Hoober Stand Circular Walk

12 hours ago

4 min read

If the fields are wet and muddy but you still fancy getting out for a decent walk, this 4.13-mile circular around Hoober Stand is a good one to keep in mind.

Lyn and I walked this route in September. It's 100% on roads, with around 95% of the route following very quiet country lanes. That makes it particularly useful during winter or after a spell of wet weather when many countryside paths are thick with mud.

The highlight along the way is Hoober Stand, the distinctive monument overlooking the Wentworth landscape.

Walk at a Glance

Distance: 4.13 miles
Grade: Easy to moderate
Terrain: 100% road walking
Quiet lanes: Around 95% of the route
Parking: Lay-by parking at our start point; better parking is available nearby and shown on our map
Location: Hoober, near Wentworth, South Yorkshire
Main feature: Hoober Stand
Best for: Winter and wet-weather walking

Parking

We started the walk from a lay-by, which was fine, but there is a better parking option nearby.

We've marked this on the map image accompanying the walk, so we'd use that rather than trying to describe it here.

The Walk

From the start, the route takes you out onto the lanes around Hoober and Wentworth.

This is road walking from beginning to end, but that's actually the reason we liked this route. Around 95% of it is on very quiet country lanes, surrounded by open countryside.

There are a few sections on busier roads, but they're a small part of the overall circuit. For most of the 4.13 miles, it's simply a case of following the lanes and enjoying the countryside.

The route has a few ups and downs rather than being completely flat, but we found it straightforward going.

What makes this walk particularly useful is the surface. There are no fields, woodland tracks or muddy footpaths at all. If we've had a week of Yorkshire rain and don't fancy wading through mud, this is exactly the sort of route we'd choose.

Hoober Stand

The main landmark is impossible to miss.

Hoober Stand has a distinctive triangular design and sits high above the surrounding Wentworth countryside. It was built between 1747 and 1749 for Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquess of Rockingham, and designed by Henry Flitcroft. The Grade II* listed monument commemorates the defeat of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745.

We're deliberately keeping the history short here because there's enough behind Hoober Stand to warrant a separate article of its own.

It's certainly worth stopping to have a proper look while you're here. Its position makes much more sense when you see it as part of the wider Wentworth landscape.

One to Save for Winter

This is probably the biggest reason we'd recommend this walk.

It's easy to find good Yorkshire walks during dry summer weather. The choice gets considerably smaller after weeks of rain when fields and unsurfaced paths have turned to mud.

This route doesn't have that problem.

It's 100% road, but because approximately 95% is on very quiet lanes, you're still out walking through the countryside rather than trudging along busy roads.

At 4.13 miles, it's also a useful length when you want a decent walk without making a full day of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Hoober Stand Circular Walk?

The route we walked is 4.13 miles.

Is it all road walking?

Yes. The entire route is on roads, with around 95% following very quiet country lanes.

Is it a good winter walk?

Yes. That's one of the main reasons we're adding it to The White Shire. There are no muddy field paths, making it a particularly useful route after prolonged wet weather.

Is it flat?

No. There are some ups and downs along the route, although we found the walking straightforward. Or put it like this: you're either going up or you're going down.

Where can I park?

We started from a lay-by, but there is a better parking option nearby. We've shown this on the map accompanying the walk.

Explore More

You can find more routes in our South Yorkshire Walks collection, or explore Yorkshire Walks for all the routes Lyn and I have walked across the county.

We'll also be adding a separate article about Hoober Stand, where we'll go properly into the history of the monument and why it was built.

Walked by Mick & Lyn

We walk the routes ourselves before they appear on The White Shire, and this one's going in the collection for a very practical reason.

Hoober Stand Circular Walk is 4.13 miles, entirely on roads, around 95% on very quiet country lanes, and a cracking option when the Yorkshire countryside has turned to mud.

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