Introduction

On a beautiful cold, sunny day, I chose a waterside walk, not too difficult as I had a tennis match to play in the evening.

It’s just a half hour drive to Tintwistle from Cheadle Hulme.

The day was bright and still in the hazy sunshine.

The walk is 5 miles. It took 2 hours 20 minutes plus a 10 minute break for lunch.

Water Authority reservoirs are great places for dog walking, and this is no exception. Though, if you do take a dog here, I’d advise simply use the Longdendale Trail path after leaving the path alongside Rhodeswood Reservoir, as the path across the hillside is not suitable for a dog.

In fact, it’s difficult for most walkers due to locked gates along that little used right of way.

I walked in a clockwise direction.

I parked on the entrance area of Longdendale United Utilities site, postcode SK13 1HS, What 3 Words ///grouping.protect.workbench

Bottoms And Valehouse Reservoirs

From my parking spot, I headed down to the edge of Bottoms Reservoir. The water was completely still.

It’s a lovely walk along the tree lined water’s edge.

I reached the dam of Valehouse Reservoir, where an interesting information board related details from the 19th century dam constructions. Fascinating detail of the conflict between them, and the dam workers and also with the downstream mill owners.

The dismantled rail track on this side of the reservoir made for very easy walking.

The reflections of the opposite bank were visible through the trees.

Rhodeswood Reservoir

At the bottom of the Rhodeswood Dam is a small hydroelectric plant, and the powerful water flow demonstrates why it would be effective!

Crossing the dam, the sky and reservoir sandwich the land, and its reflection, upstream.

Downstream to Valehouse Reservoir is picturesque.

I crossed to the south side where the cavernous outfall with reflections of the opposite hillside in the water beyond it and reflections of the sky in front of it created a quite confusing photograph!

From here, the path rises, and gives an option to go up to the Longdendale Trail. I was pleased to stay on the lower path, as it gave splendid views across the water, and up to the dam of Torside Reservoir.

Longdendale Trail

Before reaching the dam, I turned right through this passage under the Longdendale Trail.

As mentioned in the introduction I took a route that went up to the Glossop road, then back over fields, passing a couple of farms. None of the path is signposted on the ground, and it was quite challenging and boggy. The last part, however, crossed a pretty babbling hillside brook.

I soon joined the Longdendale Trail, formerly a railway line joining Manchester and Sheffield, through the now redundant Woodhead Tunnels further up the valley.

I today, I used only a couple of hundred yards of the trail before leaving on the Trans Pennine

Trail.

Back To Tintwistle

The TPT track led me back down to the water’s edge. The hills block out the sun in winter, and the trees do so in summer, so the walls are covered in moss.

At the Valehouse Reservoir outfall and dam I noted the car park which can be accessed from the point where I had parked to give an alternative starting point for the walk.

The water remained perfectly still.

I made my way down to Bottoms Reservoir from where the pylons seem to be marching up the valley.

At the dam, there are dramatic engineering constructions controlling the flow of water back into the River Etherow.

This is a simple walk, with fantastic views and industrial heritage. The reservoirs in this valley provide 25% of Greater Manchester’s drinking water, and are therefore a vital resource, as well as a lovely place to visit.

And Finally….

Joan Armatrading has a fine new album out, “How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean”. This track is the moving “Redemption Love”.