Pennine Bridleway - Broadbottom to Edale (★★★★★)

Today we are out doing another section of the Pennine Bridleway - but on this occasion we have had to deal with a few complications during the preparation for this walk.

The main issue is that I cannot head out from Greenfield as I had planned - and the issue here is that the trail passes along the edge of Tintwhistle Moor, which has been the location of a large wildfire in recent months.

And whilst that fire has now been officially put out, fire crews have been actively putting out flames for over two months - and so there is quite a lot of clear up work, precautionary work, and minor firefighting still going on.

So we are doing our bit by following the advice, and staying out of that area of moorland - and instead we will complete that section of the Pennine Bridleway towards the end of the year.

In addition to this we have a second complication - and quite an unusual one to face on a National Trail. 

For here we have a section of the Pennine Bridleway that doesn't technically exist, despite the trail having been officially opened fourteen years ago - and here they just haven't quite got round to finishing the trail over those fourteen years.

This means that the Pennine Bridleway (the only National Trail specifically built for equestrian users) isn't in fact able to be ridden by horse from one end to the other - and in fact I believe the only one that can be ridden end to end is instead the South Downs Way.

And whilst I would hate to suggest that local councils don't really care about horse riders - I am going to ask that you take that view on my behalf (so that I don't have to).

As a walker I have a much easier task to bridge the gap - but I am a little unsure about exactly which sections of the trail will and won't be accessible - and so we head off today from Broadbottom, largely just hoping for the best.

The Gap in the Trail

Broadbottom itself seems to be a nice spot of paradise on the edge of Manchester - and whilst in Manchester itself people will often avoid any form of eye contact wherever possible, here a lady has a chat to me about whether the road is really closed to cars up ahead, and in turn about my walk today.

As a mid-thirties guy, I do find that I can be viewed with a bit of suspicion if out walking on my own these days (people seem to be in a state of heightened paranoia) - but conversely when I get to well-to-do places there is a flick of a switch, and I end up having some lovely chats with the local people.

These situations often baffle me - with little old ladies in the middle of nowhere being completely at ease having a conversation with me, whilst in far more comfortable circumstances people who really should feel safe can treat you as if you just murdered their entire family.

But the warm-hearted spirit of this area should come in useful, as I realise that the diversion route I found is likely no good - and instead decide to just follow my nose, and hope for the best.

With this in mind I head off along a track that runs just below the railway line - as it runs between Broadbottom and Dinting - and here I bump into a group of people that look like the sort of people who will know where the best footpaths are.

And here one gentlemen in particular lays out a route that should get me through to section of the Pennine Bridleway that does exist without too much bother.

And so from here I continue along this track (which isn't visible in full on the map), which provides a very good route round to a bit of a switchback - just above Hargate Hill Farm.

Rather ironically (in the section of the Pennine Bridleway which isn't fully accessible to horses) we have a large horse stables here - but we head on past this farm until we reach the edge of a housing estate.

From here we head along a very narrow footpath, that runs between the houses and the horse's fields - and this takes us down to a road to the west of Simmondley.

And here I turn to the left - and meet up with a footpath that runs beyond the Hare & Hounds pub (as promised by that earlier gentleman) - and head up onto Whiteley Nab above (note that this path looks like it is someone's garden, but if you stick with it you will be okay).

Climbing up towards Whiteley Nab

This section of footpath takes on a steep climb, but at the same time we can now relax - for we will soon meet up with a track that will take us round to a completed section of the Pennine Bridleway once again.

So far this diverted route (if you can really call something that never existed diverted) has gone better than expected, and if you can forgive some poor efforts on my part in terms of trying to draw straight lines, the route I used is shown below (via the purple line, starting at Broadbottom train station): 

Following the road from Broadbottom station, and then a large track (the old running track)

Staying with that track until houses, before following a narrow path past those houses

Turning left onto a road, then right by the Horse & Hounds, and then heading up to a track 

Note that any crazy wiggles caused by by inability to draw neatly need not be followed - but for walkers this seems a decent route - although it cannot be used by cyclists or horse riders.

Cyclists and horses can (I believe) use the track alongside the railway - and presumably could then ride through the estate, before doing a road section along High Lane (heading west), and Monk's Road (heading south). Although there may be better routes through Hargate Hill Farm.

When heading north my plan will be to follow the Transpennine Trail route to Bottoms Reservoir (again from Broadbottom train station, but being north of the railway line having left Broadbottom) - and I will then hopefully be on a completed section of the Pennine Bridleway from Bottoms Reservoir on. But we will see how that goes when I give it a go.

Having met up with the hoped for track we have gained quite a bit of height - and here we do have some lovely views out across the valley of the Long Clough, towards Kinder Scout (and the route of the Pennine Way).

View out from the track

Through this section there are plenty of signs reminding cyclists and horse riders that they are not allowed here - but for those on foot, this area is Open Access land, until a bit before we join up with Monk's Road.

But whilst in theory that should be a fairly quiet road through the countryside - I do see some fairly reckless driving along it, as I get ready to meet up with the road.

Meeting up with Monk's Road

Following the official route of the trail

Once we meet up with Monk's Road there is a verge to walk along - but as we are on foot, we can here make use of a footpath that completes the same section of trail through the field on the right of the road (and if you are walking it makes sense to make use of these parallel routes wherever they take you off a road - as if it wasn't for this being a Bridleway trail it would almost certainly be going through the fields).

This then takes us up a minor road - but once again there is an option to cut the corner - and since that heads nicely through the fields instead of along the road I take that more attractive option.

This time though the official route of the Pennine Bridleway could have done the same thing, as this cut is a bridleway - and although it is a minor road there is traffic on it, and so I'm not sure exactly why the trail did not opt to do so.

But after crossing the fields, we rejoin the official route following a track that will take us on towards Lantern Pike.

Following the track

Looking back as we start to gain height

Initially this is a fairly flat route, but we do start to climbs up a bit - before ultimately taking on a bit of a climb, as this track runs just below the peak of Lantern Pike.

And from here we get some lovely views out towards not only Hayfield, but also towards the hills behind.

View towards Hayfield - and the hills behind

By this point we are on the dividing line between the outskirts of Manchester and the hills of the Peak District - but the hills are by now becoming the dominant feature of the landscape - and Manchester already feels to be a million miles away.

But whilst Hayfield does lie on our route, we do not immediately drop into Hayfield - and instead our route heads south-west, before meeting up with a road near Birch Vale - and here we very briefly follow the road, before turning left onto an old railway track.

What we find here was once an operational railway, operating as the Hayfield branch line - a single track railway that ran from New Mills (Central) up to Hayfield via Birch Vale - and diverting off the Hope Valley line.

This branch line opened in 1868 - and proved to be popular with passengers during the summer months - but as people pivoted away from railways towards cars the line saw reduced usage, and closed in 1970.

But the council bought the land on which the railway sat - and what we are walking is now known as the Sett Valley Trail (running between New Mills and Hayfield), and this is a popular route with walkers - who we walk among, on our way round to Hayfield.

All the same, the views along this section are somewhat limited by the foliage on both sides of the trail - and whilst we do get some glimpses out between the trees, we don't see very much before we reach Hayfield - which we pass through on minor roads.

Whilst walking the minor road through Hayfield there are no pavements during one short stretch - so you do have to walk in the road - and the drivers clearly aren't very happy about this, given how impatiently they try and barge through.

But we are soon following a very minor road (with a pavement) that follows the River Kinder (and if we keep going this way it won't be long until we reach Kinder Reservoir) - but we do eventually turn off to the right, and start to follow a track that climbs up into the hills.

And here we can relax again, and take enjoyment from the fact that it is peaceful up here - with relatively few people.

Heading up into the hills

Here it is remarkable just how fast we complete the transition between the busy (and well peopled) town of Hayfield to the quiet and empty countryside - but the steep climb clearly helps keep people away, and our task now will be to follow this track up and over this ridge near Chinley Head.

Following the track up the ridge

Looking across the valley

Once over this ridge we have officially left civilisation behind - and ahead of us we have a fairly unspoiled stretch of countryside (at around 15 miles) before the Peak District starts to disappear (and Sheffield starts to begin).

But we are not going anywhere near that far - and instead start to make our way along the ridge that runs above Chapel-en-le-Frith.

Looking back towards Chinley Churn

Furthest end of Chinley Churn

Before long we have made it past Mount Famine - and it is now that we get the best views out to the north - looking out across the area that lies beneath Kinder Scout (which lies to the north-east).

Area below Kinder Scout

Looking back along the path

Soon we head beyond a turn off for a route across to Jacob's Ladder (more on that in a few weeks time) - and start to close in on Roych Clough.

Looking back along the path

At the point when Rough Clough heads down from the hills to cross our path, our route bends round - and largely maintains our position on the ridge, as we follow the cut into the hills round.

From the far side of the cut into the hills

From further along the path

Once round this cut, we have a fairly short trip ahead of us until we meet up with a road that connects Chapel-en-le-Frith and the areas around Edale and Castleton.

But here we also meet up with the point we reached before when walking the Pennine Bridleway, from Buxton to Edale.

If it hadn't been for the wildfires closing the section to the north of Broadbottom, this would have been the point at which we would have completed the length of the Pennine Bridleway - and it would have been a lovely place at which to do it (I had planned to break the walk at New Mills, and stay over in the very budget friendly Stockport).

But after this summer of extreme heat and drought, maybe it will be more appropriate to end up completing the trail with a delayed trip across the edge of scorched moors.

Walk down to Edale (from Rushup)

But leaving behind the Pennine Bridleway, we can once again take on the very enjoyable trip down to Edale train station - and this is done by first following a permissive path alongside the road - and then following a track round to Hope Valley.

Looking back along the track heading away from the road

This track initially climbs over a small ridge - and then we have a fairly small plateau, before we turn left at a junction in the footpaths (with the right turn heading across Lord's Seat to Castleton).

Here we are following a track called Chapel Gate down to the road, which will in turn take us to Barber Booth - but more importantly, this track promises some wonderful views out across the valley below.

Heading across the plateau

Looking towards Upper Both (and towards the route up Jacob's Ladder)

Disturbing a sheep on the way down

And from further down

As before, this provides a wonderful end to the day - with a fairly easy walk down from the ridge being matched by incredible views.

And once this track comes to an end, we aren't following roads for too long before we reach Barber Booth - and once again switch back onto a footpath - as we head over the railway, and track it on it's northern side.

Barber Booth from the railway bridge

Having done this, it isn't long before we reach a sign that points us back across the railway, to a permissive path that runs up to Edale train station.

On the second railway crossing (looking back to the first)

From here I don't have to wait long until my train pulls into the station, ready to take me home.

Total Distance: 16.6 miles (13.0 miles on the Pennine Bridleway)

Total Ascent: 3,192 feet (2,864 feet on the Pennine Bridleway)

Enjoyment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Click for the connecting section of the Pennine Bridleway from Buxton to Edale.

Click for a connecting walk along the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail from Edale to Matlock.

Click for a connecting walk along the Pennine Way from Edale to Marsden.

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 109 (a tiny bit of) and 110 OS Landranger maps - while there is also a Pennine Bridleway guidebook which includes OS mapping (links redirect to Amazon). The route is in general well way-marked