This video is of one of the hardest Walks In Tameside. Starting in Carrbrook with a steady climb to Higher Hydegreen, it then proceeds above Walkerwood Reservoir and Brushes Reservoir. The path then comes out above Lower Swineshaw Reservoir before reaching the access road at Higher Swineshaw Reservoir.
Along the Pennine Bridleway to the narrow path across Boar Flat to meet the bridge at Ogden Brook below Arnfield Flat, then upward across Ormes Moor and Wilderness to reach the Chew Valley at Chew Hurdles.
The route continues on the valley’s southern ridge to Chew Green, Staples Stone Brow, Wimberry Stones Brow (Indian’s Head, the site of a nearby DC-3 plane crash in 1949), Slack Head Brow before arriving at the trig point and shelter at Alphin Pike. The going gets a little easier after the trig point with the narrow path heading downhill through the heather to Greave and finally to the quiet lane at Moor Edge Road.
From here the lane contours below Noon Sun Hill before arriving back at the starting point at Castle Clough car park in Carrbrook.
The walk is 10 miles, most of it over rough moorland and tracks and in dry summer conditions takes around 4 hours. I walked it again with Dave, a friend of mine, a couple of days ago in wintery conditions and it took almost 5 hours. The ground was very icy and treacherous on the valley ridges but thankfully the peat bogs were frozen and snow covered, although they were begining to crumble underfoot.
This walk is not recommended after a period of prolonged rain or in mist, it is a no man’s land over the moors and the peat bogs would be a nightmare to cross when sodden.