

I had the NORTHSCAPE<\/u>\u2122<\/u><\/span> Essentials hoodie<\/u><\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>with me along the way \u2014 something that felt at home out there, worn properly for what it\u2019s made for.<\/p>","urlTitle":"sundays-are-for-exploring-wentbridge-kirk-smeaton","url":"\/blog\/sundays-are-for-exploring-wentbridge-kirk-smeaton\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/sundays-are-for-exploring-wentbridge-kirk-smeaton\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/northscape.shop\/blog\/sundays-are-for-exploring-wentbridge-kirk-smeaton\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1777317368,"updatedAt":1777331043,"publishedAt":1777331043,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":434451,"name":"NORTHSCAPE"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/7tiulykyhvahqcf0dz3thwwaqp7zckcz6kroomorcc52pwvw.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/7tiulykyhvahqcf0dz3thwwaqp7zckcz6kroomorcc52pwvw.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/7tiulykyhvahqcf0dz3thwwaqp7zckcz6kroomorcc52pwvw.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[],"labels":[]}