Monday 8 September 2008

The amazing beauty on our doorstep


Today seemed like the first rain free day for ages so I decided to don my walking boots and head for the hills. If people realised how close Tameside is to the fantastic Peak District national park maybe more could be encouraged to explore the countryside. A car is not needed because there is a frequent train service from a good number of Tameside railway stations to Hadfield. From Hadfield station anyone wishing to experience the great outdoors would be advised to follow the Longendale Trail which follows part of the route of the former Great Central Railway mainline from Manchester to Sheffield.

If you follow the Longendale Trail for about three miles you will arrive at Crowden. Crowden is a decent starting point to deviate away from the flat Longendale Trail onto the open Moreland. An easy route for beginners would be a walk up to the disused quarry above Bleak House which is situated on the A628.
If anyone is interested in having a go this is my recommendation: When you reach the site of the former Crowden station, a place you will recognise by three brick built terraced houses raised on an embankment close to a small car park on the Trail. Leave the Trail via the car park entrance and walk down the hill, while being careful not to get run over because there is no pavement, where you will see Woodhead Reservoir on your right hand side. When you reach the bottom of the hill you will see a set of stone steps on your left - go up the steps and you will exit onto a narrow pavement opposite Bleak House, the home or former home of Tameside Advertiser wildlife columnist Sean Wood. At this point turn left and follow the pavement past Bleak House and the water pumping station until you see an opening opposite that leads to a small chapel. Cross the A628 here - at your own peril, because it is a busy road, and then follow the cobbled path up to the disused quarry. You may want to slightly deviate from the cobbled path to have a look at the small chapel - some of the inscriptions on the tombstones are moving and hidden within the small graveyard is the mass grave of thirty or so navvies who died in the construction of the original Woodhead Tunnel a project of which was said “that a soldier at the Battle of Waterloo had a better chance of survival than a navvy working on the Woodhead Tunnel construction“.
When you reach the disused quarry it is worth keeping your eyes open for Mountain Hares. On non snowy days in the winter they are easy to spot because their winter camouflage of white fur stands which out against the green of the grass, but at this time of year they are harder to spot because their fur is brown. You may also get angry as I do when you see the discarded litter left by selfish individuals who make the effort to reach the quarry then use it is a dumping site for plastic bottles, beer cans and even abandoned tents.
At this point, depending how tired you are, you may wish to turn back and retrace your route back to the Longendale Trail, but I would recommend you take the scenic route back which involves walking across the quarry until you reach far edge where you will be able to see two large valleys - one to your right and the other slightly to your left. If you followed the valley to your right for about two miles and then crossed the brook and then climbed up the waterfall you will come across the wreckage of two Gloster Meteor aircraft - but that is quite a tiring expedition for someone not used to hill walking.
For an easy way back to your starting point make your way from the quarry onto the path below and bear to your left. You will then see a fence with a small step affixed where you would cross. Then follow the steep path down until you arrive at the farm at the bottom. Then follow the path that passes Crowden camping site until you reach the A628 at the site of the old vicarage. Cross the road here and then enter the land adjoining Torside reservoir. Follow the path for 80 yards and then pass through the gate on the left. You will then be able to see the three terraced former railway houses at Crowden in the distance. Keep on walking on the path you are now on while on the way admiring the magnificent stonework that makes up part of the water collection system designed and built by the outstanding Victorian civil engineer John Frederick Bateman and before you know it you will be back at the point where you deviated from the Longendale Trail. (Apologies for the sloppy layout of the text – I think Blogger is experiencing a glitch)

The photos are some of the sights you can expect to see on this walk.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, and some very good photography to illustrate the scenery.

Don't ever let the developers destroy it.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

What about the sheep Westy you have been seen in wellies on your so called leafleting trips and you are very well known for bleating on and on.

Anonymous said...
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