The start is the small car park at Lamaload Reservoir (grid ref 975753). This can be reached down a lane from the A537 Buxton to Macclesfield road about 2 miles west of the "Cat & Fiddle".
(S/E)Leave the park through the gate to the reservoir turning right to follow the footpath alongside the water. Continue down hill to buildings at the bottom of the dam (grid ref 968755). Turn right at these buildings climbing in a north west direction to a small farm. Continue up their drive until reaching a path junction (grid ref 965761). Turn right on this path - Waggonshaw Brow - through a further small farm to reach Ewrin Lane. Turn left on this lane turning right at the next lane - Bank Lane.
(1)Walk down Bank Lane. Where the lane turns right, cross over the stile on the left. Follow this path with the wall on your right to reach a stile (grid ref 977775 ). Cross over but do not take the high path on the left as it is not a right of way. Instead descend via the path following the broken wall down to Summer Close. Go through the gate and the gate opposite to take the path on the left that skirts the farm buildings.
(2)Walk across the fields in a northerly direction away from the farm to a gate in the fence. Then still walking ahead climb gradually uphill to pass to the right of a ruined building. Still climbing gradually, proceed until you reach the stile to Charles Head Farm (grid ref 980787). Walk up the short lane to the farm, turning right to go to the left of their woodshed over a further stile into a green lane. Continue down this lane and over the stile at the fence. Turn right following the fence and a farm track to Todd Brook and the road.
(3)Turn right to walk up the road towards Kettleshulme. Reaching cottages on your left, turn right over the stile opposite. This short field path leads to a lane. Turn left and cross the road to follow the footpath that climbs up passing Clough Farm to another road (grid ref 995792).
(4)Cross over this road continuing up the path to Taxal Edge. Do not turn right here but continue climbing up to the high ground ahead. On reaching the ridge turn right along a lovely path. There are good views with your previous route to the right and the Goyt Valley to your left. The ridge path drops down joining a path from the left, turn right descend to a stream in the woods then climb up the other side of the stream to a wall. Turn left and keeping to the wall you will reach the top of Windgather Rocks (grid ref 995784).
(5)The path proceeds south across the top of nursery climbing rocks and continues alongside the road to a T-junction and car park. Turn right down the road and take the first signed footpath on your left (grid ref 989765). This leads to Howlersknowl. Continue in a approximately southerly direction on this path to reach the beautifully situated and derelict Thursbitch Farm (grid ref 992751). Go down to the stream, over the stile and climb up towards a path descending from the mass of Shining Tor on your left. On reaching this path turn right following walls and fences at first uphill then down to the road overlooking the Reservoir. Turn right on this road back to your start.
