This walk is in the extreme north of the Peak District – much of it in West Yorkshire – and threads around four reservoirs. If you like big, open spaces, this walk is perfect!
© Crown copyright, 11/2022, Ordnance Survey 200314.
| Start | Brun Clough Reservoir car park, OL3 5LT |
| Distance | 7.1miles (11.3km) |
| Height Gain | 1,205ft (367m) |
| Taken from | The Peak District Pack is the ultimate walker’s companion, combining 20 routes together with professional mapping on weatherproof cards, which can be taken on the walks in a map case provided. You can save £4 on the RRP of £14.95 if ordered direct from the publisher at walking-books.com You can also buy a set – there is a Peak District Pack 2 featuring another 20 walks – for £19.90 through that website, which has a flat rate of £2 postage on all orders up to £19.99. |
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Route
- With the reservoir on your right, head left to join the Pennine Way, which runs parallel to the A62 for a while, and starts to rise above it before turning to the right. A National Trust sign welcomes you to the Marsden Moor estate. Go through the stile, and keep following the Pennine Way. A junction of paths sees the Standedge Trail branch off to the left. Ignore this, and keep on the Pennine Way, marked on the sign ‘Wessenden & Black Hill’.
- Soon, the Pennine Way turns to the left but carry straight on to walk along the embankment the first of the four reservoirs, which is called Black Moss. At the end of the embankment, turn left as you reach a little wall and follow the clear path until you rejoin the Pennine Way. Turn right and then left along the Pennine Way, traversing the various gullies and streams which drain into the reservoirs. To your left is Swellands Reservoir, before the trail takes a right alongside Blakely Clough. A ford near a weir takes you to the other side of the brook.
- Near a stone structure, turn left to continue on the Pennine Way, which drops down fairly steeply towards Wessenden Brook. Cross the footbridge and turn left to climb to a junction of paths. Here, the Pennine Way turns right but we take to the left, to walk along the well-made track of the Kirklees Way. The body of water on the left is Blakely Reservoir. The track passes to the right edge of the embankment, and as Broadhead Wood and Holme Bank Wood covers the right side of the valley, the feeder channel to Blakeley Reservoir into another reservoir, called Butterley. Continue alongside the larger reservoir, follow the track around to the right and past to edge of the embankment to meet Binn Road.
Take the left footpath down the steps to the bottom of the valley. At the foot of the steps, turn left at the car park and go through the gap in the gate to the right of the building to cross over the stone bridge. Once over, turn left and then find a path in the middle of the trees to the right to climb the steps (which are tricky when wet). At the top, go through a gate, and follow the worn-down path to the right around the back of a farm to eventually meet Mount Road. Cross straight over, to walk up Netherley Drive and veer to the right at the bend, to walk up a right of way which is a drive for several houses. Keep to the right of all splits and eventually you reach Old Mount Road. Turn sharp left and watch for a public footpath marker on the right, near a line of trees. Turn right here and climb between the houses, and then turn second left to join the Standedge Trail. The trail eventually meets Mount Road. Here, turn right and walk along the road, past a small parking area on the right, to find a footpath marker on the brow of a hill. Cross the road, and follow the line of the sign along a clearly visible path with a stream on the left towards the last reservoir, called Redbrick.- Walk alongside the reservoir, cross the stile to reach the A62 Manchester Road, Cross straight over, picking up the footpath across several little bridges and another ford as it turns to the left. Follow the clear path to eventually meet the Pennine Way again. Turn left and walk along the Pennine Way to reach the A62 further along, crossing over to return to the car park.