Chris Maylor, who runs a Saddleworth Discovery Walks blog and Facebook page, enjoys a relaxed walks away from the daily grind.
For more information about local walks, email Chris at saddleworthdiscoverywalks@gmail.com or visit his Facebook page or website.
SETTING OUT from the Rams Head Inn, above Denshaw, a friend and I wanted to get out for one last outing before she returned to the Dolomites for the rapidly approaching ski season.
The descent of the old packhorse road, known as Rapes Highway, was delightfully quick and we were soon skipping along the banks of the Piethorne and Ogden Reservoirs as we chatted about past and future planned adventures.
Passing the remains of Rock Hole Farm, which serve as lasting testament to the various farmsteads which occupied the valley before the construction of the reservoirs, we soon reached Tunshill Lane where we enjoyed the first glimpse of the South Pennines and the route yet to come.
Dropping into the secluded and seldom visited Longden End Clough we crossed the busy M62 motorway, along which a grid-locked procession of vehicles carried their cocooned passengers on their mundane daily commute. How happy we were not to be part of this daily grind.
After crossing Clegg Moor, we continued northward along Broad Head Drain, before turning east along the course of a well preserved ancient Roman Road.
At the top of the ascent we paused for a short while at the Aiggin Stone, which is an ancient waymarker which for centuries has guided travellers across these wild and unforgiving moors.
Turning south, we headed along the great geological ridge that is Blackstone Edge. Reaching the brilliant white pyramid that is the Ordnance Survey triangulation point, we sat atop Robin Hoods Bed where we basked in the delightful vista which stretched out before us to the west.
Pressing on we followed the Pennine Way back across the motorway and over Bleakedgate Moor, to return to the Rams Head via the Rooden Catchwater Drain and Rapes Highway.
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