Tuesday 19 August 2025 - GM Ringway Trail Stage 10 - Newhey to Littleborough

On a cloudy but fine day, Sue and I were joined by Rick and Paul for the tenth stage of the GM Ringway Trail. Jeanette is still injured, and Steve, Viv and Roger had other commitments. Hopefully they will catch up, and Sue and Paul will do the one stage each of them has missed, so that they catch up with me and Rick (who caught up by walking Stage 9 a few days ago). Rufus has also done most of the stages, but he did miss stage 9 due to the heat and the distance.

Our tram journey from Timperley to Newhey, changing to the Rochdale tram at Trafford Bar, went smoothly if slowly. Sadly there was no convenient café in which to wait for Paul and Rufus, but at least the weather was kind, and we weren't in a hurry.

The start of the walk was a little 'industrial' as we retraced Stage 9 for a while then took rough lanes up towards Ogden Reservoir, where the camera came out for the first time on the reservoir dam for the above group photo (still no 'selfie' skills).

We then ascended gently but relentlessly above Ogden Reservoir, where Sue made up for the lack of a selfie with this picture of the fourth member of today's team.

Looking back, the depleted reservoir reflects the paucity of rain in recent months.

We were soon marching across another dam, this one being above Kitcliffe Reservoir.

The walk slowly elevated us above a series of reservoirs built in the late 19th century - beyond Kitcliffe, pictured below, we passed Piethorne Reservoir and Hanging Lees Reservoir.

Rocky paths led us further up the hill, before a short descent past the end of Piethorne Reservoir.

We encountered more walkers than usual hereabouts, many of them out for short walks with dogs. There was nobody else doing the GM Ringway Trail.

Beside the track ahead in the distance, to the left of the PBW sign in the next picture is a man-made waterfall and stepped weir leading down from our fifth reservoir of the day - Norman Hill Reservoir.

The access gates to this series of reservoirs all incorporate intricate cast iron lettering and symbols, as shown below at the entrance to Norman Hill Reservoir and its weir..

Step 77 (out of 254) of the GM Ringway Stage guidance notes refers to "you will pass an old stone remnant covered in yellow lichen". Ok, we are on the correct track...

We continued the ascent, with a view back to Piethorne, before rounding a corner from which we got our first view of the M62 motorway.

With the motorway on our left, the communications tower beyond Windy Hill now came into view, and rough tracks and paths led us all the away up to the tower.

The relic of a vehicle has been used to create a wall preventing access to farmland near the motorway.

Near the motorway bridge, we joined the Pennine Way, the good surface of which accompanied us all the way over the footbridge to beyond the top of Blackstone Edge.

We enjoyed lunch on the way to Blackstone Edge, with views back to the motorway and the skyscrapers of Manchester.

We were on the route taken by the Calderdale Hike in 2016, with views to a rather depleted Green Withens Reservoir. That wasn't preventing sailors taking advantage of the expanse of water.

The 472 metre summit of Blackstone Edge, where the high point is only accessible to those with climbing skills, was soon reached.

The summit is on the big rock to the right of the walkers

We continued for a while along Blackstone Edge until reaching a major junction by the Aiggin Stone.

 

At this major path junction, the Pennine Way continues heading north towards Blackstone Edge Reservoir, whilst our route turns left to reach a Roman Road leading down towards Littleborough.

A plaque next to a large cairn refers to the Aiggin Stone, a medieval stone for travellers some 600 years old.

Here's Sue, standing next to the stone, with the plaque on the right and the road down just visible to the left.

The (alleged) Roman Road led us steeply down towards the A58 Halifax Road.

Descending from the long section of moorland walking, we reached rural paths in farmland and through wooded valleys, on which we proceeded gently on past a golf club, and past a Visitor Centre where we were sadly too late (4:20pm, the café shut at 4pm) for the only café on this stage of the walk, to Hollingworth Lake.

Hollingworth Lake, rather short of water just now, is a hot spot for tourists and locals, and is a destination for bikers as well as sailors, of whom there was little evidence today.

Our roundabout route to Littleborough Station took us down past a new housing estate of the type that is going up around the periphery of Greater Manchester and its northern neighbours, to the towpath of the Rochdale Canal.

The stroll alang the towpath led us to a ramp beside bridge number 51, more or less next to the station, where we would have had a five minute wait had the train not been cancelled due to staff shortages.

Here's our route - some 20km with over 400 metres ascent, taking us around 6 hours.

The half hour wait for a fast train to Manchester Victoria and the tram home passed quickly thanks to Squaredle and a chat for the adults, and a snooze on my rucksac for Rufus.

Next, stage 11 on Tuesday 2 September:
GM Ringway Trail - Stage 11 - Littleborough Station to Norden. Meet at 10:24 at Littleborough for this eleventh 20km stage of the 20 stage circuit of Greater Manchester.
Arrive on the 10:04 from Victoria to Littleborough.
Return by bus to Rochdale then regular train to Victoria.