Monday 11th August 2025

Monday 11^th August 2025

GM Ringway Route, Greenmount to Bromley Cross

This month’s Monday long walk included most of route thirteen of the GM Ringway. The GM website suggests that some of the highlights of the route include:

• The delightful Holcombe Brook in its narrow tree-lined valley
• A gradual ascent of Holcombe Hill topped by the famous Peel Tower, offering stunning views across the West Pennines and Manchester
• Semi-ancient woodlands and a waterfall in the peaceful Redisher Wood
• Affetside village with its ancient cross and hilltop location on a Roman road

We began the walk in Greenmount, from where we walked to the GM route at the Hare & Hounds Pub, in Holcombe Brook. From here we turned right and walked up Holcombe Old Road into Holcombe Village, where we continued along the track to the summit of Holcombe Hill, and Peel Tower. The tower is 39m (128 feet) high and was built in 1852 from locally quarried millstone grit to commemorate the life of Sir Robert Peel. He was born in Ramsbottom in 1788, served twice as Prime Minister, established the Metropolitan Police Service and abolished the Corn Laws.

From the summit we made the steep descent into the attractive valley to Redisher Wood, looking at its best in the dappled sunlight. Once through the wood we turned right onto Redisher Lane, where we walked as far as Hollingrove Farm, where we turned left and followed the GM route into Hawkshaw. After crossing Bolton Road, we continued the route into Two Brooks Valley, where we stopped for our morning coffee break.

After climbing out of the valley we made our way to the village of Affetside, where we crossed Watling Street, the old Roman Road, and headed down the fields to Bradshaw Road. Once across the road, the route turns right and goes in the direction of the Jumbles Reservoir. At the junction with the Kingfisher Trail, we turned left and crossed the footbridge, over Bradshaw Brook and once again climbed out of a valley this time up the Grane Road, where we turned left and walked into Bromley Cross, and the end of route thirteen of the GM Ringway route.

By now it was lunch time, so we headed into Bradshaw and made use of the shade in the graveyard of Saint Maxentius Church, the only church named after this French monk in England.

After lunch we headed to Lower Knotts and onto Top o’ th Knotts, eventually arriving back at Affetside. From here we made our way along familiar paths back to Greenmount, having covered thirteen very hot and humid miles.