Introduction

After a couple of weeks concentrating on the beautiful limestone valleys of the White Peak, I decided it was time to get out on the moors to the north this week.

So, I headed out on the M67, then the A628 Woodhead Pass, and finally the A6024 to Holmbridge. The A6024 is an exciting drive, and one I hadn’t experienced before.

At the top of Holme Moss, on the Derbyshire / West Yorkshire border, the weather was quite eerie, so I stopped to take a picture.

Soon after, the mist cleared. and it was a lovely sunny day for a couple of hours. Then the mist rolled back and sunshine was interspersed with low cloud and mizzly rain.

The walk is approximately 8 miles with 1315ft, 400m, of ascent.

Holmbridge is about three-quarters of an hour’s drive from Cheadle Hulme.

The walk took about 3 hours , plus a 20 minute lunch stop.

Much of this walk was on fenced or walled tracks, so it would be good for dog walking.

The walk is on OS Explorer Map OL1.

The start is in the village of Holmbridge, use postcode HD9 2NQ. I parked on the main road just past the rather attractive looking “Pickled Pheasant”!

Digley Reservoir

Opposite the large church is the village cricket ground, and I took the track that runs alongside it.

It is a lovely wooded valley, after which I emerged into bright sunshine.

When the path up through the copse met the road it was a short walk to the resplendent Digley Reservoir.

I continued up the road and along a track to give more great views of the water. An alternative path would provide a lakeside circuit of this reservoir.

At 11am there was quiet for remembrance up on the moors, apart from the Emirates giant Airbus circling to approach Manchester Airport some 20+ miles away.

Marsden Clough

There was time for a last view (for a while) of the reservoir from a dilapidated dry stone wall.

I passed an ancient farm building which was home to a large flock of jackdaws. How this building was still standing, given the massive crack in the left end of the facing wall, I really didn’t know!

Autumn colours were much in evidence as I descended near a wood on my way to the clough.

Soon, the brook came into view. Nice spot to stop for lunch, I decided.

The Moors

The next section was across the open moorland of Wessenden Head, infamous for its association with Brady and Hindley. The clouds were blowing in now as I passed the grouse butts!

A helicopter was active, fetching and dropping huge bags of aggregate or other material up on the tops near Holme Moss Transmitting Station.

Meanwhile, as I returned to cultivated land, a farmer was working two dogs in the middle distance, and gathering sheep together – always fascinating to watch.

This group were easily attracted by food!

Holme

I soon arrived in the village of Holme where there was interesting architecture.

A 19th century school –

A farm doorway, the farm having been named in the Domesday Book –

And I loved this road sign carved into the Sunday School stonework –

Ramsden and Brownhill Reservoirs

The path from Holme was delightful, and the waterfall marked on the map was quite impressive.

Brownhill Reservoir soon appeared in the distance through the colourful woodland.

It is a pretty water feature, especially at this time of year.

As indeed, is its smaller, but higher partner, Ramsden Reservoir.

The outfall between the reservoirs provided a huge canvas for the local graffiti artists. I rather liked this.

And here are the two reservoirs, with the weather looking decidedly threatening!

I really enjoyed this walk, and will explore this previously unvisited (by me) area again. Perhaps a summer reservoir stroll with time to take in the Pickled Pheasant!

And Finally….

I have a rash of live gigs to attend in the next few weeks. Next up it’s Seasick Steve at The Lowry this Sunday. This is about 8 years old, but one I really like, “Purple Shadows”.