is barely 500 metres (¼ mile) off-route, however, facilities are limited to a campsite, following the closure of a long-standing youth hostel. Food supplies are limited to whatever the campsite shop stocks. The main road has a National Express coach service linking Manchester and Sheffield. If starting from Crowden, walk up the narrow road from the river and turn right as signposted for the Pennine Way.
The path rises through gates to reach a small memorial plantation on the hillside. Beyond are slopes of bracken, where the path becomes awkward due to stones protruding from the ground. Heather and bilberry are apparent as the path passes below Black Tor, where a quarried edge bears patchy woodland. The path undulates and crosses a stream, then climbs steeply up a rugged, bracken-clad slope. When the path levels out, there are fine views along the valley. The climb becomes steep and rugged again, crossing Oaken Clough to pick up a stone-pitched path up to the edge of heather moorland.
A narrow path wanders along the top of Laddow Rocks, occasionally offering views of gritstone crags that were once popular with rock climbers, but are rarely climbed these days. The crag doesn’t look too dramatic, but keep looking back to spot one part that features an overhang. The path rises to around 500m (1640ft), then descends gradually across a slope of grass and bilberry, becoming boggy and over-trodden as it runs parallel to Crowden Great Brook.
Step across a tributary and walk parallel to the main stream on a firm path. Cross another tributary, then when the main stream bites into a shale bank, cross and re-cross the flow to continue. If there is too much water to ford safely, climb over the shale bank and pick up the path later. The path becomes wet and boggy and walkers sometimes detour too far from the stream, thereby missing the start of a firm, dry flagstone path. This pulls away from the stream, leading to a stile over a fence on Grains Moss.
Simply follow the flagstone path straight up a grassy, rushy slope polka-dotted with bog cotton in early summer. Cross a boggy rise at Dun Hill, then the flagstones end for a while. A firm path passes peat hags that have been stabilised against erosion. Another length of flagstones leads over the broad moorland summit of Black Hill, passing through a pool of water at one point, reaching a trig point with a flagstone ‘patio’ around it at 582m (1908ft).
Black Hill was once covered in a vast expanse of bare black peat
The summit of Black Hill was for many years trodden to death, until not even a blade of grass remained. The bog was so over-trodden that it was often impossible to reach the trig point, which stood on a firm ‘island’ known as Soldier’s Lump. The name derived from a time when Ordnance Survey ‘sappers’ set up camp on the hill while surveying the land. The trig point they planted on the summit was close to collapse after the wholesale erosion of peat in recent decades, but it has been stoutly buttressed. The ‘Moors For The Future’ project (www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk) has successfully re-vegetated the summit of Black Hill with grass, bog cotton, heather and bilberry. The Pennine Way originally left the summit in two directions, but has now been confined to a single firm, dry, erosion-proof line across the moors.
Follow the flagstone path onwards, as it gently undulates across the moor. When the flagstones end, a firm path continues downhill with good views eastwards. When another flagstone path is reached, it swings left to pass grouse butts, where heather dominates over grass, bilberry and bog cotton. The path undulates gently, then features a short, steep descent and ascent while crossing Dean Clough. There is no bridge, so fording after heavy rain will mean wet feet. A lesser stream, rusty red in colour, is crossed before the path climbs to the busy A635, or Isle of Skye Road, at Wessenden Head.
Ashley Jackson’s ‘Framing the Landscape’ at Wessenden Head
Turn right to follow the road with care. If Snoopy’s snack van is parked, you could take a break for food and drink, and lament the fact that a nearby ruin was once a pub called the Isle of Skye. Turn left up the minor road signposted for Meltham and Huddersfield. Turn left down through a gate to follow a track straight down to Wessenden Head Reservoir. There is a fine view down the valley to another reservoir, and a house among trees, with the distinctive profile of Pule Hill beyond. The land from here to White Hill (Day 3) makes up the extensive National Trust Marsden Moor Estate.
RESERVOIR COUNTRY
The Wessenden reservoirs – Wessenden Head, Wessenden, Blakely and Butterley – drop one after another in a narrow valley. Construction was financed by a consortium of Marsden mill owners, whose mills were located beside the River Colne. The reservoirs were completed in 1800, shortly after the opening of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. The mill owners jealously guarded their water supply and weren’t keen for any of it to be used by the canal company.
Black Moss and Swellands reservoirs, along with four others, were constructed on the high moors to supply the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. A system of drains catches little streams and feeds the water into the reservoirs. Black Moss Reservoir has a dam at either end, being constructed on a broad moorland gap. The dam of Swellands Reservoir broke in November 1810, sending a deluge of peaty water down to Marsden, where it caused great damage in what was called ‘The Night of the Black Flood’.
Walk straight down a broad and clear path. This makes a couple of loops round little side valleys to reach the dam of Wessenden Reservoir. Follow a track downhill from the dam, catching a glimpse of Wessenden Lodge behind tall deer fences. The track rises gently to reach a signpost. At this point, turn left for the Pennine Way, down a path on a steep slope of bracken. Be sure to make this turn if staying on the main route.
Off-route to Marsden
Marsden lies 3km (2 miles) off-route, with a descent of 140m (460ft). If planning to visit Marsden, at this point you keep straight along the track. After passing Wessenden Lodge, simply follow the clear track down through the valley. Pass Blakeley Reservoir and follow the track onwards past Butterley Reservoir. Turn left when a road is reached, and while this could be followed into town, turn left down a flight of 211 stone steps instead. Turn right to follow a track through a wood before passing between tall mills on the outskirts of Marsden. Turn left down a road and pass a small roundabout. Follow Fall Lane and fork left to pass through a tunnel. Turn right along Towngate to follow a river into the town centre.
In the past Pennine wayfarers frequently visited Marsden, however, numbers reduced after its youth hostel closed. There are a few other accommodation options, however, and this is a ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town, www.marsdenwalkersarewelcome.talktalk.net. Facilities include a post office, shops, pubs, cafés, an information point (tel 01484 845595) and a Co-op with a cashpoint. Regular daily buses link Marsden with Huddersfield, Standedge, Diggle and Manchester. Regular daily trains link Marsden with Manchester and Huddersfield.
The detour to Marsden leaves Pennine wayfarers in a quandary. Should they walk back to Wessenden to pick up the route? Catch a bus or short-cut to Standedge? The following route is a direct short-cut, measuring 3km (2 miles) back to the Pennine Way, with an ascent of 150m (490ft).
Leave Marsden by walking along Towngate, climbing beside the churchyard to reach the main A62 road. Cross the road and climb a short way up Old Mount Road. Turn right where a signpost indicates a ‘public footpath’ and follow a track towards an isolated house. Turn left before the house as indicated by a marker post. The way is overgrown for a bit until a stile is crossed. A deep-cut, rushy groove climbs up a grassy slope, with fine views of Marsden and its mills. Keep to the left of the groove to follow a track up to a farmhouse.
Go through gates to pass
