Walk Description

I left home about 10am and made the relatively short journey across eastern Greater Manchester to the small village of Mill Brook near Stalybridge, where I parked in the Oakgate car park.  A short stroll through the Stalybridge Country Park brought me to Walkerwood Reservoir.  This is the lowest and most western of a series of four reservoirs that cut into the heart of the moors.

As I walked across the dam, I had good views to the east of Lees Hill (which was to be my lunch spot) and to the south to Wild Bank, the highest point of today's walk.  I walked eastwards along the north side of the reservoir past Brushes Farm and eventually reached a northwards swing in the path.  Here I was supposed to look for a faint sheep trod heading towards the summit of Harridge Pike.  I couldn't find that sheep trod and had to pick my own path through the heather.  When I reached the summit I spent a while soaking up the sun and enjoying the views across eastern Manchester.

Harridge Pike is an ancient site.  Flints and flint blades have been found just to the south of the summit and the high ground to the east of the Pike is the site of a Bronze Age barrow and cairn.  After admiring the extensive views I head past the barrow and made my way across the trackless moor to the section of the Pennine Bridleway that runs from Carrbrook to Hollingworth.  As I walked down the moor towards Higher Swineshaw Reservoir, I noticed half a millstone on the moorside.  It was a memorial to John Henry Mason and his wife Mary.  John was the Gamekeeper here from 1930 - 1970.  Higher Swineshaw Reservoir is the highest and wildest of the four reservoirs.  It was built in 1869.  The path across the dam and the waterboard walls looked freshly renorvated.  The walkway out to the water tower was guarded by an extrtemely flimsy chain.  I crossed the dam and headed up to the top of Lees Hill, passing the remains of North Britain farm.  I had lunch at Lees Hill, wishing the haze would clear.  It is an axcellent view point - to the south east are views of Higher Shelf Stones on Bleaklow and the western edge of Kinder.  In the far south I could just make out Shinning Tor and Shuttlingloe's distinctive triangular shape.

After a refreshing break I headed south west along the permissive path over Hollingworthhall Moor towards Wild Bank.  Up until now I had had the moors to myself.   However ths section of the walk is popular with the locals and I met about half a dozen people walking from Hollingworth and Matley.  Wild Bank summit came as a surprise.  The moor just seemed to be going on and on, I crossed the final stile and climbed a slight rise and there was the summit and the trig.  The trig was almost on the edge of the hill and just past it the land drops about 200m.  The views were extensive, right across Manchester to the west coast.  North Wales would have been visible if the air hadn't been so hazy.  It was now time to head to the car.  I walked over the edge and headed straight down following a dry stone wall.  I lost height very quickly and when I reached the path to Flaxfield Farm, I turned right and took the footpath skirting the bottom of the moor.  Just before I reached the Country Park, I passed the remains of an old rifle range.  From here it was just a short stroll to the car.  It had been a glorious day, the weather had been fantastic and I had even managed to avoid the crowds on a Bank holiday Saturday.