Edale 2020, Day 1

Sunday 13 September 2020

9.0 miles, 18236 steps

Sorry for the delay in producing the blog .. I just somehow never managed to find the time while I was there, what with walking all day and then having to look after my friend Wayne who just seemed to want to find the nearest pub ... 😏 [nb: this is not entirely fair. I was not dragged in to them, kicking and screaming..]

Here it is now, anyway.

 A pleasant enough 4 hour journey from Kent up to Crowden, beside the Torside reservoir in Longdendale. I was to meet my friend Wayne at a car park in Crowden which turned out to be rammed full. So we drove up the road a mile or two, to a little village with the charming name of Tintwhistle, where we were able to park. 

After a quick beer in the local Conservative club, we set off up the hill towards Chew reservoir, the highest reservoir in England, though nowadays it must share that distinction with Cow Green reservoir in upper Teesdale. I have been to both in the past, as they are more or less on the Pennine Way. It was fairly easy walking but a good 1,000ft climb up from the village to the reservoir.

After a look around we wandered back down the Chew Road. This track was originally a tramway, made to help with building the reservoir. The stone to face the dam with was quarried on site, but the thousands of tons of clay needed to make the watertight core of the dam had to be brought up the hill from elsewhere.

 

At the bottom of the hill we came to Dove Stone reservoir and then went along the Oldham Way into Greenfield, where Wayne's wife Nicola and little son Matthew came and met us. We went for something to eat at the Church Inn, Pobgreen. I came to Pobgreen on my second Pennine Way in 2014, when I unaccountably looked into the church instead of the pub ... not like me.

After a nice meal, back to Wayne's house for the night in Ashton-under-Lyne, prior to setting off for Edale early tomorrow. This was a good start for me, a proper workout with a good solid climb, but not too strenuous at about 9 miles. And three pubs 😀

I have put a number of photos below, not all taken on the day as I stupidly forgot to photograph the actual reservoir..

 

A view across towards Dove Stones, from near the Chew Reservoir. Only a few miles from Oldham, but you would never know it

Chew Green reservoir, taken in 2014. It was only 30% full then, but nearly 100% in 2020

 

 

The dam

 

 

The old quarry, where the stone for the dam came from

 

 

Dove Stones reservoir, much bigger than Chew, which keeps it topped up, via the Chew Brook

 

It is a very popular picnic spot

The remarkable Pobgreen church, taken in 2014 on my previous visit

More posts to come, over the next day or two..