Leisure

A harder route took visitors up Pule Hill, where they could visit the Moorcock Inn or one of the inns on the Third Turnpike (now the A62). A notebook kept at the Great Western Inn, by Sarah Ann Wood, records the purchase of a huge quantity of hams. It also shows that in August 1878 a Mr Bayley paid £2 - 14 shillings for 3 dozen each of soda water, potassium water and Bass Ale – this could have been for a walking or shooting party, as the Inn also provided beds for four people at the start of the shooting season on August 11th.

In August 1875 a man called William Barker was 'much injured on the Marsden Moors last night' – whether in a shooting or walking accident is unknown – and was in bed at the Great Western. The draft of his telegram is contained in Sarah Ann Wood’s notebook.

On 22nd August 1863 a train bearing the Huddersfield Mechanics Institution arrived at Marsden at 2 p.m. 'accompanied by a band of music'. The group 'then marched to the mountains, a distance of two miles' but were rained on heavily en route. 'Those who arrived at Standedge sought refuge in the Great Western, or crouched behind walls.' After that, the weather improved, and the party rambled on the moors, gathered bilberries, joined in out-door sports, 'or went through the 'deep cutting' to get peeps of new scenery on the other side of the backbone of the mountain'. About 7 pm they set off to return to Marsden.