Cown Edge from Broadbottom

(S)The walk starts at the small car park on Mill Brow (grid ref. SJ994937). Walk up the hill, under the railway and turn right onto Market Street then continue down to the bridge over the river Etherow. Immediately after crossing the river turn off left on the path that loops up around the cliffs overlooking the river - don't take the track going under the railway.

(1)Follow the path back towards Long Lane but just before you meet it turn left again on a path going around the back of the houses at Bankwood Gate then around Gamesley Fold Farm and come out onto Glossop Road between a row of houses. Cross straight over and take the path that goes around Glossop RUFC and comes out on Hargate Hill Lane.

(2)Follow the road all the way up to High Lane then cross over and take the footpath up the two fields, bearing slightly right at the start of the second one, to Monk's Road. Take the track opposite signed to Coombes Farm and before the cattle grid turn off left to pick up the Cown Edge Way (CEW) as it goes around Coombes Edge. The walk around the edge gives good views back to Broadbottom.

(3)The CEW comes south of the edge as it joins briefly with the Pennine Bridleway and passes the house at Far Slack and Robin Hood's Picking Stones. Before you reach Gun Road, turn almost back on yourself to follow the track towards the house at Moorside. Again, before you reach it turn off left on the track down to New Mills Road.

(4)Turn right onto the road then left onto Sandy Lane which you follow through Higher Chisworth and past Sandy Lane Farm to the A626 Marple Road. Cross straight over and follow the Far Woodseats Lane (CEW again) until it becomes a path that makes its way down to the river Etherow.

(5)Cross the river, go up the path to Leylands Lane and turn right towards Hodgefold. Keep right on Hodge Lane where you approach the river again and pass the vats of the old Hodge Print Works. When Hodge Lane ends you carry on along the path and come out at Well Row where you turn up left onto Mill Brow and back to the parking. The Harewood Arms is just up Mill Brow then left along Market Street - and well worth the extra 100 yards. If you sit towards the back of the pub you will hear the trains going past just behind you.
(E)

Having passed the road sign to Broadbottom on many occasions whilst traveling between Sheffield and Manchester - and sniggered at the name - it seemed only fair to have a walk that started in the village, especially as the Harewood Arms (which is just around the corner from the car park where this walk starts) is the brewery tap for the Green Mill Brewery. The village is very pleasant and has an interesting industrial history and is well worth exploring after the walk which starts at the small car park on Mill Brow (grid ref. SJ994937). There is information about the village on http://www.broadbottomvillage.com with links to extracts about the history of the village.