1 1 - Moor Adventure

There are a number of well known routes around Great Hill. Typically from White Coppice to Great Hill Peak, then Spitlers Edge to Will Narr and down to Lead Mines Clough then down to and along the Goyt back to White Coppice. Those are all on known pubic footpaths paths. The 6 mile walk here follows the usual route to the peak of Great Hill from White Coppic ebut then heads off across the moor to visit two hill tops, and two archaeological sites. On the moor itself there are few paths so this walk entails 2 miles across the moor with only ½ mile of visible path. The walk was done after a wet summer though having had a few good dry and hot days. While the moor was not dry, there was no problems with bogs and gaiters were not essential, just sensible. Much of the moor is covered in short heather, some grass areas and all of it “clumpy”. The two archaeological sites are a bowl barrow and a chambered long cairn. While it is possible to cross the moor without a compass, it is better to have one. At Point 13 you could take a shorter route to White Coppice by following the initial waypoints in reverse in Great Hill 2 description. The start of the walk is White Coppice cricket ground. Sometimes the café is open and in those cases the toilets behind the café are also open. When it’s not a cricket day, it’s possible to park in the small car park. Otherwise there is lots of parking along the decidedly rough approach road. PR6 9DE SD619191

It is important to always be appropriately dressed for the conditions and carry, and know how to use, a suitable map for the walk.

This description can be used/printed/shared for personal use, or to lead a walk but not for commercial use without the author’s written consent. 2-June-2016

2 1: SD 619191 Leave the cricket ground by passing the clubhouse/café and going over the bridge (through two gates) and turn immediately left. Shortly the route heads upwards on a cobble path. Quite soon a junction is reached.

2: SD 621191 Take the right hand path. This promptly becomes a rocky uneven path which continues up the steepest part. As the gradient eases the path becomes more grassy, passes through a stone walk and continues on mainly grass path. After 1 mile(1.6Km) a short steep set of steps leads through a wall onto a level path.

3: SD 634192 Turn right and follow the level track which later starts gently inclining. In less than ½ mile(800m) make sure to take a simpler path bearing off to the left and heading up the hill. (the main path bypasses the peak). Continue up an increased incline and through a kissing gate. Shortly after that the path eases and the peak comes into view.

4: SD 646191 There is a cross shaped shelter at the peak and clear 360 deg views. From here you can see the hills you will visit. Black Hill Upper is slightly west (right/210deg) of south. (South is a bit right/west of Winter Hill aerials in the distance.) Also further west(right/240deg). Leave the peak on flagstones towards winter hill aerials. The path leads down to a stile.

3 5: SD 648189 Over the stile the flagstones continue ahead. There are a couple of lesser paths to the right. These head towards Round Loaf but miss one of the hills and can be more boggy. Continue on the flagstones for 250yds (225m). This is critical. You must find a spot that appears clear of bogs towards Black Upper Hill.

6: SD 649186 The precise spot is not critical but the intent is to follow the “Ridge” – which is not really clear. Either use a GPS reading, count the distance from the stile or detect when it’s 240deg to Black Upper Hill. Now head towards the centre of the hill ½ mile(800m) away. There are no paths. The terrain is clumpy short heater with occasional pools of water and, depending on the weather, boggy areas to avoid.

7: SD 646185 (approx.) About halfway to the hill a bump is visible looking like a cairn. It’s a useful directional guide. Continue on until you reach it.

8: SD 643183 In fact the bump is just grass. Continue in the same direction for a few yards. Looking ahead and slightly to the right some distance away Hurst Hill is fairly obvious. Between you and Hurst Hill, but a bit more right, is Round Loaf, which is the Bowl Barrow.

4 9: SD 643183 This is your next target. It’s ¼ mile (400m) away. Head towards it. As you come nearer to it you may notice a path over on the right leading towards it. That comes direct from the stile mentioned in Point 5 above. As you arrive at the barrow there is a clear path onto it.

10: SD 638182 The barrow is late-Neolithic or Bronze Age and is a mound of earth covering grave(s). In 1954 it became a scheduled monument of national importance. There is a small cairn on top.

11: SD 638182 From on top of the barrow and looking in your line of travel are two clear paths either side of a fainter path. The left hand path appears to head to Devil’s Ditch, a map feature. The middle one seems directed towards Pike Stones (which you will reach later). The right hand one heads to Hurst Hill. Follow the right hand path. It’s ½ mile to Hurst Hill.

12: SD 634180(roughly) The path is clear and mainly bit soggy grass, no heather. Just follow the path to reach the top of Hurst Hill and it’s cairn.

5 13: SD 629179 Having reached the Hurst Hill cairn, notice two vague paths going diagonally left and right. Take the left path towards Pike Stones. The path promptly disappears! The Pike stones and their surrounds are not visible from here. They are at 190 deg true. Just right of south. (The right path leads to Grain Pole Hill, and is a shorter return route, See Great Hill2)

14: SD 629179 Looking left from Hurst Hill, Winter hill should be clearly visible. Aim further right than the right hand end. If the reservoir is visible, aim for it’s right hand end. The terrain is a mixture of heather and grass areas. Occasionally you may find a short stretch of path, though could be sheep trails!

15: SD 628176(roughly) In due course a wood comes into sight. Aim for the right hand end of the wood.

16: SD 628134 (roughly) Don’t be fooled by what looks like a path leading some distance away from the wood. The stile is right at the right hand corner of the wood.

6 17: SD 627172 The trees appears to have been killed off by the fires last year. Cross the stile and look to your right. A few yards away are the Pike stones.

18: SD 627172 These were a Chambered Long Cairn from the Neolithic period. It was a large burial mount but an enthusiastic(!) excavation reduce the possible information from it. Some of the stones are glacial erratics. It has been a scheduled monument since 1959. On leaving the stones, head down the side of the wood to a stile.

19: SD 627171 Cross the stile and find the path that goes directly right beside the fence. This then curves left and heads downhill to reach a stile at Jepson’s Gate. (If you didn’t take the right hand path but went directly ahead, you reach another stile onto lane. Turn right to reach Jepson’s Gate.)

20: SD 623169 Cross the stile onto a small parking area. Continue to the right onto and along a road. Walk down this road for about ¾ mile(1200m). The next turning point is difficult to find. So firstly watch out for a wood starting opposite a driveway.

7 21: SD 618177 From this driveway/wood/moor access point it is 200yds(180m)(3 min?) to the path you are looking for. In 2 min a wooden fence comes from the right and a wire fence then stays close to the road. After about 1 min the wire fence is on the other side of the trees and that is where you must find this path. Look for a large gorse bush on the right.

22: SD 617178 The path is barely noticeable. The path goes between the wire fence and the trees and in a few feet reaches a kissing gate. Go through the gate and follow the clear path beside the stream to reach another stile just after the stream turns. (If you miss the path, continue down the road and just before a bridge, turn right along a clear path.)

23: SD 617179 Cross the stile onto a wide grass area. Head right towards the walk to find the managed path. Shortly there is a bridge (with gate/stile) on the left which leads to the other side of the Goit river. You can continue on the same path or cross the bridge and turn right. Both lead to the gates beside the cricket pitch. Recommend staying on the same path.

Eric Crichton 20 Sep 2019