{"id":1006678,"date":"2022-12-15T19:47:16","date_gmt":"2022-12-15T19:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1006678"},"modified":"2022-12-15T19:47:19","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T19:47:19","slug":"ramsbottom-affetside-hawkshaw-holcombe-moor-and-redisher-woods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1006678","title":{"rendered":"Ramsbottom, Affetside, Hawkshaw, Holcombe Moor and Redisher Woods"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s been a couple of years since my last trip to Ramsbottom when I completed a short walk of discovery with Cal and Adam. I’ve been meaning to return to this area for some time. Affetside and Hawkshaw lie to the west of the town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I found this walk in an online publication, and it has a detailed leaflet. It is the 16th in the list of 20 Manchester Walks that you can see by following the link below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.visitmanchester.com\/things-to-see-and-do\/activities\/walking?fbclid=IwAR21j4KwSexsyr0ZuHrHofEN9gEPZoWxhB7oedHyW3vR9IAFCU-CF5oDtKw&p=1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An extremely cold day in bright sunshine was forecast, and that’s what I got. The car thermometer read Minus 6 degC as I set off!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This 9 mile walk was completed it in4 hours, plus 20 minutes for lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a 45 minute drive to Ramsbottom from Cheadle Hulme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I walked clockwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This walk is mixed for dog walking, most of it is on tracks or fenced paths, but some road sections and grazing areas too. If you have a large dog, there are one or two stiles that could be impassable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I parked on the B6214 near to The Hare and Hounds pub, postcode BL0 9RY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is on OS Explorer Map 287. The DANGER AREA is a military rifle range. The walk leaflet gives a phone number, 01204 882991, for checking whether the path will be closed. I rang it and there was no answer. So, I went ahead, and there were no red flags flying from the poles when I reached the boundary.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Hare And Hounds To Affetside<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Leaving the A676 behind and passing a few cottages, the route soon reaches open countryside. The moon was still up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the end of the first path, I could see the return route from the woods to my right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I went left, then crossed the A676 to cross more fields at the side of a housing estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bury seems to have its own unique design of gates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I was enjoying the views with the sun beating down on the snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Soon I was at Greenmount Golf Club. The foreground of this picture is, I think, the 3rd green. Looks a very interesting hole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Passing the club house and 1st tee, a drive leads me to Hollymount School, and on towards a road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It’s then a steady uphill path to meet the Roman Road to Affetside. There are now some splendid views to Bury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Affetside To Holcombe Moor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At The Pack Horse Inn I turned right. Before the path led downhill I took in the aspect to The Peel Monument (left of picture), and over Ramsbottom to the Pennine moors across the valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the house on my way down, the cat was enjoying the snow and the sunshine, and the dogs just wanted to play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After crossing the road, the hillside was dotted with remnants of an industrial past. This is the last of several frozen mill ponds on this section. The lifebelt seemed a poignant reminder, if another one was needed, of the dangers of a frozen open water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I crossed the main road at Hawkshaw, after a brief stop in the village store to buy a newspaper, and began the ascent along a minor road towards Holcombe Moor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the top of the road, it becomes a track, and then the route turns left. A brief stretch of a farm drive gives way to a grassy gully where the drive bends left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The grassy gully is a challenge. It’s really a hidden boggy stream purporting to be a path. Hard, slow going for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The next picture is the view back down the gully after I’d “escaped” up the bank where it became easier!e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I was now able to make my way onto a flatter area, with the seemingly ubiquitous disused digger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A deserted, derelict, building provided a great spot for lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After lunch it was a short walk up to the high point of the walk, and a great view back across my lunch site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Holcombe Moor To Redisher Wood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was now entering the DANGER AREA on the path which loops round the head of Red Brook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here’ the path crosses the brook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is a beautiful remote spot, where I was joined by just a flock of lapwings and a pair of stonechats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oh, and then, out of the blue, a military helicopter. The Winter Hill TV mast is in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Then came the steep descent into the valley and Redisher Woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the bottom is a brook which has almost completely frozen, not something I have seen before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From here, it’s a short walk back along the route I’d taken a few hours earlier. It was a positively balmy plus 0.5DegC as I got back into the car!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was a great day out, aided by the exciting weather conditions which had the bonus of eliminating any mud… and there would have been plenty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Finally….<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My musical highlight of the week was a fourth visit to see the great Skinny Lister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This rendition of “38 Minutes” should give the uninitiated an idea of just how good they are live! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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