Piethorn Valley

Barry Smith

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Ten minutes from the M62, this walk takes you around the rim of the Piethorn Valley. For most of the way it is on bridleway and on waymarked routes. With five reservoirs, small woods, part moorland, a pub with good food and drink, views to take your breath away and toilets at the beginning and end, it should suit all levels of walker, as you can cut it short or lengthen it as you wish.

Starting at the car park at the Ranger Station and toilets at Ogden Reservoir, you cross the embankment and then start the climb up to Carr Lane. Once on the lane you follow it for almost 4km, with views of Hollingworth Lake, the M62 and the Piethorn Valley.

After the hardest climb on the walk, from Piethorn Reservoir, continue past the farm track at the top of the hill to the Ram's Head on the A672 Ripponden Road. Retrace your steps to the farm track and on footpath this time, pass Rooden Reservoir, once more to join a bridleway. Pass more farms and make the descent to Higher and Lower Ogden, typical Lancashire hamlets in a conservation area.

If you walk this way in the summer months, the cafe and craft centre is well worth a visit. Drop down the hill back to the car park and toilets.

England - North England - Manchester - Countryside

Features

Birds, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Lake/Loch, Pub, Toilets, Wildlife

8/8/2014 - alec jackson

Did the walk in last couple of days. Two interesting points for dog walkers and those afraid of walking past horses. ONE :- Talked to farmer at WM13. He said that there is a gate on the left just before you reach the farm track to the barn. You can go through the gate and follow the fence line down to the stile (WM15). Dogs can run loose and you avoid the horses in the field between WM14 and WM15. This footpath is marked on the map. TWO :- There is a dog gate at WM17.

8/7/2013 - alec jackson

Did the walk today (07/08/13). Dogs loose at farm. Just barked and one of them followed up the hill for a short distance.

8/7/2013 - alec jackson

Good walk with a small/medium dog. A couple of stiles to be negotiated. Dogs running free at the farm can be a nuisance but no attack on my small dog.

4/13/2012 - Barry Smith

Thanks Ian, glad you liked the walk. I have walked past the farm in question twice now and not heard or seen anything from the dogs or owners. Perhaps I was just lucky! (or you were unlucky). If any walkers have problems with this location, it needs to be reported to the police, if they get enough complaints they will have to sort the problem.

4/12/2012 - Ian Mapp

This is a great walk. A few mins off the motorway and you are into a world of bleakness and could be anywhere. Saying that, there were quite a few walkers out on an April evening which had hail, rain and the left over piles of snow from a couple of weeks ago. The dog owners at the rebuilt farm have taken no notice. They were both out exercising a horse and two dogs went mental at me. I gave them a bigger dog stare and avoided being bitten but you would have thought that a) they would have called them off or b) might have acknowledged my presence. Dont let this put you off, today, the dogs were all mouth and little trousers.

1/10/2012 - Walkingworld Admin

Barry Smith has supplied the following diversion for anyone wishing to avoid climbing the fence at WP17: "At WP 16, go straight on after the footbridge, follow the path bearing right then left to the footpath junction at 96831227. Go left, uphill for aprox 200 mtrs and this will bring you to WP 18 and back on track." Also Helen Christie tells us that she has reported the dog attack to the police who say they will have words with the owners. Thank you for this, Helen. Adrian (Admin)

1/8/2012 - Helen Christie

Completed this walk today and despite the awful weather, found it really enjoyable. We also found the gate at waymark 17 to be a fence, and as it is immediately after crossing the embankment we were unlikely to be on the wrong path. The walk was spoiled slightly by the fact that we were set on by the dogs from the newly rebuilt farm at waymark 18, one of them biting my leg, fortunately I was saved from anything serious by my gaiters, but thought it best to warn other walkers that the dogs were not tied up, running out on to the path at us.

12/3/2011 - Barry Smith

Thanks for the heads up Alec. However, is it possilble that you were off the intended path? This is a designated public path (although not marked on the OS map) and is waymarked as such. Unless done officialy, by notice of intention etc, then it is unlikely. There were no such notices when I last did this walk 2 months ago. However, I will check it out ASAP.

12/2/2011 - alec jackson

Just completed the walk today. Reached waypoint 17. The gate mentioned has been removed and is now a fence. Had to climb over it.

3/28/2011 - Barry Smith

Thanks Paul! I am pleased you liked the walk! Makes all the hard work worth it when you get good comments like these. Indeed, thanks to all those who take the time to write them down!

3/27/2011 - Paul Turner

Very good directions, I never took a wrong turning! I did this walk on 27 March 2011. Very enjoyable, great views. Did it after a dry spell so no mud anywhere. I would thoroughly recommend this walk.

11/14/2006 - Mark Ziprin

We did this walk in good weather with 6 kids from 7-13 years old and they enjoyed it. It was easy to follow with some great views. The pub is well worth a visit with great beers, an interesting wine list and a menu worth the trip alone. The Llamas were the only worry on an otherwise fantastic family walk.

5/1/2006 - Fred Dowsing

Excellent Walk!!! We caught the weather just right today. One thing to note however... at point 14, the farm has very "helpfully" placed Llama's in this field. I don't know anything about Llama's however it seems they are very inquisitive as they decided to come take a look enmasse! We hopped over the fence as we were already across the field and were walking along the fence to the stile. Excellent walk with great views.

4/26/2006 - Barry Smith

Thanks Carl! Glad you like it.

4/18/2006 - Carl Henning

This is a clearly marked out walk with very nice views. The pub half way along is a welcome break with nice food.

9/17/2003 - Barry Smith

The Bridleway between waymarks 6 and 12 has been greatly improved over the last few months! The rest of walk is more or less the same.