Friday 29 May 2026 - GM Ringway Stage 9 - Greenfield to Newhey

We walked this stage on 7 August 2025, report here, and this was a 'catch up' outing for Jeanette, who missed the previous walk due to injury. Only Sue, Paul and I managed the 7 August walk, though Rick caught up soon afterwards. There was a much better turnout this time, with the original three being joined by Jenny, Sue W, Andy and of course Jeanette, as well as Rufus. We were blessed once more with perfect walking weather that combined with a modest pace made the 21 km route seem less than arduous.

Rufus missed this stage last time. It's about the limit of his comfort zone. He must have anticipated this and decided on taking a nap (as well as his boss) on the short train ride - the 10 o'clock from Piccadilly to Greenfield.

Greenfield, and the other villages we passed through today were enjoying a brass band competition and separate events in each village. Just as well that we were travelling on foot as many of the roads were closed. Here's a procession that we met before leaving the station platform.

There was a crush in a somewhat overwhelmed 'Platform 13' café, one of the best coffee and cake providers on the entire GM Ringway route.

We strolled down to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal with our takeaway refreshments, passing a boat that must have either missed the turn into the marina, or perhaps it was expelled from the marina.

Anyway, there was plenty of room for the seven of us to enjoy our coffees beside the spacious marina.

This stage of the walk starts gently along the canal towpath for some way, passing locks and running beside the River Tame. 

A family of Canada geese didn't know whether to welcome our attention or shy away from it.

A nervous pup agreed to be friends with us, but only from the security of his lifebuoy.

As we reached Uppermill a tremendous party was taking place beyond some stepping stones across the River Tame, and beyond another lock the impressive Uppermill viaduct dwarfed its surroundings.

Here we are looking back past one of many cafés we could have patronised had Platform 13 not been available, soon after passing under the viaduct.

We left the canal here and continued past Brownhill Nature Garden (to be visited on a separate occasion) and onwards into the village of Dobcross, where the inhabitants were waiting in anticipation for the procession.

After that we climbed steeply above the village and views opened out across the lush landscape of the Chew valley, with the 'Pots and Pans' obelisk dominant on the horizon. (There's more about this in my August entry.)

The Upper and Lower Castleshaw Reservoirs soon came into view. Our route would see us contouring all the way around these reservoirs, between which the site of  Castleshaw Roman Fort may be discernable to those with more imagination than our party was blessed with today.

Continuing towards Standedge Foot Road along a bridleway that may sometimes be damp underfoot, we spotted several giant puffballs, sadly a bit past it for eating purposes.

A resident had kindly mowed a section of the grass verge, on which we enjoyed elevenses.

We reached the Pennine Way where two mountain bikers were glad of their supplementary electric power that would see them steaming ahead over Millstone Edge to the next hostelry on their itinerary.

The walk continued with good views and a posed picture of Jeanette and Andy next to a 'Marsden Moor Heritage Trail' plaque.

The high point of 448 metres by the trig point on Millstone Edge, and time for another photo, with even Rufus standing to attention!

Swathes of cotton grass waved in the light breeze.

A suitable spot, sheltered from the cool breeze, was found for lunch.

Those two Castleshaw reservoirs seemed to be with us to our left for much of the day.

The Pennine Way was left to its own devices as we headed down Moor Lane to Denshaw, where numerous coaches from all over Europe were disgorging brass bands onto the closed roads. The lack of traffic certainly made the trudge up Rochdale Road a little less unpleasant than it might have been.

After passing several closed restaurants, a left turn took us near pylons onto Crompton Moor, where numerous regulations seem to have been necessary to keep the behaviour of the residents of nearby Shaw, Oldham and Rochdale in check.

The good path led us past a precipitous drop and along a downhill route towards our destination. Afternoon tea was taken on a curious bench at the end of a drystone wall.

After admiring the views from above, we descended through woodland to a good path past numerous information boards that led directly into Newhey.

A short diversion lead us to a 'spectacular waterfall' that as on our previous visit had been overcome by a fit of shyness.

The clump of Yellow Iris flowers seemed to attract more interest than the waterfall. At least you could see them.

Pleasant paths led past fields of cows and an extensive meadow that could make a good cricket pitch, to the Metrolink Station. No trams were operating, so a replacement bus service took us on a lengthy but not unpleasant journey all the way back to Victoria Station and a normally operating tram home along the Altrincham line.

Here's our route for the day - about 21 km, with 600 metres ascent. An excellent day out.

Meanwhile, Rick was taking a rest after some energetic Morris Dancing, and after applying his local history research brain to the photography of Harry Wilkinson - a Trafford Local Studies project that readers may find of interest - see here. Quite a project, well done Rick.