Old Glossop

 July 13, 2022.

THE WHEATSHEAF AT OLD GLOSSOP, MOORSIDE, COCK HILL, TORSIDE CLOUGH, CLOUGH EDGE, LONGDENDALE VALLEY TRAIL, THE ANCHOR AT HADFIELD, GLOSSOP CEMETERY, SWINESHAW RESERVOIR, THE QUEENS AT OLD GLOSSOP

Distance: 8.5 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Hot and sunny with cooling breeze.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Mark Enright, Martin Evans, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, Dean Taylor, Cliff Worthington.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Andy Blease (in Anglesey), Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe (domestic duties), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Chris Owen, Julian Ross, Jock Rooney, Keith Welsh (awaiting delivery), Dave Willetts (in France)

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Wasteland opposite Wheatsheaf pub in Old Glossop, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.51am. Finishing time: 1.52pm.

After a previous effort to reach the spectacular viewpoint from Deepclough had been thwarted by footpath closures, Peter Beal vowed to find us an alternative route. This was the trial run for another means of getting there and what a triumph it proved to be.

A cooling breeze took the edge off what threatened to be an uncomfortably hot day and enabled us to enjoy the scenery of the Longdendale Valley at its best. The closure of the footpath through Blackshaw Farm may prove to be a blessing in disguise because on this circular journey we never retraced our footsteps at any stage.

Even when we suffered a setback with the quality of the cask bitter in The Anchor, the barmaid was quick to apologise and bring us free replacements as we basked in the sunshine outside.

Those who failed to make it shall think themselves accursed they were not here and hold their manhoods cheap (Henry V, Act 4, Scene 3)

From the informal car park opposite The Wheatsheaf in Old Glossop we turned right to enter Hope Street, which became Charles Lane (4mins). As this road petered out by the side of a house called Moorside we went left up a rather overgrown footpath to the left of the drive.

This brought us into a field and we stayed on this footpath all the way to the Trig Point (426 metres) at Cock Hill.

View looking back to Glossop

After reaching a brief plateau on our ascent of Cock Hill we forked left and aimed for a wooden post on the distant skyline (39mins). We soon reached the summit and posed for a team photo (49mins)

Left to right: Martin Evans, Mark Gibby, Mark Enright, Cliff Worthington, Hughie Hardiman, Dean Taylor and Peter Beal.

From the Trig Point we continued in the same northerly direction with grouse butts on our right to reach the derelict roofless building between Glossop Low and Blackshaw Clough which has hosted many a Pietime on previous occasions (57mins)

After a break for snacks and port we continued in a northerly direction along a path through a cleft in the heather until we reached a view over Rhodeswood and Torside Reservoirs (65mins)

Descending Clough Edge

We then walked down Clough Edge until we reached a path (84mins) and turned left.

A path on the right (90mins) led us down to a wooden kissing gate and two gaps stiles through which we reached the B6105. By turning left, crossing the road and turning sharp left at a sign for West Hadfield we were walking along The Longdendale Valley Trail (95mins)

The Longdendale Trail follows the former Woodhead railway line which ran between Manchester and Sheffield until it closed east of Hadfield in 1981.

We followed the trackbed until it brought us past Bottoms Reservoir on our right to a car park in Hadfield (137mins)

Bottoms Reservoir

We exited the car park, crossed the road and passed Malvern Rise on our right before heading to the left of a flagpole and statue to head up Railway Street (139mins). When we reached a crossroads we turned right and The Anchor was on our left (144mins)

In the past we have enjoyed excellent Tetleys' cask bitter in this pub which is run by an efficient team of ladies. On this occasion your diarist found his pint tasted sour and looked slightly cloudy. The barmaid replaced it with lager and said she hoped the previous pints she had pulled for our group were OK.

In fact there were three unhappy drinkers at our beer table outside and on returning some glasses I reported that there was something wrong with the Tetleys. As we were leaving the barmaid came out with two fresh pints of John Smiths' Smooth and apologised for the beer she had poured earlier. If only all pubs were so obliging.

We turned right out of the pub and walked back along the main road, passing Railway Street on our left as we walked for a mile uphill until we reached Glossop Cemetery at Bettenhill on our left (162mins). Here we stopped for lunch at the gates.

Continuing our journey we walked through the cemetery to its far surrounding wall and crossed a flight of stone steps to exit the grounds and turn right (165mins)

Walking through a wooden gate the path then took us through a farm garden piled up with stonework and flags. We reached the B6105 (167mins), turning right and then left at a wooden public footpath sign to proceed along the right of way.

After crossing a broken drystone wall (170mins) just before reaching Swineshaw Reservoir we turned right and followed a path which skirted woods on our left.

Approaching Swineshaw Reservoir

The path took us through two fence gates and a metal kissing gate (180mins) from which we emerged among houses on a road which took us to the right side of The Wheatsheaf in Old Glossop (183mins). From here we returned to the cars to de-boot (184mins) before calling at The Queens nearby for a final thirst-quencher.

Next week's walk will start at 9.50am from free parking spaces at Topley Pike outside the entrance to the quarry. It is opposite the pay-and-display car park on the other side of the A6 heading south east from Buxton (SK17 9TE)

We intend to walk along the Wye Valley before crossing the river and heading through farmland to reach The Church Inn at Chelmorton around 12.20pm. We will be returning via Deep Clough and expect to be back at our cars by 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !