Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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2nd May 2013 - The Saddleworth Edges

Walk Details

​Distance walked: 11.0 miles

Total ascent: 1918 ft

OS map used: OL1 - The Peak District, Dark Peak area

Time taken: 7 hrs

Route description: Dove Stone Reservoir-Bradbury Lane-Intake Lane-Alphin Pike-Wimberry Rocks-Chew Reservoir-Dish Stone Brow-Fox Stone-Dean Rocks-Ashway Rocks-Raven Stones Brow-Birchen Clough-Greenfield Reservoir-Yeoman Hey Reservoir-Dove Stone Reservoir

A beautiful spring day for this walk along the Saddleworth Edges.

After parking in the car park below the Dove Stone dam the first thing I did was walk away along Bradbury Lane. This becomes a track and where it ends at Intake Lane I turned left. At a convenient spot just before the plantation is reached I commenced a pathless ascent of Alphin Pike. From the trig point I then walked along the moor edge over Wimberry Rocks and above Chew Brook to arrive at Chew Reservoir. More moorland edge walking was then done above Dish Stone Brow, Dean Rocks, Ashway Rocks and Raven Stones Brow. My route back was down Birchen Clough and past Greenfield, Yeoman Hey and Dove Stone Reservoirs to the car park.

Route map
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© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.

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On the track of Bradbury Lane with the dam of the Dove Stone Reservoir and the moorland edges I'll be walking in the distance
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A climb through heather brought me to the summit of Alphin Pike. Looking south to Harridge Pike and Wild Bank Hill.
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The view to the northwest towards the distant West Pennine Moors and South Pennines
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Zooming in on Manchester city centre. The tallest building on the left is the Beetham Tower.
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I've set off for Wimberry Rocks and I have a great view down to Dove Stone Reservoir and across to the edges I'll be walking along later in the day
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On Wimberry Rocks
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Dove Stone and Yeoman Hey Reservoirs from Wimberry Rocks. Alderman's Hill is on the other side of the valley.
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Above the valley of Chew Brook
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and looking back down the valley
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Chew Reservoir. Not quite as full as you would expect it to be.
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The best part of the walk is still to come as I start the edge walk on Dish Stone Brow..
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Bramley's Cot. The ruins of a shooting lodge built into the side of the hill.
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Alderman's Hill behind the cairn on Fox Stone
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Dove Stone Reservoir from the Fox Stone with the village of Greenfield beyond
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Alderman's Hill and Upper Wood Edge. A bit of Yeoman Hey Reservoir can be seen.
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A much better view of them from neighbouring Dean Rocks
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On Dean Rocks
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After crossing Ashway Gap I made my next stop of the day above Ashway Rocks. Alphin Pike, which was my first stop of the day is behind Dove Stone Reservoir.
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Dean Rocks from Ashway Rocks
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The final elevated part of the walk on Raven Stones Brow. Greenfield Brook is below as it heads up into the Saddleworth Moors to become Holme Clough.
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The Trinnacle against the backdrop of Greenfield Reservoir
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Birchen Clough, my route of descent
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A path follows the right hand bank..
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..down into a steep sided ravine
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Cascades in Birchen Clough
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Raven Stones Brow above Greenfield Reservoir
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Beside Yeoman Hey Reservoir
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Dean Rocks and Great Dove Stone Rocks above Yeoman Hey Reservoir
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Yeoman Hey Reservoir
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Back by Dove Stone Reservoir. Time to pay the ice-cream van a visit.

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2023                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
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  • Walking Diaries
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  • Lake District Walks
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