Walton Haw Park Wood

This is a circular tour: I started at the War Memorial on Shay Lane and finished at the New Inn on Shay Lane.
Walking from the War Memorial towards the New Inn, I took the first ginnel on the right after the pub. This ginnel later widened out to become a hard-core path that runs alongside what used to be the Barnsley-Wakefield Canal and the remains of an old lock is still visible. Also visible is Walton Wall which was used to protect native and migratory species, especially birds
Near Haw Park Bridge I made a mistake by continuing to walk next to the old canal. I had to turn back and take the right hand fork, marked Anglers’ Country Park. The next turn to Haw Park Wood was easier to see. I carried on in the wood until I almost reached Cold Hiendley Reservoir when I turned sharply left to continue in the wood, passing Fox Well in the process. There were some clumps of bluebells, but not as many as I’d hoped.
After leaving Haw Park Wood I found another called Wild Wood, which had more bluebells along with the remains of deceased pets as it was a type of pet cemetery. Haw Park Lane led me to Anglers’ Reservoir and at the entrance there were free public toilets. I continued on Lakeside walk around the reservoir, but did not see any interesting water-birds. However, there were a few decent carvings.
I found the signposted path back to Walton which led over a little plank bridge over a beck and then crossed a field. I followed a wall until I could turn left through a gap in it that led to the golf course. I followed one of the roadways on the golf course before turning off into woods. The paths to avoid walking on the golf course were well marked.
Before I knew it I had arrived back at the nineteenth hole and was back at the path I’d started on. I followed it back to Shay Lane where I could catch the bus back to Wakefield from the stop opposite the New Inn.
Virtually all the paths have a hard-core base, so this tour would be suitable for winter when other destinations are too muddy.