path is often a considerable distance from the course of the Pennine Way shown on OS maps.
This used to be one of the worst areas of bog on the Pennine Way, but the path now offers a firm, dry footing. The old path can often be seen on the left as a black, boggy line, although it is slowly re-vegetating. The moorland is predominantly grassy, with areas of bog cotton, sphagnum moss, rushes, bilberry and heather. Look out for cloudberries, a distinctive, broad-leafed arctic remnant plant, that positively thrive on the highest and bleakest boggy moorlands.
The path undulates very gently and writhes to avoid awkward boggy areas on Moss Castle and Featherbed Moss. There is a strange sight ahead, where vehicles apparently speed straight across the moor, since the surface of the A57 road on the Snake Pass isn’t seen until it is reached at a gate. Cross the road with care, as the traffic is sometimes very fast.
There are no snakes on Snake Pass, nor have there ever been. Originally, there was a Snake Inn, whose sign bore a snake emblem that was part of the Cavendish crest, the family being related to the Duke of Devonshire, a major landowner in Derbyshire. Snake Pass took its name from the inn. However, the inn recently changed its name to the Snake Pass Inn, curiously taking its name from the road originally named after itself! The road runs at an altitude of 512m (1680ft) and is one of the first to be blocked by snow each winter. It’s a sobering thought, but every so often a walker will abandon their Pennine Way attempt at this point, having seriously under-estimated the nature of the route.
A track leaves the road and runs to a gate, where a broad and firm path crosses what was once desperately over-trodden moorland. There is a slight dip where the Pennine Way crosses Doctor’s Gate. Here, a stone-paved path crosses at right angles, clearly cut across the moorland.
This is thought to be an old Roman road linking Glossop with the Hope Valley. Its name comes from an association with the 15th-century Vicar of Glossop, Doctor John Talbot, who had the old road improved.
Keep straight ahead and follow the path as it rises gently over largely grassy moorland, with heather and bilberry becoming more noticeable after the path changes to flagstones. A few steps lead down into Devil’s Dike, a deep cutting in the peat where the stony ground beneath has been exposed. In wet weather it carries a stream. A gradual ascent through the cutting links with more flagstones, then the path becomes a stony channel flanked by peat. Another stretch of flagstones leads to Hern Clough.
Turn left to walk upstream, crossing and re-crossing the little stream as necessary. Later, there are more flagstones, as well as a series of helpful marker stones bearing carved directional arrows. These are useful as OS maps mark the route incorrectly. The broad and peaty top of Bleaklow Head is worn to sand and grit in places, with a large summit cairn bearing a wooden stake at 633m (2077ft).
Views south are blocked by the plateau of Kinder Scout. Other prominent features include distant Winter Hill and Pendle Hill, with Black Hill closer to hand. In very clear conditions, Pen-y-Ghent can be seen far ahead, maybe as much as a week away via the Pennine Way.
Summit cairn and a tall wooden post on Bleaklow
To leave Bleaklow Head, make a slight left turn, confirming the correct path by looking for ‘PW’ carved on a rock. Take care, as many walkers fail to spot this marker. A narrow and gentle path heads roughly north, then, swinging west down a slope dominated by bilberry with cloudberries dotted around, the path becomes rather awkward, with stones and boulders underfoot on the way down a heathery slope. There are some stretches of flagstones, but the path is quite rugged as it leads down to a confluence of streams. Ford both streams and climb a short, steep slope above Torside Clough.
The Pennine Way runs along a heathery edge, passing a few gritstone outcrops overlooking the stream. It can be rugged as it runs downhill, but a good stretch on flagstones crosses a fence. At a junction of paths, keep right downhill, later climbing to traverse Clough Edge. There is a view down to Torside Reservoir, with Black Hill beyond. A stone-pitched path descends steeply from the edge, passing through a gate in a fence. Turn left down a broader path, keeping left of a farmhouse at Reaps, following its access track to the B6105 road at 220m (720ft). Turn left if staying nearby at the Old House B&B, otherwise cross the road as signposted for the Pennine Way to continue to Crowden.
The Old House at Torside is a popular choice among wayfarers
In Torside facilities are limited to the Old House, which offers a tearoom during the day, then B&B and bunkhouse accommodation in the evening. The proprietors are willing to run guests to and from the nearby village of Padfield for pub meals, while the bunkhouse has a self-catering kitchen. Padfield also offers a small choice of B&B accommodation. Weekend buses link Torside with Glossop and Holmfirth.
DAY 2
Torside to Standedge
| Start | The Old House, Torside, SK 049 978 |
| Finish | A62 road, Standedge, SE 018 095 |
| Alternative finish | Diggle, SE 003 080 |
| Distance | 21km (13 miles); Diggle 23.5km (14½ miles) |
| Total ascent | 760m (2495ft) |
| Total descent | 620m (2035ft) |
| Time | 6hrs 30mins; 7hrs 15mins |
| Terrain | Mostly moorland walking, with several stretches on flagstone paths, but a couple of wet and boggy areas too. One stretch uses firm tracks and paths through a valley, passing reservoirs. |
| Maps | OS Landranger 110, OS Explorer OL1, Harvey’s Pennine Way South |
| Refreshments | Campsite shop off-route at Crowden. Snoopy’s snack van might be parked at Wessenden Head. Pub off-route at Standedge and other pubs well off-route at Marsden and Diggle. |
Black Hill once had a fearsome reputation among Pennine wayfarers, with its broad top covered in deep black bogs that were desperately over-trodden. The hill now bears a long line of firm flagstones. The ‘black’ has gone, replaced by ‘green’ as the whole top has been re-vegetated. The Pennine Way ‘main’ route originally headed directly to Standedge across truly appalling bogs, with an ‘alternative’ seeking firmer ground via Wessenden. These days, there is only one designated route, which runs via Wessenden. Standedge is completely lacking facilities, so walkers must detour off-route to find food, drink and lodgings, either on foot or by catching a bus.
Leave the Old House and walk back along the road to find Pennine Way signposts. Turn left along a tarmac path, which quickly reaches a track, where a sharp left turn leads down a short tarmac road. This gives way to a track across the dam of Torside Reservoir, overlooking Rhodeswood Reservoir. There are five reservoirs in Longdendale: Bottoms, Valehouse, Rhodeswood, Torside and Woodhead. Climb stone steps from the reservoir dam and cross a track to spot a Pennine Way signpost. Turn right to follow a path through a belt of pine trees between Torside Reservoir and a busy road. After passing through a gate, turn left up some steps.
The curious cascading outflow of Torside Reservoir
Cross the busy A628 road and turn right through a gate. A narrow traffic-free tarmac road runs gently uphill through gates. When it runs downhill through a gate, the Pennine Way is signposted off to the left. Those wishing to visit Crowden should walk straight ahead here down the road.
