Sunday 19th April 2026 6:00am
Trinnacle Trail - Saddleworth Moor
Cost: Members £20 Non Members £22
Please note that all routes may be muddy, so gaiters are advised.
Walk Organiser – Ian Broughton
Coach Departs - 6am
Saddleworth Moor is a moorland in Northwest England reaching more than 400m above sea level, it is in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park. It is an elevated plateau with gritstone escarpments or edges and, around its margins, deeply incised V-shaped valleys or cloughs with fast-flowing streams. The 'Trinnacle' is a remote and highly exposed rock formation at around 300m in altitude. Our walks will be based around the Trinnacle Trail offering a blend of serene waterside paths, edge walks and exhilarating uphill challenges, including scrambles at the Birchen Clough waterfall, these routes promise an adventure through the heart of Saddleworth Moor.
A Party: The A walk starts at on the A628 near to the Arnfield Reservoir and heads in a north easterly direction climbing Tintwistle Low Moor and reaches Millstone Rocks. It then crosses Hollins Clough at Lad’s Leap and heads easterly, descending down to Crowden. The route then turns to the north and follows the Pennine Way until Laddow Rocks. Here it heads west towards Chew Reservoir and crosses the dam. The edge above the Chew Brook is followed, passing the Dish Stone Brow, Charnel Clough, Great Dove Stone Rocks, Dean Rocks, the James Platt MP Memorial and eventually reaching the Trinnacle. Here the route descends into Birchen Clough and there is a Grade 1 scramble down the side of the waterfalls. Greenfield, Yeoman Hey and Dove Stone Reservoirs are skirted, finishing at the Dove Stone Reservoir dam car park.
Leaders: Matthew Lumley and Paul Green
Distance: 23.4km - Ascent 769m
B1 Party: The B1 walk starts at on the A628 near to the Arnfield Reservoir and heads in a northly direction following Ogden Clough and reaches Ormes Moor and then Chew Reservoir. The route then descends down the Chew Road and the Oldham Way, down to the Dove Stone Reservoir. Dove Stone, Yeoman Hey and Greenfield Reservoirs are skirted and then upstream along the Greenfield Brook. Here the route turns south into Birchen Clough and there is a Grade 1 scramble up the side of the waterfalls. The Trinnacle is then reached, followed by an edge walk past the Ashway Rocks, finally descending past the Ashway Gap, back to the Dove Stone Reservoir dam car park.
Leaders: Louise Tidman and Bob Price
Distance: 19.5km - Ascent 840m
B2 Party: The B2 walk starts at Dove Stone Reservoir Car Park and heads initially up the Chew Brook, on meeting the Oldham Way it heads towards Greave. It then turns easterly and climbs to Alphin and crosses Slack Head Brow, Wimberry Moss and Chew Hurdles all the way to Chew Reservoir. The edge above the Chew Brook is followed, passing the Dish Stone Brow, Charnel Clough, Great Dove Stone Rocks, Dean Rocks, the James Platt MP Memorial and eventually reaching the Trinnacle. Then another edge walk past the Ashway Rocks, descending to the Yeoman Hey Reservoir dam and then back to the Dove Stone Reservoir dam car park.
Leaders: Neville Village and Ian Broughton
Distance: 17.8 km - Ascent 570m
C Party: The C walk starts at Dove Stone Reservoir Car Park and heads initially west along Bradbury Lane, on meeting the Oldham Way it turns easterly towards Chew Brook and then takes the Chew Road up to Chew Reservoir. The edge above the Chew Brook is followed, passing the Dish Stone Brow, Charnel Clough, Great Dove Stone Rocks, Dean Rocks and eventually reaching the James Platt MP Memorial. The route then descends down to the Yeoman Hey Reservoir and skirts both reservoirs to return to the Dove Stone Reservoir dam car park.
Leaders: Wendy Price and Rob Maule
Distance: 15.0km - Ascent 500m
Map…...Explorer OL1 The Peak District – Dark Peak Area
