Shipley Glen

West Yorkshire Regionally Important Geological Site

Shipley Glen STATUS: RIGS
OTHER DESIGNATIONS:
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Bradford
OS GRID REF. SE 130 391
OS SHEET 1:50,000 Landranger 104 Leeds and Bradford
OS SHEET: 1:25,000 Explorer 288 – Bradford and Huddersfield
BGS 1:50,000 Geological Sheet 69 – Bradford
FIRST DESIGNATED by West Yorkshire RIGS Group in 1996
DATE OF MOST RECENT SURVEY December 2007 by West Yorkshire Geology Group
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION produced by Neil Aitkenhead

SITE DESCRIPTION:
The Rough Rock forms a natural exposure 500m long in crags overlooking the wooded eastern slopes of Loadpit Beck. Scattered exposures of the Rough Rock Flags and the shales below occur in the beck itself. There are many fallen rocks in the slopes below the crags.

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
Shipley Glen was laid out for recreational pursuits during the Victorian era. There is a long history of use as a park and fairground, which only ceased in the 1990s. The exhibition in the Bracken Hall Countryside Centre adjacent to the site has photos and text documenting the history of the Baildon Moor area.

EDUCATIONAL VALUE:
With a wide range of geological features and the proximity of the Countryside Centre, the site has high potential for educational use. Baildon Moor and its geomorphological and industrial features can be seen from the top of Shipley Glen. There are footpaths in the woods to the base of the crags, so that the sandstone textures and features can be seen easily. Paths to the exposures in Loadpit Beck are narrower and slippery but can still be reached by groups of all sizes.

AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS:
The whole valley is wooded, so has interesting flora and fauna. There are extensive paths, many of which are very quiet, especially in the upper part of the valley. The views from the top of the crags towards the moors are excellent.

ACCESS AND SAFETY:
There is parking near Bracken Hall Countryside Centre, allowing direct access to the crags. Beware of falls/slips from the rock stacks. Steep tree and bracken covered slopes lead down to Loadpit Beck making access to the Rough Rock Flags and the shale exposures more difficult in summer and autumn months.