A little extra is on offer this Wander (but not compulsory!) – add a walk around a Nature Trail to the day at no extra cost, before retiring to the first pub.

For those wishing to partake of a stroll around Moorgate Quarry (details details here) we will be meeting at 10:45 to catch the 10:58 TransPennine train to Huddersfield. After arriving at Greenfield Station, Google recons it is an 18 minute walk to the top of the Summit Trail (not to be confused with the rail tunnel, this is merely the top of the quarry!) So there and back with 20 minutes to spare watching the dragon and damsel flies. The paths are surfaced (with a couple of soggy spots when checked out in a very rainy April!) so stout shoes should be adequate. HOMEWORK: is the photo right a dragon or damsel fly?

Once re-united outside the station we will visit Greenfield, which used to be part of Gods Own Country as it was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Be on the lookout for WRCC (West Riding County Council) markers on public structures. Many of the older 17th Century houses still display the distinct, many windowed, upper floors which indicate they were used for hand-loom wool cloth weaving. I use the term wool cloth, because whether they were producing woollen fabric [soft and springy like tweed] or worsted [smooth and lustrous used for suits] isn't recorded. (For more on the wool/worsted differences see thedreamstress.com or www.huddersfieldtextiles.com.

Though not dating back as far in time our objectives today could still be described as "olde worlde". The first of these, the Wellington, is an end of terrace local, with darts, dominoes and cribbage all in evidence. Because there is a difference in the frontage with next door, and the stone better dressed, I speculate that this is a later addition rather than being part of the original terrace - discuss. I assume the pub is named after the Duke and not his footwear, but who knows. Food is available here, but only Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, hence the date of our visit.

Our next destination, The King Willian IV, known locally as the King Billy, is set at right angles to the main road. I have no idea what connection the King would have had with Greenfield, unless the pub opened around the year of his coronation. With both a red post AND phone box outside, along with a 'yard' and what is described as a cobbled area on WhatPub.com, it is the epitome of a country pub. This misunderstanding between cobles (rounded stones usually recovered from a river bed) and setts (square dressed quarried stone) is not uncommon, but unforgivable to a pedant. With two rooms and four beers this isn't a typical Star (Heineken) pub, so they must be doing something right to avoid the eyes of the corporate management. The King Billy also purveys food, but only after 5pm today, so unless you plan staying a little longer [or coming back?] you will have to miss out.

We now walk to the far end of the village(?) where the Clarence sits athwart the very acute junction of Chew Valley Road and Manchester Road. For anyone returning on foot from a walk around the moors above the Dovestones Reservoir area the Clarence beckons like an oasis, looming out of the mists to the weary traveller [well that is how your author has perceived it after several outings!] The business is food lead, but casual drinkers are most welcome. Internally there are three drinking areas, but (weather permitting) there is extensive outside seating where the world can be watched passing by. Our departure from here is dictated by the half hourly bus service (3 mins to the hour) back towards the station. There is usually a third hourly service, but for some unknown reason it misses between 4pm and 7pm, just when we need it!] If walking is contemplated, Google estimates it to be a 22 minute journey, so you might as well have another half and catch the next bus.

Alighting by the station we find our final destination across the road. Before we enter, take note of the interesting building to the right of the pub (photo left). With its obvious loading doors, this must have been some form of manufactory, but for what, and with such a small footprint I don't know. As the buildings here are mostly two stories on this street front, but four high at the back, the extra loft storage a little greedy. If you know it's original usage let us know via ku.gro.armac.mss@retsambew.

Our final establishment is the Railway, and there is no mystery how it got its name. Again an elderly building, was it here before, or was it built/opened to take advantage of the business from the station opposite? There is a simple two room layout, with an accompanying beer garden offering views across the valley. Being on the Transpennine Ale Trail [or whatever the Manchester to Leeds rail pub crawl is now called] weekends can see a sudden influx of people as the latest train disgorges its revellers. Hopefully things will be a little calmer on a midweek afternoon.

As we board our train home, take a moment to inspect Greenfield Station. Interestingly Greenfield station is the only rail station remaining of the around 25 formally in the current Oldham Borough. Opened on 1 August 1849 on the same day as was the section of line between Huddersfield and Stalybridge. This was remarkably early considering work on the single line Standedge tunnel was only started in 1846. It did have the advantage of the adjacent canal tunnel which acted as a supply route and had already proved the ground through which the tunnel was bored. Compare this to the Elizabeth line in London! Look carefully at the station and you may be able to detect a former bay platform at the Manchester end. This was the terminus of occasional trains from Oldham, but as that line closed to passengers in 1955 it isn't obvious. Another 'claim to fame' is that it is one of only a handful of stations which are not fully step-free accessible in Greater Manchester, though the engineering problems entailed creating this from the Huddersfield platform can be appreciated.

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