Slack Bottom and Slack Top Facts

If you have a ‘slack bottom’ worry not. Slack is a hamlet approximately 2 miles from the centre of Hebden Bridge. From the Halifax direction there is no right turn up the hill at the Slack traffic lights so you need to use the Heptonstall turning circle.

History

Romans established a small military fort and named it Camulodunum after the ancient Celtic War-God, Camulos at the top of the hill we now call Slack Top. There didn’t seem to be much evidence of the old fort and it was probably abandoned in by the middle of the second century. (British Kingdoms)

Slack Bottom stone ‘itself is very nicely eroded and seems of good age, as well as being a good near-six-foot tall specimen of a standing stone, just above the tree-line south of Hebden Dale. The stone gets its name from the fact that it’s at the bottom end of Slack village (which is actually called ‘Slack Bottom’ – with a house-sign there above the door to prove it!). It may be part of what was originally some original Iron Age walling instead of an authentic standing stone.’ Megalithix

From 1902, a railway ran from Slack to the construction site of the Walshaw Dean reservoirs, carrying men and materials. A shanty town, nicknamed Dawson City, sprang up at Slack.

Slack Top

Situated at a height of 900ft in the Pennines Slack boasts a plant nursery where tough plants flourish “If it’ll grow up here, it’ll grow anywhere”. It is a small nursery, but one of the UK’s top ten suppliers of Alpines. They offer and gave me expert advice on plants for my rockery and claim to have plants for ‘all garden situations – from damp shade to full sun and all things inbetween!’ Attached to the nursery is a naturalistic garden, begun in 1980 and spanning approximately a quarter acre. It is in a beautiful setting overlooking moors and woodland and a deep valley. Slack Top Nursery. The Persicaria plant picture was taken in the garden by the pond.

Slack is good walking country on the opposite side of the valley over Hebden Water to Hardcastle Crags. The National Trust has Four circular walks, ranging from three to seven miles. Gibson Mill is a national trust property and visitors centre using sustainable energy.

Slack Top Christian hostel was rebuilt in 1878, and is situated in the hamlet of Slack, surrounded by beautiful, wild, unspoilt countryside. ‘ Slack Top is for everyone; it is for the whole family, your church group, fellowship, friends to share; but mainly for you.’

Slack Bottom! by le chanoine, on Flickr under creative commons license