13th May 2015 - A Dove Stone Horseshoe
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.8 miles
Total ascent: 2034 ft
OS map used: OL1 - The Peak District, Dark Peak area
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Dove Stone Reservoir-Yeoman Hay Reservoir-Greenfield Reservoir-Greenfield Brook-Birchen Clough-Raven Stones-Ashway Rocks-Dean Rocks-Fox Stone-Dish Stone Brow-Chew Reservoir-Stable Stones Brow-Wimberry Rocks-Alphin Pike-Alphin Brow-Bradbury Lane-Dove Stone Reservoir
One of my favourite things about walking in the Peak District are the gritstone edge top walks that can be done and one of the best of those are the edges above Dove Stone Reservoir in Saddleworth. I had lovely spring weather today for taking in the full round. I have done this walk a couple of times before but in reverse. Then I didn't know where the access point for Alphin Pike was, so I ended up resorting to a pathless climb through heather, plus going down Birchen Clough to Greenfield Brook can be tricky. There were no problems going this way round, once on Alphin Pike there's an obvious path to follow above Alphin Brow down to the edge of access land.
From the car park at Dove Stone Reservoir I set off by following the track round Dove Stone Reservoir, past Yeoman Hey Reservoir and Greenfield Reservoir and up Greenfield Brook. A thin path then climbs up Birchen Clough past the cascades before crossing the brook and heading to the top of Raven Stones Brow. This is where the edge walk begins; past Raven Stones to Ashway Rocks, across Ashway Clough to Dean Rocks and then from the Fox Stone over Dish Stone Brow to Chew Reservoir. I could have cut the walk short here by heading down the Chew Road but I decided to keep going. A path above Chew Brook heads for the top of Stable Stones Brow and then continues to the end of the ridge on Alphin Pike. I then followed the path above Alphin Brow down to the edge of access land. The track of Bradbury Lane brought me back to the car park at Dove Stone.
Total ascent: 2034 ft
OS map used: OL1 - The Peak District, Dark Peak area
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Dove Stone Reservoir-Yeoman Hay Reservoir-Greenfield Reservoir-Greenfield Brook-Birchen Clough-Raven Stones-Ashway Rocks-Dean Rocks-Fox Stone-Dish Stone Brow-Chew Reservoir-Stable Stones Brow-Wimberry Rocks-Alphin Pike-Alphin Brow-Bradbury Lane-Dove Stone Reservoir
One of my favourite things about walking in the Peak District are the gritstone edge top walks that can be done and one of the best of those are the edges above Dove Stone Reservoir in Saddleworth. I had lovely spring weather today for taking in the full round. I have done this walk a couple of times before but in reverse. Then I didn't know where the access point for Alphin Pike was, so I ended up resorting to a pathless climb through heather, plus going down Birchen Clough to Greenfield Brook can be tricky. There were no problems going this way round, once on Alphin Pike there's an obvious path to follow above Alphin Brow down to the edge of access land.
From the car park at Dove Stone Reservoir I set off by following the track round Dove Stone Reservoir, past Yeoman Hey Reservoir and Greenfield Reservoir and up Greenfield Brook. A thin path then climbs up Birchen Clough past the cascades before crossing the brook and heading to the top of Raven Stones Brow. This is where the edge walk begins; past Raven Stones to Ashway Rocks, across Ashway Clough to Dean Rocks and then from the Fox Stone over Dish Stone Brow to Chew Reservoir. I could have cut the walk short here by heading down the Chew Road but I decided to keep going. A path above Chew Brook heads for the top of Stable Stones Brow and then continues to the end of the ridge on Alphin Pike. I then followed the path above Alphin Brow down to the edge of access land. The track of Bradbury Lane brought me back to the car park at Dove Stone.
Route map
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It's a lovely morning as I set off on the track round Dove Stone Reservoir
Alderman's Hill
Looking back across Dove Stone Reservoir to Wimberry Stones Brow and Alphin Pike
Yeoman Hey Reservoir
Looking across Yeoman Hey Reservoir to Great Dove Stone Rocks and Stable Stones Brow
Greenfield Reservoir
and looking back across Greenfield Reservoir to Alderman's Hill and Upper Wood Edge
Greenfield Brook
At the bottom of Holme Clough
Looking back down the valley of Greenfield Brook..
..before I follow the path up Birchen Clough
Holme Clough as I reach the top of Raven Stones Brow
Greenfield Reservoir
The Trinnacle
Greenfield Brook below, Holme Clough and Middle Edge Moss from Raven Stones
A great view from my lunch stop on Ashway Rocks. Alphin Pike behind Dove Stone Reservoir and Alderman's Hill.
Ashway Clough and Dean Rocks
The memorial cross as I follow the path to Ashway Clough
I really liked this view of Dove Stone Reservoir and Alderman's Hill from Dean Rocks
Dean Rocks
The cairn on Fox Stone
I have a more distant view from up here as I can now see over the top of Alderman's Hill. Winter Hill in the distance on the left then the West Pennine Moors to Scout Moor and Freeholds Top above Rossendale.
Great views across Dove Stone Reservoir to Saddleworth as I make my way to Dish Stone Brow and Chew Reservoir..
Chew Reservoir
The top of Stable Stones Brow ahead as I make my way along the path above Chew Brook
Looking back up the valley of Chew Brook as I reach Stable Stones Brow
I think I got my favourite photo of the day from here. Saddleworth, Dove Stone Reservoir and Alderman's Hill.
My edge top walk will come to an end when I reach Alphin Pike. I'll make a short detour to the top of Wimberry Rocks first.
On top of Wimberry Rocks. It's quite a substantial crag for climbing.
Saddleworth as I head for Alphin Pike
The trig point on Alphin Pike
On this westerly outlier of the Peak District I can see south past the western slopes of Kinder Scout to hills such as Chinley Churn and Shining Tor.
Winter Hill and the West Pennine Moors in the distance as I follow the obvious path down Alphin Brow
There's also a really great view of the hills around Saddleworth
Down this track and I'll leave access land for Bradbury Lane
The village of Greenfield below
The Dove Stone dam in sight at last