Curbar Gap

April 8th 2026

CURBAR GAP, BASLOW EDGE, WELLINGTON’S MONUMENT, BIG MOOR, WHITE EDGE, FROGGATT EDGE, CURBAR EDGE, BRIDGE INN.

 

Distance: 8 miles Ascent/descent: 1,080ft

Difficulty: Easy 

Weather: Bright

Walkers , Steve Brearley Mike Cassini, Mark Enright. Hughie Hardiman, Stuart Kitchen, Greg Owen, Keith Welsh Simon Williams Cliff Worthington

Alternative Walkers: Jock and Keiran Rooney with Millie,-

Leader: Mike Cassini. Diarist:  Mike Cassini

Starting point: Clodhall Lane Curbar Gap

Starting time: 9.53am. Finishing time: 1.35.pm.

 

Aficionados can follow Mark Enright’s route on Strava

https://strava.app.link/XPUlcn36b2b

 

In the past few weeks, we have had all extremes of weather and fortunately this week it was the hottest day of the year so far, with perfect walking weather on a perfect scenic walking route. Perhaps the only issue was that it was Easter week and there were particularly large numbers of walkers about.

There are a number of detailed notes from previous walks on this route Alan Hart’s and Pete Beal’s originals up to June last year, so the route was easy to follow, excepting having to ignore the Grouse pub on the way past and stopping afterwards at the bottom of the hill at the Bridge Inn , drinking in the beer garden on a glorious afternoon.

Previous notes detail the walk as 4 edges when it could really be 5 – Baslow Edge, towards the Wellington monument, although we were not at the edge, Blackstone Edge past the monument and then at right angles to this, White Edge. Between these two is Greg’s Bridge where, following a muddy path, a rudimentary bridge caused a potentially unpleasant fall. Fortunately, Greg was able to continue on the walk negotiating the hazardous path at the end of White Edge and at the end of the walk along Froggatt and Curbar Edge, when for no particular good reason I took the law into my own feet and walked over Curbar down a not well marked pathleading directly to the car park! In my defence I knew there was a path somewhere and I didn’t want to end up below the car park and have to walk a couple of hundred yards up the hill as we did last time.

We then got in the cars and met Jock and Kieran in the beer Garden with Milly and a very friendly New Zealand Huntaway (dog!)

Next week hopefully with Dean or without we will meet at the Sportsman in Hayfield to walk  probably up the Dragons’ back meet at 9:40 SK22 

 

Glossop Low

 

GLOSSOP LOW

 

April 1st 2026 

 

OLD GLOSSOP, HOPE STREET, CHARLES LANE, COCK HILL, GLOSSOP LOW, CLOUGH EDGE, REAPS FARM, TRANS PENNINE TRAIL, GLOSSOP CEMETERY, B6105, SWINESHAW RESERVOIR, CASTLE HILL, QUEEN’S ARMS IN OLD GLOSSOP

 

 

Distance: 8.0 miles​  Ascent/descent: 1344 ft

 

Difficulty: Moderate. One long climb

 

Weather: Mostly fine & dry, 1 very short light shower 

 

Walkers:  Andrew Blease, Mike Cassini, Jim Riley with Flossie, Greg Owens, Hughie Hardiman with Coco, Mark Enright, Steve Brearley.

 

Alternative walkers: Jock Rooney with Milly

 

Apologies: quite a lot

 

Leader: Blease, Diarist: Blease

 

Starting point: Rough car park opposite The Wheatsheaf, Old Glossop. SK13 7RS

 

Starting time: ​0945​​  Finishing time: 1330

 

This was a copy of the walk that we had done just under one year earlier on the 9th April 2025, these notes have been heavily plagiarised from the notes written at that time by Russell, who I think in turn had plagiarised notes previously written by Alan Hart.

 

Everyone arrived approximately on time so we set off, turning right out of the car park opposite we ascended Hope Street and turned left in to Charles Lane, where at a private drive leading to Moorlands, we took a narrow and partly concealed path on the left signed to Access Land.

 

A steep, rocky ascent at first on the enclosed path brought us on to the open moors, the path eventually emerged at the trig point on Cock Hill (1,398 feet). From here the gradients eased and we soon reached the familiar ruins of the shooting box at the Glossop Low summit (1,574 feet), the highest point of the walk.

 

Usually, Pie time is taken here but we arrived slightly ahead of 11am and decided to walk on and take lunch around 12 noon.

 

From the ruins of the shooting box we took a less than clear path down to reach the Pennine Way at Clough Edge. Once on the Way we were treated to clear views of Longdendale with Torside Reservoir and its sailing club below us, and above it Woodhead Reservoir. Together with Rhodeswood, Valehouse and Bottoms reservoir just below these, this group formed the largest expanse of artificially-constructed water reserves in the world when they opened in 1877. They provide around a quarter of Greater Manchester’s water.

 

 

The path dropped steeply as Reaps Farm came in to view. We reached a broad track at the foot and turned left to reach and cross the B6105 road to join the six-and-a-half mile long LongdendaleTrail, which also forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail between Liverpool and Hull. The trail follows the route of the Manchester to Sheffield rail line, which closed in 1981.

 

The Trail is a nice and easy flat walk. After about 40 minutes we stopped for lunch, a check on the time led us to the conclusion that we would not make the Queens Head in Old Glossop at the agreed time of 13.30. In order to cut approximately two miles off our planned route, we took a footpath on our left, this led us through a couple of fields, we eventually emerged on the driveway of Glossop  Cemetery, we were back on the planned route.

 

Walking through the Cemetery we exited via a shallow stile in the wall to cross into a field, turning right into a cottage garden (which looks like a stonemasons yard). We crossed the B6105, where we did a right and immediately left over a stile to more fields.

 

Instead of turning right at the second field, we followed the other path, past the reservoir and down across the brook, which took us past ‘Reubens Retreat’ a charity for bereaved families (where the white and multicoloured peacocks roam). It was then a short walk back to the car park. We de-booted and drove our cars down to the Queens Head to meet Jock and Millie for refreshments, just about on time.

 

Details of next week’s walk – Mark volunteered an absent Dean to lead a walk starting from the George Pub Car Park in Hayfield(SK22 2JE) at 0940 and finishing at approximately 1345. To his credit, Dean has since accepted this challenge and will lead a walk which will include going over Dragon’s Back. Refreshments will be taken at the Hayfield Club which will open its doors at 1330.

 

Happy Wandering! 

Whaley Bridge

March 25th 2026

Whaley Bridge,Elnor Lane Shallcross Hall and Farm, Fernilee Reservoir, Errwood Reservoir, Pyms Chair, Windgather Rocks, Cock Inn .

Distance: 8.99 miles.

Difficulty: Challenging

Weather: Sleet and Snow Showers, very occasionally clear.

Walkers Andy Blease, Mike Cassini, Mark Enright, Hughie Hardiman, Keith Welsh.

Alternative Walkers: Jock Rooney and Millie.

Leader: Hughie Hardiman. Diarist:  Mike Cassini

Starting point: Cock Inn Whaley Bridge

Starting time: 9.45am. Finishing time: 1.10.

If last week we were Hardy and Intrepid climbing Mam Tor in warm, beautiful sunshine, this week to climb to Windgather in sleet and snow we were more likely Laurel and Hardy. Winter came back to bite us with vicious sleet flurries, cutting directly into our faces on occasion, or blowing us sideways as we clambered up the many slopes.

We began peacefully enough on the path behind the Cock until we had gone about 50 yards when the first sleet came down. Fortunately, at this stage we were reasonably protected by the trees which gave some form of shelter. However, unfortunately the cover was not available on the edge of Windgather or climbing to Pym’s Chair.

We walked along Elnor Lane out of Whaley Bridge following a route Birthday Boy and leader Hughie said was his first Wednesday Wanderers walk. This led us towards Fernilee reservoir and more sleet, walking on the northern edge of the reservoir towards Errwood reservoir. Here, we began an ascent towards Pyms Chair – again in sleet and snow flurries. At the top we took shelter among the rocks of Windgather before beginning our descent through fields  and the Midshires Way back to the Cock where Hughie treated us to drinks and chips to celebrate his 63rd birthday. 

Next week’s walk will start at 9.45amfrom the rough car park in front of the Wheatsheaf in Well Gate, Old Glossop, SK137RS. Hopefully back at the Queen’s in Old Glossop for 1pm to 1:30pm

 

Castleton

March 18th 2026

Peak Cavern, Speedwell Cavern, Treak Cliff Cavern, Blue John Cavern, Mam Tor, Hollins Cross, Spring House Farm, Castleton.

Distance: 6.3 miles.

Difficulty: Stiff starting climb.

Weather: Warm clear skies occasional wet underfoot .

Walkers Peter Beale, Andy Blease, Mike Cassini, Russell Spencer, Simon Williams, Cliff Worthington.

Alternative Walkers: Jock and Kieran Rooney and Millie.

Leader: Peter Beale. Diarist:  Mike Cassini

Starting point: Parking outside Peak cavern

Starting time: 9.45am. Finishing time: 1.30.pm

Only six hardy, intrepid walkers took advantage of the unseasonally warm weather, not shaken or stirred by the one and a half hour climb from Castleton to the top of Mam Tor, in sub tropical conditions. All were down to sweaty t-shirts by the time the trig point was reached, top layers removed to lower rising body temperatures.

Meeting on the road outside the Devil’s Arse cavern we turned right taking the footpath past and up Goosehill Hall towards and past Speedwell cavern, across to Treak Cliff Cavern and ever upwards towards Blue John Cavern. Eventually we reached the top of Mam Tor, where as usual a number of disparate walkers were taking photos and selfies. We walked on to Hollins Cross where lunch/Pie time was taken and we could take in the view, noting the paragliders who were getting ready, when we were at the trig point. By the end of the day there were more than 20 gliders, top layers mainly replaced due to the March wind.

As we were not making good time instead of Hope, our intended destination, we cut back along the path down towards Castleton, where we met the busy high street 100 yards or so from the Cheshire Cheese. Here Jock, Kieran and Millie joined us (Farmers Blonde was £5.10 a pint).

Next week we will climb Windgather, meeting in Whaley Bridge at 9:40 finishing for drinks at the Cock Pub – where it is possible to park on the main road though traditionally we meet in the car park at Tom Brad’s Croft SK23 7LX.