England - Peak District - Higher Swineshaw Hike
England - Peak District - Higher Swineshaw Hike
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Walk Summary
Walk Summary
Walk alongside the picturesque reservoirs of Longdendale. Travel along the Pennine Bridleway to the Higher Swineshaw Reservoir. Navigate over exposed, pathless moor to the Chew Valley and its reservoir. Continue over featureless moor to Laddow Rocks. Descend on the Pennine Way to Crowden.
Date: 26/09/2021
Length: 12.39 miles
Height Gain: 491 m
Terrain: Boggy paths, rocky paths; lightly used roads, farm tracks, exposed featureless moors, slab steps, National Trail
Navagation: Requires navigation over exposed, featureless moors
Start: Crowden Car Park on the A628
Route: Crowden, Tintwistle Higher Swineside, Chew Reservoir, Laddow Rocks
Map: OL1 Dark Peak Area
Weather: Cloudy with occasional sun
Walkers: Nun, Calsse, Mo
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Gallery
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Bottoms Reservoir Fountain
Captain's Log
Captain's Log
Bottoms Reservoir
Bottoms Reservoir
It was a cloudy but mild start from Crowden. The route followed westwards alongside the Longdendale reservoirs. There was a super view of Clough Edge across the Torside Reservoir. At the Rhodeswood Reservoir we waited as a woman instructed her two young dogs to sit before going through a gate. Along the Valehouse Reservoir the sun decided to make an appearance. Another woman, whom we saw earlier with two huskies, passed us again with only one. 'You've not seen a husky have you?' she asked us. We said we hadn't and she disappeared along the track calling into the woodland.
We crossed the curiously named Bottoms Reservoir dam and viewed the 'fountain'. This is part of a mechanism that reduces pressure in water pipes and involves water being squirted upwards into a fountain. I've only ever seen this ever happen once. It didn't happen today. A short excursion through Tintwistle and then we were on the substantial track of the Pennine Bridleway towards Higher Swineshaw.
Lonely Moor Between Reservoirs
Lonely Moor Between Reservoirs
The Pennine Bridleway runs from Derbyshire to Cumbria and was opened by Martin Clunes in 2012. It is specifically designed for cyclists and horse riders, and so provided easy walking. We soon reached the Higher Swineshaw reservoir. There is of course a Lower Swineshaw and two other reservoirs that run westwards towards Manchester. Our path headed off northeastwards to Swineshaw Moor. Therer reasonable path from the reservoir soon disintegrated when we got on to the moor. It is essential to be able to use a map on compass over the moor. Depending on your bearings you may come across a length of exposed pipe. This is part of a water transfer system that syphons water from Chew Brook, over the moors to the Higher Swineshaw Reservoir. When you reach the impressive Chew Valley look closely on the near valley side and you may see the stone portal that is the entry for the pipe tunnel under the moors.
We followed the Chew Valley edge until we reached the lonely Chew Reservoir. Not so lonely today though since it was the weekend and plenty of people were around. Whenever I go to reservoir it always seems to cloud over and today was no exception. I always feel an air of desolation about the place.
Chew Valley
Bottoms Reservoir
Crowden Quarry
Laddow
Laddow
To prove my theory, as soon as we started heading over the moors to Laddow Rocks, the sun came out again. Within half an hour we'd traversed the featureless moors and the picturesque valley down to Crowden opened up to view. The path brought us out on to the south end of Laddow Rocks, a sheer cliff edge that is on the Pennine Way, In the summer of 2020, I was walking along Laddow Rocks when the Bearded Vulture flew up the cliff face beside me and nearly scared me to death. The descent from Laddow Rocks are on stone steps that feel awkward after a long walk. It is possible to continue along the Pennine Way until nearly reaching the A628 before turning left to Crowden. Today I decided to walk along an alternative route that takes you down to a footbridge over Great Brook. An advantage with this route is that the path then goes past Brockholes Nature Reserve where you can do a spot of bird spotting. A Pied Wagtail and a Blue Tit were the only ones on show today.
From there it was just a short walk back to the car at Crowden.
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