Easter Weekend Day Four

Marsden to Oldham
Distance: 14.5 miles
Ascent: 625m
Weather: warm and sunny

After a fantastic stay at The Olive Branch Inn in Marsden, we were well fed and rested. Out the door and straight up the hill this morning, the footpath we'd chosen seemed to have been mostly used by cows, but thankfully it's been dry for the last couple of days so it wasn't too cow-y. I did get brambled though.

We followed the Colne Valley Way around the ridge of the hills, on the edge of the moors - seeing quite a few people out just gazing at the clear blue sky.

We needed to get some food for lunch, so took the steps down from Butterley Reservoir into Marsden village,  and then up to the canal, passing the tunnel's end, and along the nature reserve - where we had elevenses.

The packhorse track is in the process of being paved, there were signs about helicopters, but we didn't see one. There were also signs about keeping dogs on leads, but it seems most people didn't see them either.

At the top of Little Moss we were on the Pennine Way for a very short time. This is also pretty much the border between Yorkshire and Greater Manchester,  stereotypically blue skies over Yorkshire and clag over home. Although during the day the clouds burned off and it is a beautiful evening in Oldham.

We returned via the Pennine Bridleway by Piethorne and Ogden Reservoirs and then Brushes Clough (giddy cows), Lane Side and then along the track.