Sunday March 1st

 Marsden to Pots and Pans

David had not been out for a while, and he fancied stretching his legs. The walk from Marsden to Pots and Pans has always been challenging, and to do this would be very satisfying. Knowing that the walk could be shortened slightly by parking just off the A62 rather than the station car park, this seemed a good idea-especially as the final stretch up to the car park is quite up hill!

The initial section of the walk goes up the Standedge Trail, all the way up to the parking spot that used to be Peter's Transport (later Pennine Way) Café. I was graced with a rainbow at the start of the walk.

After the site of the café, the walk descends to Diggle Edge, where I should have turned left. However, I had stuck in my mind that I should stay of the Oldham Way for longer than I had previously. I rather overdid it and returned to Diggle Edge where I was persuaded to go back down the Oldham Way, which was a bit of a yo-yo!

Nevertheless, I ended up at Pt. 225, just before the bridge with a statue- I've posted a picture of it before, but I'd still love to know what had inspired it.

After the statue, I turned right along the (unmarked) drainage waterway, following a wide but muddy track. There were two turnings off the track, and I wondered if I should take either of them. I was tempted by the second, as it seemed to lead up to a stile crossing a wall, usually signifying a path. Sadly, I was wrong and put off by signs forbidding access to private land, despite open gates. The map shows my meanderings around Running Hill Head.

Eventually, I reached the memorial at Pots and Pans, where I had a break and admired the view of Manchester from a handy bench.

The memorial at Pots and Pans, with its welcome bench


The dreaming spires of Manchester from Pots and Pans

From Pots and Pans, the walk goes along the ridge which overlooks much of the walk so far, until it reaches the trig at Broadstone Hill.

Broadstone Hill trig, with Pule Hill in the distance

From Broadstone Hill, the walk goes more or less due east until it reaches the Cotton Famine Road, which is followed until it reaches the old Pennine Way.

The Cotton Famine Road

The old Pennine Way path is descended until the Black Moss Reservoir and the (currently drained) Swellands Reservoir, down Blakely Clough to the Kirklees Way. This is followed past the Bakeley and Butterley Reservoirs, through the abandoned mill and back to the car.

An entertaining walk of 10.4 miles with 640m ascent.



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