Countryside Health Walks in Oldham and Tameside

Mossley: Roaches Wood & Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Length: Northern Circuit: 2km (1¼ miles)

Southern Circuit: 1.75km (1 mile)

If walking in the countryside is new to you, to get the best out of this walk why not go with your partner or a friend?

Walk Summary

Two walks based on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the Roaches recreation path along a former railway line, on the edge of Mossley. The two walks can be combined into one longer walk.

The going is on surfaced paths or stone lanes throughout, and is level for most of the way.

There is an easy slope up Calf Lane on the northern circuit, and a steadier gradient up though Roaches Wood on the southern circuit. There are seats at regular intervals along the railway path, and some along the canal on the southern circuit.

Landscape

A walk in the Tame Valley with views of surrounding hills. A mixture of canal landscape, woodland and open grassland.

How to get to the start

The walk begins at 'The Roaches Lock' public house on the A635 (Manchester Road) 1.5km north of bottom Mossley, where there is a large car park between the River Tame and Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Buses from Ashton-under-Lyne, bottom Mossley and Uppermill.

Toilets and Refreshments

At 'The Roaches Lock' public house. None on route.

Map

Directions

You can make a short easy walk by going either direction along the canal from the 'Roaches Lock' public house for a few hundred metres, to suit your ability, returning the same way.

1. From 'The Roaches Lock' public house car park go up the few steps through the wall to the canal towpath. Turn left.
2. In 250 metres follow the canal under the road bridge, and immediately across the stone footbridge by locks, continuing alongside the canal with the towpath now on its right hand side.
3. Pass another set of locks, and soon go under another bridge. Immediately beyond here double back on the path on the right to an unmade lane (Calf Lane).
4. Go left here, away from the canal, rising slightly to reach the A635 Manchester Road. Go up Shadows Lane opposite to reach a stile leading on to a landscaped path, a former railway line. Turn right along here.
5. Follow this path for about 750 metres. Pass two paths coming in from the left. The second comes in at an angle and there is a path off to the right here. Ignore this path and go on for a further 20 metres. Here take the path on the right going up a slight ramp and bearing leftwards.
6. Follow this path past a grassy clearing, and down through the wood. At the bottom look out for a small footbridge on the right over the canal bywash channel.
7. Cross this, go over the canal lock on a small footbridge, and down the steps in the wall a few metres to the right back to the start of the walk.

The Southern Circuit

1. From 'The Roaches Lock' public house car park go up a few steps through the wall to the canal towpath, and cross the canal on the small bridge across the lock. Go over the bywash channel on another small footbridge.
2. Turn right on the footpath in Roaches Wood. The canal seen through the trees to the right is very wide at this point. Keep to the lower path, ignoring turnings off to the left until you have crossed a small footbridge over a streamlet.
3. Now follow the path ascending through the wood. Take your time. At the top you reach a wide crossing path (a former railway line).
4. Turn right for 500 metres until just before a bridge over the path.
5. Here take a path angling up on the right to a stile. Turn right on the unmade road and downhill.
6. At the bottom, by large mills, go across the canal and turn right on the towpath, with the locks on your right. Follow the towpath for 750 metres easily back to 'The Roaches Lock' car park.

The Full Circuit

Follow the northern circuit up to and including Point 4. Turn right on the former railway line, and follow it for a little over a kilometre until just before a bridge over the path. Now continue from Point E on the directions for the southern circuit.

If you have any comments about this walk please contact:

Contact Information
Send us a Message	Strategic Director of Education and Cultural Services Tameside MBC Council Offices Wellington Road Ashton under Lyne Lancs OL6 6DL View local map
0161 330 9613
0161 343 1834