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2022.07.27 Coach Ramble, the 'A' walk started in Diggle on Huddersfield Road at SE002:078, ~S on road for ~250m then turn ~E on Ward Lane crossing over ‘The Huddersfield Narrow Canal (now disused in this section) and then over railway line & turning directly NNE then ~E across road at SE007:077*1 & passing Kiln Green then ENE on BW but turn off ~E over Bridge over stream at SE015:081 then on FP slow turn back SW then SSW thru Back o’ th Lee, continue ~S on FP to cross road at SE010:069 then ~S on Pennine BW for ~550m to cross road at SE010:063 (leaving Pennine Way), FP ~S to Primrose Hill OAL & follow its W-edge ~SSW to White Brook Spring SE008:065, follow FPs ESE then S (or possibly other tracks) to War Memorial Obelisk at SE012:051?, (lunch break nearby), join Oldham Way (marker stone) ~NE turning ~N above Shaw Rocks & then NNE above Slade Rocks, but where Oldham Way turns West at SE017:061, leave it and continue ~NNE toward Sykes Pillar / Trig Beacon at SE021:069, ~E from beacon to join informal path for about 2.7km to SE048:066, V-turning onto FP (or parallel informal track) WNW / N / NNW to the South- corner of Black Moss Reser. (SE034:085), NNE / NNW along Reser East-side to SE033:090, then ~N thru OAL to cross Mount Road at SE033:101,

2 members of party followed Mount Road into Marsden. 12 members of party climbed ~N to the top of Pule Hill, party split - one part of party following the top of hill on its Edge ~N and the rest of party just below the rocky edge (on narrow sideways slanting tracks requiring care – poles recommended - if used by walker). Party re-united (after the disused Quarry) at SE033:111 (to the North of the Stanedge Tunnels (unseen below).

In OAL we followed informal paths N then ~ENE. Some land along the A62 Road is not OAL but there are two FPs through this land to the A62 road – find and use either - then follow the A62 road ENE to SE039:118. Take minor tarred-road down NW then turn directly down NE. Turn ~E*2 to find ‘tow path’ ~E along (Huddersfield’s Narrow Canal) to Marsden’s railway Station and nearby Car / Coach Park.

*1 if party had gone NNE along the road at this point for about 300m we may have reached the Southern 'portals' for the The Huddersfield Narrow Canal and Rail Tunnels? While footpaths are usually well marked on the ground unfortunately signs saying 'Footpath' and 'Bridleway' seldom give key destinations.

*2 access closer to the Northern entrance of the canal tunnel, café etc is possible.

If you are interested in the Huddersfield Narrow Canal suggest you also look at my solo walk 2018.08.22

1 Huddersfield Road

2 turning into Ward Lane

7 Upstream of road bridge - 'lock'? in Huddersfield Narrow Canal. The Canal is no longer in use here..

8 canal downstream of road bridge

9 Railway lines seen from bridge still in use? Diggle junction Signal Box

18 Postal delivery

22 gate off path to house

25 small stream along path


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39 stepping stones

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45 Road bridge crossed in 'U-turn'

47 Diggle House Farm behind?

52 view downstream from bridge seen in picture 45

54 'Roman' Statue near bridge - do not know the reason it is here?

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63 tea break - see same house in earlier picture 36

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81 access arch bricked in to give more house space?

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85 Church Spire


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93 Lane Lodge Farm - huge property - is it divided into several houses - what was its original use? possibly a mill?

94 church steeple again

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102 War Memorial - for both First and Second World Wars

108 Plaques show names according to which War and area commemorated came from. Many family names are repeated.

109 see above

110 lunch break

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115 on the Oldham Way for a short distance

116 does not look like good hay making field?

120 farmhouse ruins in foreground with extensive fields around it.

121 Trig Beacon (Sykes Pillar)

124 Black Moss reservoir zoomed into - we reached it later by a circuitous route

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128 We walked to corner (on left) of Black Moss Reservoir then to right (NNE) along its edge, turning NW on its right edge. Pule Hill is in distance with the path up it.

129 Swellands Reservoir to the East of Black Moss Reservoir

130 Heather?

133 Black Moss Reservoir - no unauthorised swimming

139 afternoon tea break

141 Redbrook seen when approaching Pule Hill

142 Pule Hill aheas

147 at top of Pule Hill - leader pus forward a choice of alternate routes

149 The route below the rocky top of Hule Hill

150 some of party descending to take this route

154 quarry no longer in use passed

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161 Manchester / Marsden Road (A62) below Pule Hill

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163 Ventilation Shafts for Stanedge's several Tunnels

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166 the 'top' edge and lower 'edge' parties re-unite

168 descending in OAL on informal paths to reach A62 road well above tunnel portals

169 zoomed into Marsden below


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171 several ruined & decaying buildings passed

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176 down below near the Huddersfield Narrow Canal

178 The fastest legger - apparently refers to barges being pushed by men on their backs pushing against the tunnel roof.

179 The Visitors centre

180 The entrance to the tunnel at its north end is just visible to left of picture

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184 along a path towards Marsden Station

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189 Refreshment at Marsden's 'The Railway'(Inn) at end of an interesting and energetic walk - before boarding our coach and returning to Sheffield

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