Monday 19th May 2025

Monday 19th May 2025

The Final Section of the Link Route to the Pennine Way

Walsden back via Stoodley Pike.

Seventeen walkers met at Walsden Railway Station on a bright but breezy morning. The first section of the walk followed the West Pennine Way (WPW) Link Route which goes from Bull Hill, on Holcombe Moor, to the Pennine Way. Following the way markers, we headed up Alma Street and joined the track leading to Rake End. Continuing the climb onto Walsden Moor we soon arrived at The Basin Stone, a millstone grit outcrop in the shape of an anvil. The shape was ideal as a pulpit and was used for meeting of the Chartists and nonconformist preachers, including,  Charles Westley. Several of our walkers could not resist climbing to the top of the rock.

The next point of interest on route was Gadding Dam, which is a popular spot for wild swimming, but no hardy soul ventured into the water on this chilly morning. After the reservoir the route is made easier by stone slabs having been laid across the normally wet moorland and we soon joined the Pennine Way (PW), and the completion of the Link Route.

Once on the Pennine Way, we turned left and headed toward Stoodey Pike, stopping along the way to enjoy our morning coffee, overlooking Withens Clough Reservoir.

Continuing along the PW, we eventually arrived at Stoodley Pike where we spent some time admiring the views overlooking Todmorden and up towards Hebden Bridge, we could also clearly see the track we were going to join once we had climbed down the steep slope, along the side of the hill. Soon we arrived at the very attractive hamlet of Mankinholes where we made use of some stone sheep to sit and eat our lunch.

After lunch we continued through the hamlet as far as the youth hostel, where we turned left and headed across the field to Lumb Butts, turning left at the Top Brink pub. After a short walk, along the road we joined a footpath that took us through the very attractive, Causeway Wood, which was full of wild garlic. At the end of the wood, we crossed the road and made our way along several narrow footpaths that eventually joined the Rochdale canal. From here is was a pleasant and flat walk through Todmorden and onto Walsden having covered ten sunny and interesting miles.