From the WALK START POINT proceed directly across the playing fields, between the rugby pitches aiming at a GAP STILE in the all opposite. Go through the stile and follow the lower path following the wall on the right climbing steadily up the valley. At the top of the rise bear left off the raised path dropping down towards the fence by the MOTORWAY (M62). Keeping with the fence to your left, go up the rise. At the top, bear left and walk alongside the fence down the hill, cross the STILE into the fenced path, at the other end of which climb up the STEPS to the farm road and, turning left at the top, CROSS THE MOTORWAY BRIDGE. You are heading for TUNSHILL FARM (SD944132).
Keep straight on past the farm buildings, past the duck pond and, at the house labelled TUNSHILL, bear right on to the setted (cobbled) road up the hill. After 50 yards keep left, climbing up the cobbled lane. The road surface changes but keep on climbing up the main track. Towards the top of the hill the road hears to the left. The road is now a farm track. Go straight on following the walled lane. You start to drop down and pass through the GATE over the top of the hill, still continuing on the same track, which is now rather twisty. (Ogden Reservoir is down in the valley to your right). Keep on the track, which is now stone covered, with a high wall on your right. The radio mast at Windy Hill should become visible on the horizon away to the right. As the lane drops down, you approach a gated, walled crossroads (SD952133) At the WALLED CROSSROADS keep straight on heading directly for the RADIO MAST on the skyline. Bear right on the path and continue uphill. At a T-JUNCTION go left and follow the path. At the end of the WALLED LANE bear left on the path uphill. Follow this path and pass close to the RADIO MAST and then turn right on the raised track and then onto the TARMAC ROAD.
CHECKPOINT 1 is here (SD981144).
A short distance down the road from the radio mast turn LEFT on to the distinct path which is the PENNINE WAY and which should be followed across the MOTORWAY BRIDGE. Then bear left and continue on the PENNINE WAY following the marker cairns (piles of stones) and the YELLOW TOPPED WOODEN POSTS finally passing through the rocky area ( Robin Hoods Bed) and past the WHITE TRIG POINT on BLACKSTONE EDGE away to the left. Continue following the yellow markers until eventually you reach a FENCE. Go through the fence and head downhill down the 'ROMAN ROAD' until you reach the WATER DRAIN. Turn right and walk alongside the drain and, following the Pennine Way signs, you will reach the MAIN ROAD (A58 Halifax Road). Turn right and crossing the road (with great care) walk up the road past the WHITE HOUSE PUB to a small fenced field beyond, where you will find refreshments including drinks (and a toilet).
CHECKPOINT 2 is here at Blackstone Edge on Water Board land above the 'White House pub on the A58 Rochdale to Halifax road. (SD969179)
Continue for a very short distance up the main road (A58 Halifax Road) away from the checkpoint and turn left through the gate onto the PENNINE WAY. Follow the track for about a mile and a half, keeping straight on where you pass under the power lines passing Light Hazzles Reservoir. At the start of the next RESERVOIR (WARLAND RESERVOIR). by the date stones, leave the Pennine Way and take the path dropping down away on the left below the dam. Follow this path turning sharp left at the BASE OF THE DAM (SD957205). Follow the path downhill (stream on your left). At the THIRD GATE bear right crossing a very boggy field to pass behind the converted FARM BUILDINGS. Follow the wall on your right to a GATE at which turn LEFT downhill following the path to another GATE. Then follow the TARMAC ROAD, turning at first right past the houses and then left, all the way down the hill to the MAIN ROAD (A6033) (crossing the ROCHDALE CANAL). Turn LEFT at the main road (A6033) towards Littleborough and in 300 yards cross this road opposite the TOLL HOUSE and go up CALDERBOOK ROAD. You will find the checkpoint in front of the WATERFALL about 500 yards up the road.
CHECKPOINT 3 (SD944194) is here at the WATERFALL on CALDERBROOK ROAD.
Continue on UP CALDERBROOK ROAD following the road for about 500 yards (IGNORE the Pennine Bridleway {PBW} signs which bears left to Chelburn) and then BEAR RIGHT up metalled road as far as the Pennine Waterboard Car park sign where you bear LEFT onto a NARROW PATH which goes behind a number of cottages. This path eventually becomes a NARROW METALLED ROAD. Pass the PBW sign and at the JUNCTION BEAR LEFT downhill (PBW sign). At the PBW SIGN "SHORE 2M" turn RIGHT past CALDERBROOK HOUSE and go up the unmetalled track gradually ascending (note the fish farm down on your left). Pass through the GATED WALL and follow the track with a dry stone wall on your left. Passing the farm buildings on your left and go through GATE and BEAR LEFT onto a track following a dry stone wall on your left. Keep STRAIGHT ON at PBW sign and follow track which veers away from the wall between two hillocks. Go THROUGH GATE in WALL and continue on PBW down to stream BEARING RIGHT at SIGNPOST. FORD the STREAM and continue on track gradually ascending at first and then flattening out. Go THROUGH GATE at WALL and continue on, passing under power cables, after which the track swings to right. Then at JUNCTION CONTINUE STRAIGHT ON (signed WATERGROVE ½ mile). The track gradually ascends and then veers left behind a DRYSTONE WALL. Keep on this track as far as GATEWAY IN WALL. PASS THROUGH GATEWAY and follow track round shoulder of hillock. WATERGROVE RESERVOIR is now in front of you. Drop down and eventually PASS through GATE into the 'Life for a Life' Memorial Forest.
At ROAD TURN RIGHT alongside WATERGROVE RESERVOIR and follow the road around the edge of the reservoir to pass the VISITOR'S CENTRE on your left (There are toilets here). Immediately bear RIGHT on the track through the METAL SNICKET and then almost immediately LEFT through WOODEN SWING GATE into the WOOD. Continue on through wood and follow the path down the side of the top end of the reservoir. ENTER HIGH SLACK BROOK NATURE RESERVE through the swing gate and continue on, gradually dropping down TO THE TOP END OF THE RESERVOIR. BEAR LEFT on the path and pass POOL, which is to your right. CROSS BRIDGE over reservoir feeder stream and then BEARING LEFT follow path ALL THE WAY UP THE SIDE OF THE RESERVOIR TO THE DAM. (You are heading in a southerly direction now).
At the dam. cross the OUTLET BRIDGE and go through the METAL GATE just past the WATER EXTRACTION TOWER. then GO STRAIGHT AHEAD DOWN THE SLOPE to the ROAD at the foot of the dam. TURN RIGHT onto road and crossing the CATTLE GRID take the road which BEARS LEFT and then keep RIGHT at the FIRST FORK. Then RIGHT at next fork (Church spire straight ahead in the distance). Go through SWING GATE and turn LEFT onto TRACK, cross STREAM over stone slab bridge and pass through houses to ARRIVE AT THE SIDE OF THE WARDLE SCOUT HEADQUARTERS IN WARDLE VILLAGE SQUARE.
The CHECKPOINT is here at the SCOUT HEADQUARTERS on your RIGHT on entering the square.
CHECKPOINT 4 is in WARDLE SQUARE [WARDLE SCOUT H.Q.] (SD912171).
Leave WARDLE SQUARE by WARDLE FOLD directly across the square opposite the scout H.Q. Continue on up the track (marked 'Private Road - Public Footpath Only') to the top of the hill where you turn right at the last Public Footpath sign at the houses at CALF HEY. Follow the lane passing a small radio mast on your left. Continue on for some way to where it passes a white house then a cream house before dropping down to a CROSS ROADS. Do not take any of the tracks but look for the FOOTPATH SIGN and the PATH across the cross roads, which goes off under a hawthorn bush! across a small field leading to a long flight of STONE STEPS. Take this PATH and GO UP THE STEPS. About ONE THIRD of the WAY UP the steps, turn LEFT onto a PATH. Follow this PATH until you meet a broad path dropping downhill to your LEFT which you should follow (downhill) until it narrows to a NARROW FOOTPATH which follows the direction of the wail. Continue on this path until you meet a METALLED ROAD by a HOUSE. Turn RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE and go down this road keeping STRAIGHT ON past the sign for BARKERS WOOD. Keep straight on down the NARROW FOOTPATH straight ahead [ignore the metalled road which turns left into the housing estate]. Follow this fairly ill defined, untidy path until it eventually broadens out and then becomes metalled again, until you meet the main road at STUBLEY OLD HALL. [A58 Rochdale to Halifax road]. Turn left and cross the road (taking great care) and continue towards Littleborough on the other side until the SECOND TURNING on the right is reached - STUBLEY LANE [N.B. the road sign not seen until you reach lane as it is on the side you approach from].
Turn RIGHT and go down STUBLEY LANE. At the bottom on the concrete block path you can see, in the distance, the path underpassing the RAILWAY LINE. Head for this going over the FOOTBRIDGE over the RIVER ROCH and continue to and ascend the STEPS UNDER THE RAILWAY BRIDGE to the CANAL TOWPATH. This is the ROCHDALE CANAL. Turn RIGHT along the canal towpath and follow the towpath past a hump back bridge, and then crossing UNDER SMITHY BRIDGE ROAD near the railway level crossing. Continue following the CANAL TOWPATH for a quite a fair distance (passing a small swing bridge on your left) until you start to pass factory buildings on the far side of the canal including the ruined CLEGG HALL. DOUBLE BACK HERE by CROSSING the canal by the HUMP BACK BRIDGE and walking back past Clegg Hall and up the cobbled road past the MILL. Turn right along the LANE towards WILDHOUSE LANE (A6225 Hollingwoth lake to Milnrow road).
Taking great care, CROSS WILDHOUSE LANE (A6225) and go up LANE opposite (slightly offset Junction) to FOOTPATH SIGN on left. Turn left past the row of cottages and then follow the path by the WALL on the right through the FIELD. Go through GATE/STILE leading onto LANE. Turn RIGHT along LANE. Go through GATE/STILE and bear left by WALL (way-marked with yellow/green arrow) along a FLAGGED PATH leading up a rise. [Hollingworth Lake should appear in the distance on left]. Go through SWING GATE and follow path (still way-marked). Go over STILE on right, follow path across snail field and go through SWING GATE (still way- marked). Follow LEFT-HAND WALL to pass TURNOUGH FARM on left. Go through SNICKET and turn right onto LANE (ignore way-mark opposite). Skirt the back of the CARAVAN PARK. Leave this track and bearing left follow the fence up the hill, cross the LANE and over the STILE. Continue up the hill following the path and through the STILE at the top. Follow the path to the left and head down to the RUGBY PITCHES and the CLUB HOUSE.
THE FINISH AND FINAL CHECKPOINT IS HERE!