Standedge - Windy Hill Circular Walk

OS Map: South Pennines, Code OL21 (1:25000)

Start Grid Reference: SE 183 095

Walk distance:  12 miles

Date walked: 15th April 2012

Time: 4.75 hours approximately

Route: Self planned.

Most of the this walk is on the OS Map OL21 apart from the first few hundred yards, which is on OS Map OL1.  However, this part of the walk is very easy to negotiate without a map or at least with the google map.  It starts from the car park by Brun Clough Reservoir.  It is a free car park so no change is required.

View

The waypoints on the map have 10 figure grid references for use with GPS devices

This walk gives you a real moorland experience with views over Saddleworth and Lancashire.  This landscape needs to be experienced, I have never really been able to capture it in photographs.  Therefore for this walk there are fewer photos than usual.

Views from Standedge

Another view from Standedge

Not all of the walk is on the moors.  The middle part drops down to an area with many reservoirs.  Piethorne Reservoir is particularly picturesque with a Lancashire Wildlife Trust's reserve in the wood on its northern shore.

Piethorne Reservoir

Norman Hill Reservoir

Just beyond the telecommunication masts on Windy Hill the walk joins the Pennine Way which leads you all the way back to the car park by Brun Clough Reservoir.  Unfortunately there are no refreshments at the car park but there are two pubs, the Great Western and the Carriage House, a few hundred yards along the A62 in the direction of Huddersfield.