Walk Summary
A walk from the picturesque Winscar Reservoir, up on to remote trackless moor to Dead Edge End. Wonderful view of Black Hill, Bleaklow and Snailsden. Walk the Trans Pennine Trail to the top of the Woodhead Pass. Visits Salter's 'packhorse' Bridge and Lady's Stone.
Click on the above map for an interactive map of the route.
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Date: 01/09/2022
Length: 8.692miles
Height Gain: 358 m
Terrain: Very boggy paths (unless done in summer), trackless moor, stone paths, lightly used roads
Navagation: Difficult. High featureless, trackless moor (between Winscar and the Trans Pennine Trail). Requires map, compass and gps.
Start: Winscar Reservoir Car Park
Route: Winscar Reservoir Car Park, Dead Edge Flat, Dead Edge End, Trans Pennine Trail, Salter's Bridge, Lady's Cross, South Nab, Broad Clough, Windle Edge.
Map: OL1 Dark Peak Area
Weather: Sunny and blue skies
Walkers: Nun
Gallery
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Winscar Stonechat
Captain's Log
Winscar
The first thing I noticed when I entered Winscar Reservoir carpark was the lack of ducks and geese on the road. Normally there are so many that you have to be careful to avoid them. The second thing I noticed was the water in the reservoir; or to be accurate, the lack of it. The water was way down, exposing a dry, stony shore. Maybe the ducks had flown away to find better accommodation. I walked over the dam to the boating club and then through a small gate that gives access to the moors. The last time I was here, the moor at the back of the boating club was a bit of a nightmare. It was so boggy, I nearly turned back in order to find an alternative route. Today though, it was completely dry, although I had to be careful not to turn an ankle on the hard clumps of earth.
I made my way around the reservoir side to Dearden Clough. I heard the familiar 'clacking' noise from a Stonechat and soon enough I spotted some in the ferns. It is possible to continue around the side of the reservoir and pick up a good path that leads on to the moors up Little Grain Clough, but the terrain was so dry, I decided to ascend across the heather of Dead Edge Flat. It really is flat too, but the heather was reasonably short, and the going was much easier than expected. Eventually I met a fence that led me up to the trig point on Dead Edge End.
Dead Edge End
Dead Edge End is less of a peak and more of a big lump. Even so, there are wonderful views from its summit. The best view is probably the one down into the west side of the Woodhead valley and its string of reservoirs.
I set off downhill towards the Woodhead road. After about 20 minutes of walking I looked back to the top of Dead Edge End and saw two people standing near the trig. I'd not seen anybody approaching when I was up there and was a bit surprised to see somebody there now. They must have been tucked away in some grough while I was up there.
I reached the Trans Pennine Trail and started heading eastwards. Many sheep were sat on and around the track. As they moved away I noticed that quite a few of them looked lame. The most common cause is footrot and scald. These are infectious diseases and is getting worse due to our milder winters and wetter summers. The diseases cause swelling and sores around the hooves. The hooves can be treated with antibiotic sprays and the spread of infection reduced by separating infected sheep. You see so many lame sheep though, it makes you wonder how many sheep actually are treated.
Dead Edge End Trig
West Side Of Woodhead Pass
Lady's Cross
South Nab
Further along the TPT I crossed Salter's Bridge. This is an old packhorse bridge that used to be on a turnpike road over the Woodhead Pass. The more modern version of the bridge is a 100 metres or so further up Salter's Brook and carries a constant stream of cars and lorries.
Ten minutes further on I diverted from the TPT on to the path that leads up to the top of the Woodhead Pass. Before I reached the top of the pass I came to the stone monument known as Lady's Cross. This is believed to have been a wayside marker for the packhorse trails crossing the moor. It is also thought to have served as a boundary stone between Hathersage, Holmesfield and Totley. The cross was first mentioned in a document in 1263. The top part of the cross has been broken off and some parts are nearby.
I crossed the busy Woodhead Road and walked the short distance up to the trig on the summit of South Nab. There is a roadside carpark on the Woodhead road, but judging by the sketchy path, not many people use it to get to the top. There is a boulder with a memorial plaque screwed into it near to the trig. The inscription says,
DGD
1932 - 2017
WHATISIT
WHOISIT
WHEREISIT
I'm not sure who DGD was, but it looks like he/she was an inquisitive person.
The Modern Salter's Bridge
Racing On Winscar
The Upper and Lower Windleden reservoirs looked almost empty. The geese that normally frequent the area had long gone. I did see a Kestrel though. I watched it for a while soaring and then hovering in its trademark fashion, keeping careful watch on the ground for a meal. It covered quite an area of the moor and then disappeared over the horizon.
A small section of road walking brought me back to the southern entrance of Winscar Reservoir. When I reached the reservoir I could see a number of people near to the water's edge. They were racing some remote controlled model yachts on the reservoir. They raced around some buoys that had been set out. They even had an inflatable dingy on hand in case one of the yachts had to be rescued. With all the tacking , jibing and heaving-to, it all looked rather a technical challenge.
When I got back to the carpark, a few ducks and geese had reappeared, following walkers about in the prospect of some food. Luckily they'd latched on to somebody else and so didn't follow me to my car.
My boots were completely dry. Having walked over this area in winter, I definitely recommend doing it in summer.
Upper Windledon Reservoir
Racing Yachts On Winscar Reservoir