Drive & Stroll, with Ron Freethy

I LOVE Hardcastle Crags because it is one of the best places in England to see red squirrels.

The only worrying feature is that the grey squirrel is now being recorded in the area and, as this is larger and more aggressive then the red, there could be problems in the future.

The weather improved as I strolled along the banks of Hebden Water towards Gibson's Mill.

This route is surrounded by some splendid Scots pine, planted about a century ago and now in their prime, much to the delight of the red squirrels.

Gibsons Mill was founded in the 1780s by Abraham Gibson and was initially powered by a water wheel driven by the river, but only when it was in flood. In dry periods two storage lodges and a system of weirs provided the power.

In the 1860s Gibsons Mill was converted to steam but it soon proved incapable of competing with town-based mills closer to better roads, canals and railways.

There is plenty of evidence of the transport system used before and during the early days of the Industrial Revolution.

These packhorse roads made of blocks of stone can still be seen during the Crags walks and there is a super little packhorse bridge which crosses Hebden Water close to the mill. As I reached the bridge the afternoon sunlight was weaving shadows through the branches of the trees and twinkling on the surface of the water.

A kingfisher skimmed its way beneath the bridge and a yellow wagtail bobbed around on a stone not far away from a common sandpiper.

The latter will soon be setting off on its migratory journey to its African wintering grounds. Apart from the wildlife and the industrial archeology, which I found in abundance, the scenery of the Crags is so spectacular that some people in Victorian times described it as alpine.

I always worry when we use phrases like this because each area is unique and this is why I love exploring different regions. Slurring Rock, for example, is a gritstone outcrop and is a wonderful viewpoint.

The name apparently derives from children in the 19th century who used to slide down the rock on the irons of their clogs.

I also passed Clough Hole waterfall. This is a Pennine wooded valley with the water, especially spectacular after rain, bubbling down the rocky sides. I completed my long day in the Crags by spending the evening in Hebden Bridge, where there is a large packhorse bridge, a basin on the Rochdale Canal and numerous craft shops, restaurants, pubs and book shops.

The little town has a happy "buzz" to it and is in complete contrast to the tranquillity of the Crags.

HARDCASTLE Crags is a 400-acre patch of magnificent scenery looked after by the National Trust. It is situated at Hebden Bridge and is signed from the town. East Lancashire visitors should follow the roads from Burnley through Todmorden to Hebden Bridge. By consulting timetables Hebden Bridge can be reached by bus or by train. There are car parks, both of which are well signed.

THERE is a Crags leaflet on sale in the visitor centre at Hebden Bridge and at the main car park. There are toilets on the routes. From the car parks there are three walks, two of which are easy. Slurring Rock Walk is around 1.5 miles and the Crags walk is two miles. On a dull September morning I started early and had completed both strolls by lunchtime.

Mill Walk was more strenuous and the three-mile trek took me over two hours to complete. Following these treks was easy because the routes are signed by coloured markers, the Mill Walk being the red route.