Winscar Reservoir curcuit from Dunford Bridge

A Peak District walk that explores the open country and reservoirs to the nothwest of Dunford Bridge. This sector of the National Park sees fewer walkers and you are free to enjoy the superb scenery in relative peace and quiet.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.70 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 250 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 244 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 471 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 298 m

Description

(S/E) Leave the Trans Pennine car park (3), turn left out of the car park and walk up the road.

(1) At the road junction, turn right for the sailing club/res and follow this road to the sailing club entrance past the car park (2) at SE152020, Windleden Lane, at the end of Windscar reservoir dam wall. Carry on straight after car park (2) where you will find a small wooden gate to the left just in outside the sailing club entrance.

(2) Follow the path/sheep track around the sailing club fence until going slightly inland to cross the first inlet before the end of the club compound - there are stone "fords" across the streams.

Stay on the moors side of the wire fence until you come to a gate before reaching Dearden Clough. This gate is chained and leaves the option of climbing over. If you can't, turn left and follow the fence line up the hill to a very high stile which allows you to get over the fence and then descend back to the gate on the other side. T

Stay close to the water's edge to cross the clough then climb up towards the trees that are the Dearden Foot plantation - again staying on the moors side of the fencing.

(3) This is the end of the open country/sheep path walking because, from the north west of the plantation, there is a moors/shooting track that leads up to an even better maintained moors track at SE141028. Take the right hand fork here and follow the track to the farm near Wetshaw Edge. As you approach it there are signs warning you to keep out, so go around the north of the farm buildings and pick up the track heading north.

(4) After passing through a gap in the next wall follow the track to the left then pick up the path/track that is indicated by wooden posts and leads in a loop around Snailsden Edge. The trig point is just to the north of the track. After approaching Holme Moss transmitter for some time the path then turns north and east then descends towards Snailsden reservoir.

(5) From the reservoir follow the track north and eastwards to the road then go west on Linshaws Road. After just over half a mile go right on the track that is marked as the Kirklees Way and follow it as it goes right again past the farm named Elysium. Shortly before the woods start there is a path off on the right (not marked as such but) which is the Holme Valley Circular Walk. Follow this past the ruined farm at Hades (look out for the stone writing) and carry on back up to Linshaws Road.

(6) Go a little left, cross over and follow the track down to Harden Clough so that you then come along the south of the reservoir. Cross over the Harden reservoir dam wall in order to get onto the Dunford Road which heads back to Winscar Reservoir. After a quarter of a mile a road off on the right leads down to a car park (1) and then the road leads on to the gated road over the reservoir dam wall.

(7) My choice for getting down to the lower Dunford car park (3) was to walk east from the start of the dam wall across Broad Hill Bank, which gives good views down the Don valley, then come back on Brook Hill Lane(S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 300 m - Car park
  2. 1 : km 0.71 - alt. 357 m - Junction
  3. 2 : km 1.09 - alt. 348 m - Follow the sheep track around the sailing club
  4. 3 : km 3.64 - alt. 389 m - Follow the track
  5. 4 : km 4.21 - alt. 411 m - Track to the left
  6. 5 : km 6.51 - alt. 424 m - Snailsden reservoir, follow the track north
  7. 6 : km 10.74 - alt. 393 m - Go a little left
  8. 7 : km 13.54 - alt. 348 m - Walk east
  9. S/E : km 14.7 - alt. 300 m - Brook Hill Lane

Practical information

If you are going out after rainfall, waterproof walking boots are a must as a bare minimum! The sheep path behind the sailing club is rough walking and can be really challenging. ::2::

Car park : The car-park side of Winscar reservoir can be very busy but as you head up on open country towards Snailsden it is usually very quiet. On this walk there are three reservoirs to see, sections of the Kirklees Way and Holme Valley Circular Walk to follow and on the way you pass Elysium as well as Hades - so how come places in West Yorkshire ended up with names like that?

There are three places to park near Winscar reservoir - (1) at SE155030 off the Dunford Road would make this walk the shortest, (2) at SE152020 is closest to the start of the open-country walking or (3) at SE157024 has the largest parking area and is where this description starts.
If you park at either the Windleden Lane or Broad Hill car park you would eliminate the climb up the road to the reservoir.

Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Clarity of route map
3.7 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
Delphinium
Delphinium ★

Hello everyone and thank you for all those feedback!
I just tried to alter the description following them. Unfortunately, the author does not reply so let's see if the update helps otherwise I will unpublish it as we want everyone to be safe. I also upgraded it to a "Difficult" walk.
Thank you for your time.
Enjoy your walks

Rambler Sam
Rambler Sam

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : 27/06/22
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

I completed this walk with three companions today, 28th June 2022. We are all ramblers and experienced walkers, albeit getting a little long in the tooth now. We all found the walk very enjoyable and plan to include in our rambler walking programme next year. The conditions today were dry but very windy. Indeed, once onto the moor, between point 2 and the Kirklees Way, we found out what it would be like to live on a Wind Farm.

There were, however, three problems with the written description of the route. We parked in the Trans Pennine car park and walked up Don View road to the gated road. When we reached the second gate we discovered that Yorkshire Water has banned all access beyond that point, so had to beat a retreat back to the car park. We then turned left out of the car park and walked up the road to the car park at SE152020, Windleden Lane, at the end of Windscar reservoir dam wall. In future we would park at either the Windleden Lane or Broad Hill car park which would eliminate the climb up the road to the reservoir.

The second problem was at the gate before reaching Dearden Clough. This gate is chained and leaves the option of climbing over. Being bone fide ramblers this was not an option for us so we turned left and followed the fence line up the hill to a very high stile which allowed us to get over the fence and then descend back to the gate on the other side. However we would not recommend this route. We had already passed a stile over the fence before the gate and would, in future, cross at that point and continue to follow the fence, on the reservoir side, until the gate was reached. We would then be able to continue on the described route to cross the clough.

The final problem was a small and obvious one. In (5) it describes "crossing the dam wall to get to Dunford Road which heads back to Winscar reservoir. After a quarter of a mile a road off on the left leads down to a car park" The road off is on the right, not the left.

Forbesy
Forbesy

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of walk : 09/05/21
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

No defined signs Map does not correspond to the route Very muddy in places

Missmeal
Missmeal

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : 24/10/20
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A note, the path from Dunford Bridge TPT car park up from Don view Road has been closed by the waterboard, you instead need to walk left out of the car park and follow the main road until you reach the turning right for the sailing club/res follow this road to the sailing club wntrance where you will find a small wooden gate to the left.

A word of warning to the inappropriately dressed, this is not the walk for you if you are going out after rainfall, waterproof walking boots are a must as a bare minimum!

The route behind the sailing club is HARD particularly if you are carrying a child in a hiking carrier, no real path after a while due to it being tufts with 5inch plus drops, good for sheep not so good for humans, however once this is out of the way and you pick up the path on the other side of the clough it is far more enjoyable.

We did go wrong at one point (user error not map error) and with the previously mentioned very first path now closed this meant our walk was closer to 11 miles, the mile along snailsden edge nearly killed us off though! due to the strong wind and a screaming toddler in his carrier who was very angry at said wind!

all in all a great challenging walk!

asinbluesky
asinbluesky

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : 27/09/20
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Don't bother with the start - the dam road is indeed now blocked and we just got barked at by a huge dog. Suggest reverse the end of the route as BJAF4G suggests to get to the Winscar Dam. The 'sheep track' past the sailing club is a long chossy marsh section - not pleasant walking at all. We gave up and reversed the route to the dam at Harden, where you can take a gravel road with good view over Winscar to pick up the route from the house with the 'we prosecute trespassers sign' (take permissive path onto the access land up and right at the gate, through an old quarry). From there the Snailsden 'summit' is via a lovely green lane track with great views, and the smaller Snailsden reservoir is a nice spot. If you're short of time there is an obvious shortcut at this point to skip the forest section, which has some further views and is more open than it appears from the edge.

joekemp
joekemp

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : 19/07/20
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Really enjoyable and varied terrain / landscapes, great views all around about half way through. At the start you can no longer get up the side of the dam, you need to take road up to the sailing club.

BJAF4G
BJAF4G

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : 20/07/20
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : N/A
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Tried this walk but there were a number of obstacles !
1. At the end of Don View Road (300 metres from the car park starting point) the route has been blocked - locked fence and No Entry notices. So turn right immediately from the car park and walk up the hill for about 800 metres. Then turn left at the junction ( road to Harden). There is a public footpath which runs parallel to the road and takes you to the road which crosses the dam wall. From here it is possible to resume the original route.
2. The sheep path behind the sailing club is rough walking, but the main problem is a locked Five Bar gate. I think this is to prevent people from crossing the grouse moor as we are approaching the shooting season. However there were no signs to this effect.
3. On reaching the farm near Wetshaw edge ( Keep Out signs in evidence) it is possible to pick up the trail and cross over the moor towards Harden Clough, turn right and head for another dam wall which crosses to the Harden Road. Again , more signs here ,this time COVID related, which say areas closed to enable keyworkers to carry out duties. Here turn right and walk through a car park back to the dam wall at the start of the route.
So an amended route to suit the times !

Juliecan
Juliecan

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : 24/12/19
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We walked the opposite way round as wary we would get mixed up but the map was great. Good walk but very muddy in places and some of atreans needed bit of care to negotiate. Would definitely do it again

Jill walker
Jill walker

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : 05/08/18
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

This walk was a lovely walk for a day high on the moors , but sadly the first part of the walk was very poorly defined , once last the back of the sailing club the oath became a little bit of kilter , ( new fencing landmarks ) , once at the gate to Dearden Clough the pathway became totally undefined , we made our way to the waters edge but then from there we were beaten but the body high bracken with no sign of the pathways , we struggled up onto the moor and found our way along the top between the shooting butts. After this the walk wa# a very good interesting walk with amazing far reaching views , but beware the path is very undefined after half an hour until up on the tops again

Warren Goodall
Warren Goodall

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : 04/02/18
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

This was a great walk. The weather meant that we had snow on the tops and green grass and trees lower down. A wonderfully varied walk around a bit of Yorkshire that we had not walked before. We did it short of the time set.

Sarita J
Sarita J

OK thanks for the info. We'll recommend long legs and a good musher dog in the walk description then

leannehoram
leannehoram

I actually managed it within the time you said. It was just quite difficult in places. I was walking fast didn't stop for lunch and had a dog to help me along!

Sarita J
Sarita J

Thank you for the feedback on this walk Would you recommend us putting the walk time up to 6 hours? How long did it take you in the end? Thanks!

Sarita
Hikideas Moderator

leannehoram
leannehoram

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : 07/10/17
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Agree with previous comment as the marshland behind the sailing club was very difficult to cross due to the uneven ground and it was quite wet.

Also difficult to identify the path around the farmhouse. If it hadn't been for the gpx file I think I would have got lost on a couple of occasions.

andrew andola
andrew andola

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : 13/10/17
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

the first bit round the reservoir (behind the sailing club) is impossible if theres been any rain , its a swamp.

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