Pennine Bridleway - Broadbottom to Greenfield (★★★★☆)

Today we are out to complete the length of the Pennine Bridleway - walking a missing section of the trail, that until recently had been closed due to fire fighting operations on Tintwistle Moor.

As before (whilst walking from Broadbottom to Edale) we have to deal today with the added complication of this section not actually existing in full - with the Pennine Bridleway having never actually been completed through this part of the country (despite the trail having officially opened twelve years go).

But on this occasion we don't have all that far to go before we will reach an officially existing section of the trail - and since we are starting in Broadbottom, we will easily be able to navigate around the section that doesn't actually exist.

So having made our way out by train, we leave behind Broadbottom train station, and head out following the Transpennine Trail - which then takes us across to the A626 (to the north of the train line, and to the south of Gamesley).

From here we continue to follow the Transpennine Trail for now, as we head through the housing estate at Gamesley - which whilst pretty rough looking, feels like a reasonably nice place - and then cut across to meet up with the Pennine Bridleway (to the east of this estate).

With this done we have completed the more complicated part of the day (although in the end this route proved to be very easy) - but now we must take on what I expect to be the most boring part of the walk, as we make our way through Hadfield.

This is done by following the route of the Pennine Bridleway northwards - heading past the Roman Fort of Melandra Castle along the way (now with little evidence of having been a fort) - and then on through a section that is indeed rather dull (with a decent section alongside roads) until we reach Bottoms Reservoir, between Hadfield and Tintwistle.

Reaching Bottoms Reservoir

Here it would have been far more enjoyable to simply start this walk at Hadfield - and that is where I would have started were it not for the fact that I want to complete the length of the Pennine Bridleway.

But with this weak start to the day completed, we can now look forward to the rest of the walk with a bit more hope - for we should now have some very good walking ahead of us - and we can start this section off with a walk past Bottoms Reservoir itself.

The slightly unusual lower section of the reservoir

And looking across to the reservoir itself

Bottoms Reservoir is one of a long chain of reservoirs (that can be explored further by walking the Transpennine Trail) - and these reservoirs were built in the 19th century to both supply water to Manchester, and to regulate the flow of the River Etherow.

These are known collectively as the Longdendale Chain - and whilst the other reservoirs had the role of storing drinking water, Bottoms and Valehouse Reservoirs primary role was to ensure a consistent flow of water down the river.

This was done to benefit the water-powered mills that existed downstream - with ten million gallons of water being released on a daily basis, and with the Gauging Basin (that round structure in the photos above) being built to ensure a consistent flow of water.

But we only briefly walk beside the reservoir before we reach it's furthest end (and see it disappear from our view) - and here we turn to head east, first gaining elevation as we head along a path, and then following a quiet road in the same direction.

Walking parallel to the reservoir along a road

But we do not head along this road for long before we turn off to the left, and cut up the ridge through the fields to the small village of Tintwistle.

Cutting up through the field

The village of Tintwistle is quite a pretty one, but we do not spend very long walking through it before we turn off, and start to make our way out along a minor road that runs along the ridge - with views down to Arnfield Reseservoir below.

Following this road we eventually reach two farms, and at the second farm turn to the right - and start climbing further up onto the ridge above.

But today the plan is not to climb all the way up onto Arnfield Moor (which is black after being ravaged by recent fires that burned for two months) - and instead soon stop our climb, and turn to the left to follow the ridge round.

Following the ridge round

Before long we find ourselves losing height again, as we follow a meandering path that softens the rate of descent, until we reach (and cross over) Ogden Brook.

This area of moorland has been left relatively unscathed by the recent fires - perhaps aided by the number of streams that flow down off the ridge here - and as a result we have some very pretty countryside to look at, as we continue our walk.

Ogden Brook

With the brook crossed, we now have to regain the lost height - and start heading in the direction of a set of power lines that will accompany us on our way past Lees Hill.

Here we are aiming for the lowest point of the ridge that lies ahead - but all the same we get some lovely views, particularly as we look back on our way up this climb.

Looking back across Ogden Brook

And again from higher up

Soon we are walking right beside those power lines, and from here it isn't long before we find ourselves closing in on Lower and Higher Swineshaw Reservoirs.

View towards Lower Swineshaw Reservoir

And stood beside Upper Swineshaw Reservoir

A lot of firefighting equipment remains in place beside Upper Swineshaw Reservoir - and it is clear that they were using this as a water source from which to fight the flames - and these were once again reservoirs built in the 19th century to provide drinking water for the nearby populations.

Our route takes us along the dam of Upper Swineshaw Reservoir, and then we turn to the left and follow a route that runs parallel to Lower Swineshaw Reservoir - which we get closer to as we pass by it's furthest end.

After passing the southern dam of Lower Swineshaw Reservoir our path then bends to head west, and we are now dropping down off the ridge as we pass by the next reservoir in the chain - Brushes Reservoir - with the skyscrapers of Manchester now visible in the distance as we look down the valley.

Looking down the valley towards Manchester

Having made it past Brushes Reservoir, we soon reach the next reservoir (Walkerwood Reservoir) - but after drawing level with it's eastern end, our path shift slightly to the right - and here we start to gain height once again.

Passing Walkerwood Reservoir

But before we reach the far end of this last reservoir our path turns ninety degree to head northwards - and here we find ourselves walking above a well populated valley that contains both the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the River Tame, with more views out towards Manchester beyond.

Now heading northwards

Whilst the area below us is very well populated, our route retains a very rural feel, as we mostly pass fields of horses - and this feeling remains until we drop down into Carrbrook, where we get a taste of civilisation, as we make our way past some very modern houses.

But once again, we are very quickly climbing back up onto the next section of this ridge - and back into more rural surroundings, as we head past Mossley.

Heading beyond Mossley on the way to Greenfield

And it isn't too long before our journey on this elevated path starts to come to an end - and here the track turns into a road, that starts to make its way down off the ridge.

Looking down at Greenfield from the top of the road

This quiet road retains a rural feel for all but it's final section - where we all of a sudden find ourselves thrust back into the modern world.

But this does not last for long, as we soon divert off onto an old railway track (no longer being used by trains) - and this takes our round until we have reached the section we walked before.

With this having been the only missing section left to complete the full length of the Pennine Bridleway, there is a bit of celebrating to do, but with this trail also including two additional loops we still have a bit more walking to do to complete the trail in full.

But what is left to do is a fairly short section - and one that we will hopefully return to complete very soon.

Total Distance: 12.7 miles (10.2 miles on the Pennine Bridleway)

Total Ascent: 1,847 feet (1,601 feet on the Pennine Bridleway)

Enjoyment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ★ / 5

Click for the adjoining sections of the Pennine Bridleway from Hebden Bridge to Greenfield and from Broadbottom to Edale.

Click for a connecting walk along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal from Huddersfield to Stalybridge.

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 109 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, but bear in mind that the first part of the trail doesn't actually exist