10 Reservoirs Walk | 23 Miles
This 10 Reservoirs walk is a slight adaptation on the one devised by the Long Distance Walkers Association which is a 22.8 mile challenge Peak District walk. This is a beautiful moorland walk over the Saddleworth Moors, but includes some severe climbs, including a scramble up Rimmon Pit Clough, a climb up Black Hill and a steep climb up Crowden Valley towards Laddow Rocks.
View back to Yeoman Hey Reservoir with Aldermans Hill in the background
You’ll pass 10 reservoirs in total (hence the route name!): Dove Stone Reservoir, Yeoman Hey Reservoir, Greenfield Reservoir, Black Moss Reservoir, Swellands Reservoir, Blakeley Reservoir, Wessenden Reservoir, Wessenden Head Reservoir, Torside Reservoir and Chew Reservoir as well as the trig point at Black Hill.
Starting from the car park at Dove Stone Reservoir, the walk takes you along past Dove Stone Reservoir, Yeoman Hey Reservoir and Greenfield Reservoir to the weir of Greenfield Brook. This is where you can either turn right to climb Birchen Clough and head up to The Trinnacle, or left to scramble up Holme Clough. We scrambled up over the rocks and boulders up Holme Clough. Further up, Rimmon Pit Clough flows into Holme Clough. The route from the LDWA just says to scramble up Rimmon Pit Clough but we followed one of the stream beds up onto the moor top and on towards Rimmon Cottage, as it was hard to see where the path went up Rimmon Pit Clough and I didn’t fancy falling in so early into a long walk!
The Boathouse at Dove Stone Reservoir
Waterfalls at the weir at Greenfield Reservoir
From Rimmon Cottage we followed a faint track north-east then out onto the main road. Walking on the road for a short distance, we crossed and headed over White Moss to Black Moss Reservoir and Swellands Reservoir. These reservoirs have amazing views over the moorlands, as well as Pule Hill and West Nab.
Paved sections of path along the moors of White Moss
Black Moss Reservoir and Swellands Reservoir with Pule Hill in the background
From Swellands Reservoir we set off down towards Blakeley Reservoir, then followed the Pennine Way up past the deer farm, Wessenden Reservoir and Wessenden Head Reservoir before following the seemingly neverending track up onto Wessenden Head Road.
View down over Blakeley Reservoir in Marsden
View back to Wessenden Head Reservoir
Black Hill trig point
We crossed the main road again, and followed the Pennine Way up Black Hill then down Tooleyshaw Moss. Heading down into Crowden, we passed the camp site (there are toilets and a shop here which is cash only). We crossed the road and followed a footpath along Torside Reservoir and through Tinsel School Woods.
Torside Reservoir, Crowden
From Torside, we crossed back over the road and followed the Pennine Way through Crowden and up the steep sided Crowden Valley towards Laddow Rocks. Just before reaching Laddow Rocks, we turned off over Laddow Moss towards Chew Reservoir, the last reservoir of the day!
Chew Reservoir, the last of the 10 Reservoirs!
From here it was just a gentle plod back down the Chew Road (read “never ending slog to the finish”) to the car in Dove Stone Reservoir car park, then to The Huntsman Inn for a quick celebratory beverage.
For more details about the 10 Reservoirs Walk, or the LDWA, head the LDWA website. You can download their official 10 Reservoirs walk map from there and join the LDWA.
10 Reservoirs Walk Route Information
10 Reservoirs Challenge Route Map:
Walk Route in OS Maps: 10 Reservoirs Walk Map
Parking: Dove Stone Reservoir Car Park OL3 7NE | W3W:///cared.inserting.headboard
Facilities: Public loos in the Dove Stone Reservoir car park and at Crowden car park
Walk Time: 8-9 hours depending on speed and fitness
Difficulty: ▲▲▲
Distance: 22.8 miles (35.4 km)
Trig Points Bagged: Black Hill
Peak District Peaks Bagged: Black Hill
Peak District Ethels Bagged: Black Hill
For more Black Hill walks, why not try:
Holme Moss to Black Hill Trig Point
Holme to Black Hill to Crowden Circular Walk
Holme to Black Hill Circular Walk
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