SWOG “Ocean’s Eleven” team set off with an unpromising weather forecast from Healey Dell Heritage Centre Tea Rooms between Rochdale
and Whitworth. An area apparently unknown to all previously. The valley
of the River Spodden which flows into the Rochdale Roch, is a deep
picturesque place where there were once several mills and two
intertwined railtracks which now form part of the many trails in the
area.
Fortunately,
it remained dry all day apart from the last 25 minutes or so, with
gusting winds on the moortops, though not at all cold.
Crossing
the rail viaduct some 30 metres above the Spodden, we headed north past
Fold Head passing a deep pool with swans dipping for food. Chris Shea
spotted their nest with 4 eggs. The hill lead to a deep sunken and
somewhat boggy path up to a view overlooking Cowm Reservoir and around
to the moors beyond, where we had a coffee break in the shelter of huge
stone slabs used as a field boundary.
Next we passed a farm unusually named “Limed” and took a track past the disused Goat’s Hill Quarry. At
the end of the track, Chris Shea was a great help in negotiating the
next mile of unknown territory, as on the recce the hail, sleet and snow
had sent us scurrying for shelter via the deep wooded valley lower
down.
