Silkstone Waggonway Trail and Pot House Hamlet

We leave Silkstone Common and walk down to the Trans Pennine Trail where we enter Knabbs Wood to visit the site of the Husker mining disaster memorial. We pick up the TPT again and return to Silkstone Common. Descending into Silkstone itself via pavements and fields we pick up a good path to Silkstone to see a replica coal wagon.

Continuing on flat ground we follow the old mining railway to reach Pot House Hamlet. Here there are toilets, a café and various animals including pigmy goats and wildfowl. It is well worth stopping here to have a look round.

We then make a short detour to Silkstone Church where there is a monument to the children who died in the Husker mining disaster. Picking up the wagonway trail again we continue on flat ground through a wooded area until we reach Norcroft Bridge where we will stop and have lunch. (The wagonway trail continues onto Barnby Basin. On investigation the basin no longer exists and there is nothing to see beyond Norcroft Bridge).

After lunch we retrace our steps for a short distance before going over a stile to pick up a path that takes us adjacent to Silkstone Golf Club. There is a moderate ascent on this section until we reach the golf course. Crossing over the A628 road we enter Silkstone Fall woodland, passing Silverwood Scout camp. From here there are 2 more easy stiles before there is a final ascent back to Silkstone Common (views of Emley Moor mast) and the cars.

The paths are well defined throughout.

Here is a link to information of what we will see on the Waggonway trail: http://www.visitpenistone.co.uk/walks/silkstone_waggonway.pdf