Distance: 13.5 miles
Ascent: 580m
Weather: warm and sunny
Ducks, sandpiper, pied wagtail, kestrel, buzzard, pippets and skylarks, pheasant, tufted duck, possible sparrowhawk
Lumpy mattresses aside, we had been well looked after and had had a pleasant stay at The New Inn in Marsden, including a fine breakfast this morning, before setting off at about ten o'clock. The haze was starting to lift and it was bright and warm. They are rebuilding the slipway along the dam at Butterley Reservoir, so we took a detour up the lane and crossed at the dam wall. A sign on the other side informed us that the footpath is only closed during on weekdays. Ah well.
Reaching the track above the cottages, we were accompanied by a lot of cheery mountain bikers until we reached the road, where they turned back to town and we headed over the moors on the Standedge Trail to join the Pennine Way.
No ice-creams were to be had, but we did have a bit of a sit, then followed the escarpment along Standedge Edge to the Oldham Way. Here we noted how eroded the path has become over the last couple of years due to motor and mountain bikes.
We had lunch at probably the windiest spot of the whole day above Readycon Reservoir, then followed the Pennine Bridleway and paths over open access to Rooden Reservoir.
We returned home over the fields to avoid Angry Dog Farm, then around Brushes Clough and along the track. It was really quite warm by now. We did some litter picking, unfortunately my carrier bag wasn't quite big enough so had to stop before we'd got back.
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