Old Glossop, Shire Hill and Swineshaw Reservoir Walk

The walk begins from the heart of Glossop town centre, by the war memorial in the centre of Norfolk Square. Walk out of the square in an easterly direction on to High Street East, past the red telephone boxes and the Norfolk Arms pub on your left. Continue walking along High Street East for approx 650 metres, crossing over Norfolk Street and going straight on over the roundabout at Corn Street.

Immediately before The Commercial Inn on your left, turn left onto Manor Park Road. Walk along this quiet road into Old Glossop, with the leafy Manor Park on your left.

After approx 500 metres look out for a red telephone box and post box on the right, and take the public footpath on the right immediately before them. This path twists and turns between houses and very quickly emerges into wide open countryside with wonderful views of the surrounding hills.

Continue following the clear path, through a wooden hand gate beside a wide metal gate. Approx 150 metres after the wide metal gate, the path bears right through a squeeze gap in an old stone wall and passes between two fences, with open views to all sides. After a further 150 metres, skirt around a hedge and continue walking straight on with the hedge on your left, at the edge of a large playing field.

At the end of the playing field, walk under trees and head straight on through a quiet housing estate for approx 150 metres. At a T-junction of roads, take the left hand fork. At a further T-junction of roads, by a prominent postbox, take the left hand fork again.

After approx 50 metres turn left on to a public footpath and follow this clear path signposted to Doctor’s Gate. After walking past the final houses and emerging into open countryside at Shire Hill, go straight on at a small crossroads of paths. There are beautiful woodlands to both sides. Where the path forks, take the left hand fork passing through a gap in a stone wall, ignoring the right hand fork into Shire Hill Wood.

Follow this clear path with beautiful views back towards Glossop on your left. At the edge of the woodland there is a well-positioned bench for a break if needed! Continue following the path downhill between two fences. Be aware that this section is rocky and may be muddy after wet weather, so take care.

The path winds down and eventually crosses a pretty wooden footbridge over Shelf Brook. After crossing the bridge, turn left on the bridleway (Shepley Street). Continue straight on when the bridleway becomes a metalled lane, passing industrial buildings on your right and keeping the brook on your left.

When you reach a T-junction at the very end of Shepley Street, you can choose to either turn left on Manor Park Road to retrace your steps back into Glossop and end the walk, or continue the walk by turning right and walking uphill to complete the Swineshaw Reservoir loop.

To continue the walk, turn right and walk up Church Street South until you reach the Bull’s Head pub in front of you. Go roughly straight on, taking Dunne Lane immediately to the right of the pub. At the top of Dunne Lane, turn left onto Blackshaw Road for a short distance and then take the first right onto Bute Street. Continue walking straight on along Bute Street for approx 200 metres. Where it bears left and becomes Kilmory Fold, instead go straight on to a short section of road. Take the footpath that leads to the right where the road ends. At a small T-junction in the path, turn left and walk away from the houses.

Follow this pretty, tree-lined track (Blackshaw Clough) for approx 600 metres, passing a picturesque pond on your right. When you draw level with some workshops on your right, look out for a narrow footpath opposite on your left that crosses a stream and walks uphill through trees via a short set of steps. Take care as the ground is uneven in places.

Keep to the path as it hugs the line of a stone wall on your right, walking to the far edge of a large field with open countryside views in all directions. Just over the wall is Swineshaw Reservoir, which has provided Glossop’s drinking water since the mid 1800s. When you reach the end of the wall, turn left and follow the path straight on downhill towards woodland, now with a fence to your right.

Go through a wooden zig-zag stile to walk on the right hand side of Cat Wood (private), then through a further wooden zig-zag stile to walk straight on downhill through a grassy field with a stone wall to your right and a view of Glossop ahead. Go through a metal kissing gate to join a quiet lane between houses (Castle Hill). At the end of the lane, walk roughly straight on for a short distance and then retrace your steps downhill on Dunne Lane, which is on your right after approx 25 metres.

When you emerge at the Bull’s Head pub again, this time turn right on to Church Street, passing the pretty parish church on your left. After 180 metres turn left into Church Close. This quiet lane takes you into the heart of Manor Park.

There are many paths through the park and you can choose whichever you prefer, but a lovely route is to follow the winding road into the park, cross over a bridge across a stream and then turn right into the walled Formal Gardens. Turn left when in the Formal Gardens and walk beside the water (Shelf Brook), through the Children’s Play Area, cross another bridge and turn left on to Corn Street.

Follow Corn Street until it emerges at a roundabout. Turn right at the roundabout and retrace your steps back along High Street East to return to Glossop town centre and the start of your walk.