Rishworth Moor Weekender

Friday evening
Distance: 4 miles
There has been a noticeable hiatus in training for the walk due to me sustaining a vascular injury in my foot a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, my lumpyfootitis superficial thrombophlebitis has improved and I was confident that I would be able to walk on it this weekend for some much needed exercise in preparation for the Pennine Way.

So with foot well padded up, we set off on Friday night for the exotic Newhey Premier Inn. We started along the track. which has had some hardcore laid down so isn't the mudfest that it has been lately and then over Brushes Clough, cutting through horse field down to cross the stream and head up to the farm through a bluebell filled field.

We avoided the main roads by going up the cobbled street to St Thomas' church and then around the back of the memorial gardens to the hotel.

Saturday
Distance: 12 miles
Weather: heavy showers, occasional sunshine
Jay, mistle thrush, little lambs, three deer, a heron, orange tipped butterfly, bluebells, bog and an angry dog.

We set off about 10am, calling in at the shop for some sandwiches. As we came out the rain started, so we put on our waterproofs - and kept them on for the rest of the day, although the sun did come out occasionally. We walked up a wet path, where Rob practiced his dog control skills on a rather agitated farm dog that had snapped its chain, to the Pennine Bridleway

We followed the bridleway under the motorway and around Hollingworth Lake (where we had a sit down to rest my foot) and then joined the Rochdale Way along Whittaker Lane. We surprised a heron, who in turn surprised three deer. A good oppotunity to test out the 30x zoom on my new camera.

It started raining hard as we got to the Roman Road and we splashed our way along the Old Packhorse Road (stopped for lunch near the ford at Rag Sapling Clough when the sun came out for a while) and around Green Withins Edge over Rishworth Moor to the Turnpike Inn. Still not able to identify the mysterious birds in the woods near Rishworth Lodge.

Sunday
Distance: 12 miles
Weather: Sunshine and showers

Very leisurely breakfast and late start this morning. We went back the way we'd come yesterday, this time taking the lower path at Joiner Stones Hill down to Green Withins Moss and the reservoir. It was very windy in patches around here and quite chilly.

We followed a big path (cough Pennine Way cough) over Windy Hill bridge to the aerial and down the churned up messiness of Windy Hills to Piethorne Reservoir. We didn't stop for lunch, as it was raining and there was some football to be watched, so we struck on for home via Top O'Th'Hill and Brushes Clough.

Easter Weekend Ramblings Day Four

Distance: 12 miles
Ascent: 700m
Weather: misty start, getting sunny
Wheatears and robins.
Weasel Stoat Mammal Type Thing: 1
Detours due to paths on fire: 1
Total distance: 61 miles

It was misty but dry as we set off this morning. We didn't go back along the canal this time but headed up on to a hilly path on the other side of the road which was very pleasant and led up on to the moors.  There were lots of robins along here, trees planted by the Colne Valley Tree Society and some nice stone benches with a memorial carved into them. The path (the Colne Valley Circular) comes out near Butterley Reservoir, and we walked along the dam wall rather than taking the energetic option of walking down and back up again. We saw a sheep in a playground, looking quite happy, and some sheep in a garden, looking a bit more sheepish.

Up onto the moors, it was quite windy, and we took a path not much trodden along towards Redbrook Reservoir and then along Thieves Clough Bridge towards the Pennine Way. We turned off immediately onto the Pennine Bridleway and down into Diggle, seeing a wheatear and some sheep that were unwilling to have their photo taken. We stopped for a pot of tea at the Diggle Hotel and changed our plans slightly to avoid walking along the canal, which we decided would be heaving today. Instead we decided to walk up Harrop Edge, although this was firstly stopped by the path not being there and secondly stopped by the path being on fire.

The lane further on was available and we took this up to Lark Hill, then down into Uppermill and followed the lane up over Hill Top Lane and on to Bishop's Park and the Medlock Valley Way down to Roebuck Lane, where we saw what was probably a stoat.

Easter Weekend Ramblings Day Three

Distance: 19.5 miles
Ascent: 1050m
Weather: overcast but dry, quite windy


Well fed, we left the pub and walked down the road into Todmorden. There was a little wiggly path which seemed to run alongside the road, but we spurned this in favour of speed and getting some distance in early, given how long the first part of yesterday's walk had taken. From town, we turned up a side street signed the Calderdale Way and, staying on the lanes, we walked to Lumbutts and then turned up a stone flagged path up on to the moors.

We crossed the Pennine Way at Withins Gate (Rob was careful to step over it, I don't know because I didn't look at it) and we followed the Calderdale Way (signed by a C and a curly W in the shape of a tree) down to Withins Clough Reservoir, at the end of which was a large, odd building the purpose of which wasn't really clear.

I don't really remember the route down into Ripponden. Rob tells me that we walked along a track with barbed wire down the side and there were some trees. Had a wee on Water Stalls Road. I sat on a stile and faffed with my shoe. There was a short path with more dog poo than you could shake a stick at. And then we walked down into Ripponden. We crossed the main road and found the path onto a disused railway. This was quite an odd place, it was dank and a little bit eerie, with old bridges and ironwork around but mostly fallen trees and an ugly little stream. It was quite nice to get up the steps onto an old green lane where it was brighter and the air was fresher, although there was no where to sit for quite a long time and we eventually stopped on the verge for a sit down and a late lunch.

I might have moaned about my toe hurting a bit.

The M62 was now visible in the distance and we headed towards it, taking one of the tunnels under the motorway and up on to Cow Gate Hill above Scammonden Reservoir. This area is being used for MotoX and we got quite a good view of it all.

We crossed Deanhead Reservoir and headed  up the hillside passed the scruffy farm and passed the little pond where, surprisingly, there were no dog walkers today. We had planned to stop and have some tea at the seat on the moor path here, but just as we approached someone (after a period of seeming indecision) decided to sit on it. Bitch. We walked on - over Reaps Hill along the Colne Valley Circular Walk to Blake Clough and then down some green lanes and the very deep cut path of Deep Gate to Bank Nook, under the railway line and onto the canal for a short distance before turning off to the Olive Branch Inn.

Easter Weekend Ramblings Day Two

Distance: 17.5 miles
Ascent: 700m
Weather: dry bit more cloudy than we expected.
Dudley Dursleys: rather a lot.
Donkeys, llamas and an observatory: Yes! All in the same view!

Woodpigeons!

Invisible woodpecker 

Herons: 3

Brown feet: one each

We set off about 9:30am and made our way out of the hotel grounds (possibly not by the approved route) and on to Manchester Road. We attempted to walk along the canal but only made it as far as the first bridge, where the metal walkway which had apparently been there before no longer was. We retraced our steps back to the road. 

A quick visit to the Co-Op in Castleton for supplies for lunch today and tomorrow (as we are not sure of shops in the middle of the moors) and we headed off down a side street signed towards Heywood. This soon became a pleasant tree lined path through fields that led down to Crimble Mill. Crimble Mill was in a bit of a state; the elves have been slacking.

We then visited Queen's Park, where there was a nice lake with some herons nesting in one of the trees on an island, some very frisky moorhens and an aquaplaning swan.

We headed north up through Norden, going along an old green lane which petered out at a housing estate, where the footpath was overgrown with brambles and holly, been used for den-building and then practically incorporated into people's back gardens. It looked like that might soon change, for at the other end the path is being rebuilt and a fancy new gate installed. 

There was a slight change of plan in Healey Dell Nature Reserve, we carried on through here as it was a nice path and then followed the Rossendale Way up on to the moors, over Brown Wardle Hill,. Middle Hill and (with a slight detour through the quarry) onto Hades Hill. It was about here that I realised quite how far today's walk would be, the first part was rather slow going and it was already mid afternoon. 

We left the Rossendale Way to join the Todmorden Centenary Trail, as it looked like a better path, and then over the world's biggest stile and down a new plantation where they are growing trees in gravel. Here there were donkeys, llamas and an observatory down in the valley. We skirted round above that and then passed through a farm, through a gate, through a bog, and down a very pleasant green path which led down the side of a very steep sided valley towards the Staff of Life pub, where we were very well looked after.

Easter Weekend Ramblings Day One

Distance: 12 miles
Ascent: 500m
Weather: sunny and warm
Comedy brown sheep: one

We were a little later than usual setting off,  as I'd started the day in Exeter. After cup of coffee, hot cross buns and some last minute packing, we were off.

We walked over Bishop's Park and followed the Crompton Circuit up to Brushes Clough, stopping for lunch on the very small bench at the trig point. We came down the little path beside Pingot Quarry, which was surprisingly hard work on the leg muscles.

The Oldham Way through Crompton Fold was pleasantly dry and there were lots of lambs and funny sheep to admire, we then joined the Rochdale Way through Burnedge and along Thornham Old Road, where we detoured to go over Tandle Hill and nearly got ourselves a dog.

At the end of Thornham Lane (presumable not very old) we turned right down Manchester Road towards the Norton Grange Hotel.

Castleshaw Round

Distance: 17.5 miles
Ascent: 850m
Weather: light rain, drier later
Rude Toads: 6

Flat Toads: 3
Sweary horse woman: 1
Comedians: 1

Dirty cows: lots

We decided to do two walks from home this weekend. The weather forecast was not good,  although this morning didn't seem too bad. There was some self congratulations as we found ourselves actually out of the house and on our way. We made it as far as the hedge by the church at the top of the street before we stopped and put our waterproofs on.

Over Bishop's Park it was very wet,  a good test for waterproof socks. Took the path quite trodden lately through Diggle, over Lark Hill Lane and passed the reservoirs at Castleshaw. We followed the Pennine Bridle Way to Piethorne Reservoir and Newhey,  coming back to Brushes Clough, via the little nature reserve, where we saw a bunny, a squirrel,  a jay, a dead shrew and some toads being rude.

Rishworth Weekend: Day Two

Distance: 16 miles
Ascent:
Weather: overcast, warmer
Birds cont. Kestrel, grouse, mallards, unidentified long-beaked bird (snipe/redshank?)

The clocks went forward last night so we lost an hour. We had a substantial breakfast and were off just after 11am.

We took the lane away from the main road and then dropped back down to Dean Clough at the bottom of Booths Wood reservoir. Rob commented that it was odd to start the day going downhill, but there was soon some steep up.

Under the motorway passed the farm and along the track up on to open moorland and over to Scammenden reservoir. Unlike the last time we came this way, we were able to get across the dam wall, although it was too muddy for those in brown leather brogues.

Carrying straight on up the hillside, we came passed the farm and along a doggy reservoir down a path which got progressively wetter and wetter. At about the most wet point possible, a couple of interesting birds flew by, but were gone by the time we'd reached a dry enough place to stop and investigate. Suspect they were snipe or redshank but not sure.

We dropped down into Marsden to get some lunch and ate it at the picnic table near the end of Standedge Tunnel. No flies!

There were however lots of flies up on the moors as we walked over towards the A640. Going down the road a little, we joined the path which around and back over the road up towards the Oldham Way. We did some impromptu cow herding whilst walking down to Denshaw via New Years Bridge Reservoir.

Rishworth Weekend - Day One

Distance: 16 miles
Ascent:
Weather: overcast, chill wind,  dry

Bird count: Great tit, blue tit, magpie, black bird, jackdaw, Crow, pied wagtail, robin, pheasant,  honky goose,  lapwing, golden plover,  curlew, pippets, skylark, chaffinch, unidentified chirping bird.

Also: one squirrel.

Set off just after 11am. We braved the track,  and managed to get through the worst of the mud without too much squelching, and Rob's windproof survived its meeting with the barbed wire fence.

Through Pingot Quarry and along the Oldham Way to join the Rochdale Way near Newhey, towards Piethorne Reservoir. We crossed the reservoir and followed the track down towards Hollingworth Lake. Here we avoided the hordes and turned up the Pennine Bridleway and paths over the moors on Sheep Lane. A slog up the Roman Road up passed the Aigen Stone and straight on, through the wet, to the path around Rishworth Drain and up to Dog Hill.

We crossed over the wall and down the field, hearing lots of birds, including some not heard before and down the lane to the Turnpike Inn.

Marsden Weekender: Day Two

Distance: 14.2 miles
Ascent: 650m
Weather: cloudy, windy on tops, drizzle later

We set off about 10:30 after a relatively restrained breakfast. The wind was quite strong so we decided to take a lower route back.

We followed the canal back near the end of the Standedge Tunnel and then turned off up the lane around the back of Pule Hill. The wind was markedly stonger up on the tops.

The Pack Horse Route led over the moors to the Pennine Way,  which we joined briefly before heading off down the Oldham Way down into Diggle. The canal towpath took us to Greenfield where we stopped at The Kingfisher for lunch. After lunch it started raining slightly, light drizzle for the next hour or so. We came back along the Oldham Way, meeting a couple of friendly dogs and horses.

Marsden Weekender: Day One

Distance: 15 miles
Ascent: 900m
Weather: dry, but overcast and windy
No dog incidents. 

Sulky walkers coming the other way: 2

This weekend is a tester to see if we think that we'll be in a fit state to walk the Pennine Way in a couple of months. Illness, bad backs and family commitments have kept us away from the hills for a while and I (at least, I don't want to do Rob a disservice) am shockingly unfit.

So we have planned a two day excursion out on the Pennine hills to Marsden and back.

We headed round Strinesdale Reservoir and down to Diggle via Badger Lane (accompanied by a skylark.) Over Lark Hill Lane and around Castleshaw to join the Pennine Bridle Way. We followed this a while and then joined the Station to Station Walk across the moors to the end of the Standedge Tunnel and along the canal into Marsden. We are carrying pretty much full rucksacks and wore trail shoes.

Around Castleshaw

Distance: 13.5 miles
Ascent: 600m
Weather: chilly but dry
Two deer frolicking.
One dog jumping up incident.
No pub visiting.

Our first walk out for a while, the day started wet (it has been very rainy and stormy of late) but the forecast was pretty good.

We planned a walk that would be mostly on lanes or good tracks, it was mostly easy going although hard on the feet after a while with only a few very wet or muddy parts.

We went around Strinesdale and up the lane passed the Roebuck pub and over the back of Bishop's Park. Turned right along the lane down into Delph and around over Lark Hill. Had oat cakes and cheese lunch walking along here. Around Castleshaw reservoirs, over the hill and down into Denshaw. We didn't detour to see if the pub was open. I should have put my coat on, but didn't and got cold.

Stoodley Pike

Distance: 12 miles
Ascent: 350 m
Weather: cooler than expected, brightening later

 Almost a continuation of our walk last month - we started just outside of Todmorden and walked along the canal (from bridge 24) up through the town. Crossing the Pennine Bridleway and up on to the moors at the big (erratic) stone, going up the steps at the reservoir avoiding the horde. We joined the stone path and followed that though the bog (lots of slurping noises from underfoot) to the Pennine Way. A clear path leads over to the Stoodley Pike monument - we stopped at a stone bench just beforehand for lunch and a flask of tea - and then down towards a plantation. Just  before the trees we turned down left through some sheep fields and on to a lane. Somewhere around here we mislaid the route, but there are plenty of lanes that lead to Hebden Bridge so we just carried on. The battery in my camera ran out somewhere around here too.

We walked through the edge of Hebden Bridge and rejoined the canal, following that back to bridge 24, admiring the boats, gardens and woodland.

Moors and Canals

Distance: about 16-17 miles
Ascent: 550m
Weather: very windy, warmer in the valley

Quite a late start for our first proper walk since finishing the Cleveland Way, we got packed up and were set off by about 10:30am. We headed up on to the nearby moors without any real plan or route in mind, I'd just thought we could head passed the Aiggin Stone and reservoirs towards Stoodley Pike and see how far we got, however out on the tops the wind was cold and unrelenting, so when Rob suggested taking a path down into the valley and walking along the Rochdale Canal back via Hollingworth Lake, that sounded like a fine idea.

Leaving the Pennine Way down a marked footpath at the end of Warland Reservoir, we then turned off to try and find a path which was clearly marked on the map, but in reality there was just moor and bog. Quite boggy bog. When we saw a chap on a mountain bike making good progress not far away, we made a beeline to where he was in the hope that his path would be dry. Or indeed, just be a path. We arrived on a line of paving slabs though the bog, leading towards the nearby reservoir. The line of this path bears no relation to any of the footpaths shown on the map, but we weren't complaining. We skirted the reservoir, came down a flight of steps and down a clear grassy path, stopping briefly to visit a big rock, and then down to join the Pennine Bridleway. The PBW leads back into Todmorden and down (with a fair bit of up as well) to the Rochdale Canal.

This bit of the Rochdale canal was very pleasant - we stopped for some lunch on a rickety bench, watched a family negotiating a lock, saw lots of flowers including yellow flag iris, columbine and stork's bill, and walked passed the highest broad canal lock in the country. We also saw a Hell Dog, which was not pleasant.

Leaving the canal, we followed a nice footpath towards Hollinworth Lake (popular as ever) and then met up with the PBW again for a while, under the M62 motorway and along the track along the hillside parallel to the motorway back up to the aerial and the car.

Rishworth and Wessenden Moors

Distance: 21 miles
Ascent: 1000m
Weather: cool in wind, bright and dry
Seen: Kestrel, wheatears, lambs, mountain hare, small tortoiseshells, bad spelling.

Our plan to set off early was slightly spoiled by our chosen carpark being commandeered by a film crew with lots of trucks and trailers. So we had to drive a bit further and park along the A640 to set off from there. We walked over White Hill on the Pennine Way and through said carpark (there was a man combing his hair in truck wing mirror but I wasn't brave enough to ask him what they were filming.)

As we crossed the M62 footbridge a decision was made to make the walk quite long and head over Blackstone  Edge to the Aiggen Stone and follow Blackwood  Edge Road and go over Dog Hill. The path was slightly wet in places but nothing that couldn't be easily skirted by those not wearing waterproof shoes. We stopped for lunch by a rocky shelter and pondered what bees do for food up on Rishworth Moor at this time of year. We walked along the path of the old road until we reached the wall at Privy Clough where we met a couple of chaps with very large motorbikes contemplating their route. We left them there - contemplating that in a bog, a pair of walking boots is far more appropriate than pair of wheels with half a ton of bike on top.

Finding the steps over the wall, we headed down off Shrimp Hill down a farm track, seeing lots of little lambs and a flock of wheatears. The track went through the middle of a little hamlet, with comedy signs on their gates, and then under Booth Wood Reservoir, up a steep wooded hillside and on to a track which goes under the M62 motorway, at the farm in the middle of the carriageways. It must be a noisy place to live, but the farmer, whom we saw a couple of times, seemed very friendly.

We left the track and climbed the hill on open access land, crossing a couple of lanes, negotiating a footpath detour around Scammonden Reservoir and passing by a farm / scrapyard, before coming out onto Slaithwaite Moor.

Dropping down into Marsden (passing a lot of pissed up people heading for the station on the ale trail) we took a footpath over a tiny bridge, passed the church.We were still feeling quite energetic, so decided not to take the opportunity of a short cut back to the car, but  took the lane passed the factory and up the hundreds* (*maybe a slight exaggeration) of steps (complete with obligatory helpful people pointing out they were finding it much easier going down. Thanks) We took the lower level path around the top reservoir and crossed the footbridge. Up on Wessenden Moor navigation is easy, just follow the pavement, we saw a mountain hare, brown on his back with white winter fur around his tail, which we saw quite clearly as he scarpered.

Around Swellands Reservoir it started getting chilly as the sun dropped. The path leads around the water and then away to the west on stone slabs as it crosses the hill towards the A62 and the Pennine Way. The Way lead across Standedge and back to the car.

Windy Hill

Distance: 12 miles
Ascent: 350m
Weather: pleasant, sunny and no wind
Seen: Meadow pippets, ducks, blue sky.

With plans afoot (haha) for this year's big hike, we have started training again. This weekend saw us easing ourselves in gently, with a walk from Windy Hill, over Blackstone Edge to the end of Warland Reservoir and back - stopping for a couple of brews along the way.

Aiggin Stone Ramble

Distance: 20 miles
Ascent: 800m
Weather: chilly, warmer in the sun, cold wind

Not quite the official Aiggin Stone Ramble, or even the official short version, as we actually walked passed the Aiggen Stone.

Starting from the car park near the aerial (just up the road from Jn22 of the M62), we went around the Windy Hills, under the motorway and to Hollingworth Lake. Then through Littleborough, stopping at the King William IV pub in Shore (which looks very nice and serves food, but has no card machine) for refreshments and over the moors - where we saw a herd of horses roaming free, some pensive cows, a fed up sheep, a very pregnant (or fat) Balwen sheep and a bunny. Down a steep sided hill into Todmorden, we followed the canal (which didn't at all smell of dog poo, unlike last time we went there) for a couple of miles (stopping for a snack and some rucksack faffing) and then up the other side of the valley from Walland up the Light Hazzles. Back along the track by the reservoirs, past the White House Inn, over Blackstone Edge and back along the Pennine Way.

In which there are sheep

Yesterday's walk was over Rishworth Moor, from Green Withens Reservoir around Dog Hill (9,5 miles). Didn't see any dogs but we did see plenty of sheep, which is fine by us. The day started fine but breezy and got windier. The rain just started as we were stopping off at the Co-op to buy beer on the way home.

Sheep on the moors

Sheep in the grass

Sheep in fields

Crackly wires

White Hill

Today we went out for a walk over the moors, from White Hill over Poole Hill and back (8,5 miles). It did start raining as we were heading back to the car, but as the weather recently has been consistent if nothing else we were prepared and had taken our waterproofs.

Towards Marsden

Foxgloves

Lookout Sheep

The moors are greener than I think I've ever seen them. Even with the clouds of impending wetness looming overhead.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day