Pub Walks with Chris Morris
Tintwistle Circular

PLEASE REMEMBER: Details accurate at time of writing

Bulls Head Some of the very best country pubs are away from fast main roads, where the pace of life is calm and peaceful. Tucked away on a quiet old road, this classic 16th century coaching inn is the perfect place to take a mid-walk pit stop. The friendly staff encourage walkers to visit, with muddy boots welcome, great home cooked food to refuel on, a real fire in winter and changing guest beers. As well as looking outstanding from the outside, the pub does not disappoint inside either, with oak timbers, settles and a collection of memorabilia making for a great, characterful pub! When last visited, the cask beers available were Exmoor Gold and Camerons Sanctuary. Opening times are Wednesday and Thursday 5pm to midnight; Friday to Sunday noon to midnight; closed Monday and Tuesday.

Train Information

The walk starts and finishes at Hadfield Station. If travelling from Stockport, this requires changing at Manchester Piccadilly. Purchase a return ticket to Hadfield. Services to Hadfield run twice an hour every day. For full timetable information visit www.northernrailway.co.uk.

The Walk

This is a moderate four-mile circular walk around Bottoms Reservoir. The OS Map is OL1 The Peak District (OS app also available).

Exit Hadfield Station through the car park and turn right onto Platt Street. Continue along this road, past the public toilets, until it turns right to go under a bridge. Instead of walking underneath, carry on straight ahead and go up the ramp to the start of the Longdendale Trail. Carry on this straight path for half a mile until you reach a bench with a memorial plaque for Martin Paul Rydings and a lovely view of Bottoms Reservoir. The path forks slightly just after this point. Leave the main path and take the descending track to the right, close to the stone wall. At the bottom, turn left and walk through the small tunnel. On exiting the kissing gate, follow the sign for TPT West which takes you down across the field towards the reservoir. Go through another kissing gate and take the path to the right signed Valehouse, keeping the reservoir on your left. After walking over the dam, leave the road at a gate on the left signed Bottoms Path. When the path forks next to a large warehouse, turn left and carry on along the reservoir. The path then passes through woodland, turns right and crosses a footbridge. At the top of some steps turn right through a large metal gate and up to a road. Turn left here up the hill to the main busy road. Cross over to the other side and up the steep hill signed Chapel Brow. Turn left at the top with the Bulls Head ahead of you.

After you have finished in the pub, retrace your steps back down the hill, over the main road and through the metal gate you passed through earlier. Instead of going left and down the steps, carry straight on along the wide path. This turns left and goes over another dam. Ignore the path down and carry along the dam wall. At the end of the dam, take the path to the left and carry on walking along the side of the reservoir until you reach a kissing gate. Turn left here and continue until you reach the same kissing gate you were at previously. Retrace your steps back up the hill and under the tunnel. This time, however, continue straight ahead over a stile and along a narrow path across a field to another stile. Turn right here and carry along the path into Padfield. Turn right at the road and then take the next left to find further refreshment at the Peels Arms.

Padfield

Peels Arms The Peels Arms is a great community pub that is also welcoming to visiting walkers. Good traditional food is served here, with cask ales available as well. These were from Theakston and Batemans when last visited. The pub is famous for the “hole in the wall” wriggle-challenge which, I must admit, I did wriggle out of doing!

On exiting the pub, turn left and left again to carry on along Padfield Main Road which bends slightly to the right. When you pass high brick walls on either side of the road, you are crossing over the Longdendale Trail. Take the path to the left, then left again which takes you back to the trail. Turn right here and retrace your steps back into Hadfield.

If you have time sufficient time before your train home, the Palatine, opposite the station, is highly recommended. Recently refurbished by owners Robinsons, this walker-friendly pub gives a warm welcome after the day’s exertions with a good range of well-kept Robinsons beers.

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