Saddleworth Weekend - Day 1

Distance: 20 miles
Ascent: 1000m
Weather: dry, bright later
Grey wagtail, mountain hare, bunnies

Due to packing and procrastination, we set off late morning along the Medlock Valley Way to Lees (slight detour to co op for lunch supplies) and then along to Mossley to join the Oldham Way. Thankfully the going wasn't too muddy, apart from some gates and patches in fields that were wet and churned up by hooves.

The woods above Dovestone Reservoir have been battered by winds and many trees were down, blocking the way very effectively. There was much scrambling under trunks and around branches, we emerged from the woods and had lunch on a grassy bank overlooking the water. A few groups passed by, it is definitely the start of DofE season. It was about 3pm by now and most people were coming to the end of their walks.

A little further round we walked along a new path they've put in, where it used to be closely packed pine trees with no undergrowth now many of the trees have been cleared and small bushes and greenery are starting to grow.

The footpath up to Binn Green is closed, we knew this and it was confirmed on the information sign that we checked. However we didn't notice that the path over the dam wall was also closed, necessitating a detour around the second reservoir, it being much shorter to go round than back the way we'd come.

The path around the second reservoir is now much more travelled tha than it used to be, quite eroded and muddy in one spot.

We walked up the lane and crossed the main road, the entrance to the footpath across the field to Pots and Pans blocked by a fallen gate and rusty metal sheeting complete with barbed wire. This obstacle successfully negotiated, we made our way up onto the hill, in the late afternoon sunshine. It was quite chilly at the top so we stopped to add some layers of clothing  and eat some chocolate. We followed the Oldham Way (or a link?) to Diggle, and up to the Pennine Way, which we followed for a short way before turning off alongside the A62 to the Carriage House.