David and Jacinta's Walks- 2025

Wessenden Head and Black Hill As it was a Bank Holiday, we planned to go to Wessenden Head and do the walk up to Black Hill. It was due to be very hot, so we managed to set off early and fortified by refreshments from Carol's tea wagon, we began the walk down to the reservoirs. Descending to the Wessenden reservoirs The levels of all the reservoirs we have seen recently are dangerously low and it is very different from last year. The weather was warm and breezy and we made good time up to the top reservoirs at Black Moss. The next section up to the main road can seem a little unchanging, but we completed it with no problems. Since we'd been here last, a sculpture of a hare has been mounted where the Cotton Famine Road meets the old Pennine Way. Hare today! Crossing the road and beginning the climb up to Black Hill is always interesting but enjoyable. The ground was so dry that many of the muddy sections which are a feature of this part of the route, were completely dried out. E...

 Wessenden Head and Marsden We had not been out to Wessenden Head for quite some time and we hoped that there would be parking space for us on a fair Sunday. Quite a few cars were parked on the road up to the quarry where we usually park, so we left ours opposite Carol's tea waggon. This was an excuse for a tea, coffee, and slice of Yorkshire parkin. Suitably fortified, we set off for our walk. We decided to take the waterway which runs almost level above the flight of reservoirs and is eventually labelled "Deer Hill Conduit". Wessenden Reservoir and Pule Hill Because the waterway maintained its height for its entire length with only a slight drop, we found ourselves at quite a height above the reservoirs, and eventually Marsden. Gaining (relative) height above Marsden (in the valley below) We made a steep and sometimes slightly perilous descent (probably the best part of 270m) into Marsden and stopped at Katie's Homemade Kitchen. David treated himself to the Veggie N...