Diggle - Redbrook Reservoir - Diggle

Alec Jackson

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The walk starts in the small village of Diggle near to the rail and canal tunnels under the Pennines between Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. It climbs out of Diggle via rough tracks and paths to reach the first reservoir. It then crosses the moor passing the second reservoir before swinging around to walk alongside the second reservoir. The return leg crosses more moorland before dropping back down to the start point via paths across fields and tracks. The height gain ensures some fabulous views down the valleys of Saddleworth and also towards Marsden. It follows part of the Pennine Bridleway, the Pennine Way, the Oldham Way and the Standedge Trail. It also follows parts of two old turnpike roads. This walk starts and finishes in Greater Manchester but crosses into West Yorkshire between WM7 and WM14. Saddleworth was part of West Yorkshire prior to boundary changes in 1974. Although the map is shown as OL1-Dark Peak a small part of the route between WM10 and WM13 is on OL21-South Pennines. There are several stretches where the path is not too obvious.

England - North England - Yorkshire - Pennines

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Flowers, Great Views, Industrial Archaeology, Moor, National Trust, Pub, Public Transport

15/02/2020 - Simon Worrall

Walked February 2020. Whilst it was quite calm in Diggle the sections over Marsden Moor were very windy - it's very exposed up there! For those interested in learning more about the history of the tunnel there is now an information board located just beyond the gate at the bottom end of the car park where you can also see the iron gates that control access to the canal tunnel. Watch out for the circular stone air shafts en-route that mark the position of the underground tunnels. Walk instructions were very good and we easily navigated the circuit. INFO - the abandoned farmhouse described in WP4 and pictured in WP5 has now been rebuilt and as at Feb 2020 was for sale as a private residence. INFO - the farm at WP17 is now being redeveloped and a large electronic steel gate and new stone wall have been built at the bottom of the farm track (WP18). However there are stone steps built into the newly constructed wall which allow you to climb over into Standedge Foot Road if the gate is closed (although at the time of writing there are no footpath markers on the either side of the wall to indicate a right of way and the farm track is marked "PRIVATE" from the road side).