Introduction
Marsden is a village on the western edge of Huddersfield.
I’ve not been here before, yet it’s just a 50 minute drive from Cheadle Hulme.
On a chilly, but fine and largely sunny January day, the 6.5 mile walk with 1000feet of ascent took 3 hours to complete.
Today, the walk would be great for dog walking as the open moors were devoid of sheep, and the birds aren’t yet nesting.
I walked in an anticlockwise direction.
Half of the walk is on OS Explorer Map OL1, and half is on OL21.
I parked on the roadside by St Bartholomew’s Church, postcode HD7 6DJ, What 3 Words ///posed.stays.dressings
Marsden To Redbrook Reservoir
The first part of the walk is quite steeply uphill. Very quickly, I found myself high above the church and village.
The green fields here held sheep, one of whom was a lookout, watching me very suspiciously from a vantage high point.
The view continued to impress.
After the initial climb , a track led me to a B road, then across a small stream.
A stretch of open moor then led over Warcock Hill to Redbrook Reservoir.
Black Moss Reservoir
From here, my route joined The Pennine Way, traversing the moors to reach Black Moss Reservoir.
This reservoir and the neighbouring Swellands Reservoir (which wasn’t visible, and is either very well hidden or has been drained) are owned by The Canal and River Trust, as feeders for The Huddersfield Narrow Canal. They are said to be the most remote canal feeder reservoirs in the country.
It was nice to see the reservoir full!
Pennine Way To Blakeley Reservoir
These days the moorland stretches of the Pennine Way are formed of deep heavy stone flags that snake across the landscape.
I was heading steadily downhill now, with a stream that had to be crossed with care.
Beyond the stream, Blakeley Reservoir came into view.
As the picture shows, it’s a very steep rocky descent to the bridge over the brook feeding the reservoir.
The elevation profile of the walk shows it very well, two thirds of the way along from left to right.
I was thankful that it wasn’t icy, but even so, extreme caution was required going down here.
I took a couple of pictures looking back up, as another couple of hikers made their way down.
Back To Marsden
It is just a pleasant stroll down to Marsden past the two lovely reservoirs.
The first, Blakeley is the smaller of the two.
It is followed by Butterley.
Beyond the reservoirs, a track runs alongside the river flowing into the town, past the sadly defunct and decaying mills.
Back at the car, it hadn’t escaped my notice that The Riverhead Brewery Tap was a short walk away, so half a “Happy Valley” and half a “Redbrook Premium”later I was on my way.
And the Redbrook brought up a nice badge on “Untappd”, my 1000th different brews since I joined the app almost 10 years ago!
And Finally….
I’ve noticed that Riot Jazz Brass Band are playing Manchester later this month, so thought I’d have a listen to them… something different.
This is Uncle Blaze.