Author: Richard Statham

For our return after the summer break we’ll be continuing our exploration of the Manchester suburbs by visiting the countryside around Hyde. Werneth Low is a small hill which the MEN says has some of the best views over Manchester. Most hill walks start at the bottom but we’ll be doing the opposite and starting at the top of the hill (free parking). Heading away from the main Werneth Low viewing point we’ll head south west before starting our descent. After weaving through some woodland we’ll join up with the Peak Forest Canal and transition across to the River Tame. This is our first opportunity for an early lunch/snack break. After the early lunch stop we’ll head back across the river and briefly rejoin the canal. A disused railway line has been converted into a footpath and cycle route, this will take us north east for a few kilometres, back towards our starting point. We’ll branch off to the right and start our assent towards Werneth Low Country Park, making a decision wether to go off piste through Werneth Brook. Arriving at the A560 signals 10 minutes to go until the main viewing point at the war memorial and a short sharp ascent. We’ll take in the views and return to the cars.

During a winter trip to a cottage in Gradbach I noticed that the book shelf was full of books about The Roaches. Always intrigued, I noted it down with a plan to return to the rocky ridge at a later date. We’ll start the walk from Gradbach car park, walking through a local farm and turning off piste onto Gradbach Hill. We’ll head down the valley, weaving our way through the farmers fields, heading to the south end of the ridge for lunch. After lunch we’ll begin the ridge, taking the middle path which passes the rock climbing routes before turning right onto the ridge. The ridge has more stunning views and will lead us to the summit of The Roaches and beyond. We’ll descend from the ridge into the forest arriving at Lud’s Church, a huge chasm in the rock rumoured to be the hiding place for Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, Bonny Prince Charlie and Wyclef Jean. The walk will finish by returning into Gradbach and stopping at the Gradbach Mill Cafe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roaches
https://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/things-to-do/the-roaches-p676531
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lud’s_Church

I’ve travelled to Edale on many occasions to visit Edale Moor and Kinder Scout, but I’ve never visited Mam Tor on the other side. Rather than parking at the top and making the short walk to the summit, we’ll do the walk properly and make a day of it. Starting in Castleton we’ll skirt around the outside of Peveril Castle heading up the spectacular Cave Dale and across to the top of Winnats Pass. The first summit will be Mam Tor, we’ll either stop for lunch there or the nearest shelter. Mam Tor is the start of the great ridge, after which we’ll head over Hollins Cross to Lose Hill. From the top of Lose Hill we’ll have spectacular views of Hope and Castleton. We’ll finish by descending through the fields back to the cars. Castleton has lots of lovely pubs for a post walk pint.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/peveril-castle/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_Dale

Pendle Hill, not only famous for the Pendle Witches but also as the location of Yvette Fielding’s favourite episode of Most Haunted. The hill is a detached part of the Forest of Bowland, standing alone, surrounded by Burnley, Nelson, Colne and Clitheroe. Rather than walking with the hordes of people, we’ll head around the side to the reservoirs and up Ogden Clough. After tramping across the Pendle Hill plateau we’ll arrive on the other side, looking north west towards Clitheroe. Our lunchtime stopping point will be dependent on the weather but the summit can get quite breezy so we might head for a shelter. The hordes will then join the path just prior to reaching the summit before a short sharp descent. On the way back we’ll go via the Pendle Sculpture Trail and finish in a Barley pub.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendle_Hill
http://letswalkinpendle.btck.co.uk/thependlesculpturetrail

With Prestwich’s popularity ever increasing we thought we’d go and check out what it has to offer. When you take a look at Google Maps you notice a large green area with parks and the River Irwell near the M62, perfect to explore. We’ll start the walk from Philips Park, a former family home turned night club venue and conference facility now left abandoned until recent renovations. We’ll head north through the park and over the motorway before heading down a muddy path onto the Irwell Sculpture Trail. After a short walk along the disused railway we’ll climb the hill into Nuttall Wood where there will be the option to refuel. We’ll then head back onto the Sculpture Trail and through Ringley Wood, around the sewage works and across the river. Crossing the river brings us into Clifton Country Park, a popular spot with twitchers and the general public. To finish the walk we’ll head back under the motorway and down to the river’s edge, then recross the river into Prestwich Forest Park and back to the car park.

Watergrove Reservoir came to our attention when friend of The Fuse John Reed wrote a folk song about it. The building of the reservoir was a controversial project which involved submerging of Watergrove village. The ruins of the village can still be observed, especially during a drought. We’ll start the walk by heading around the reservoir and into the twitching zone. After passing the remains of the Watergrove Mill, the path will head up onto the Ramsden Road. On our way to the summit of the first hill we’ll pass Lower Slack Farm, Higher Slack Farm and the new wind farm. We’ll then loop around the hills, Rough Hill, Hades Hill, Middle Hill and possibly Brown Wardle Hill, before descend back to the reservoir. Finally we’ll circle the western half until we return to the car park.

http://www.visitrochdale.com/rochdale-all/where-to-go/watergrove-reservoir-p12901
http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/rochdale3.html

For our first longer walk of 2017 we’ll be heading to the Royal Forest of Macclesfield, a former hunting reserve of the Earls of Chester. We’ll ascend two separate hills on the walk, the ‘Matterhorn of Cheshire’ (Shutlingsloe) and Tegg’s Nose (Tegge being an early Norse settler and nose referring to it’s location). The walk will start at the Trentabank Reservoir car park, parking is £4.50 for the day. There is some free parking on the roads nearby so feel free to find another space but meet in the main car park at 10:30. First we’ll head to the summit of Shutlingsloe, before retracing our steps back into the forest. Via a combination of farmers fields and forest we’ll circle the perimeter of the forest and find somewhere for lunch. As we exit the forest Tegg’s Nose should become clear, we’ll zig zag to the Tegg’s Nose Country Park visitor centre, then up the ridge to the summit. To finish the walk we’ll descend the hill and follow the reservoirs back to the car park.