It’s spring, and that means finally a better chance to really get outside for a while, breathe deep, get out onto the moors with space all around. Happiness. We are so close now to moors and a little wildness, so close to the Peak District. A train ride away.
So today we took the train to Greenfield, and walked up along the canal to Diggle — that was crowded with Sunday walkers but nice.
Above all, the pair of Labradors that continuously launched themselves in flying leaps into the canal. They were glorious. I saw the first leap, and as we continued walking we could hear a new splash behind us after every lock, turned around to see them happily swimming back to a laborious exit.
Diggle is where the canal goes underground — the longest, highest AND deepest canal in all the UK.
We climbed up onto the Pennine Way, slowly leaving village, grass, and human beings behind us.
We climbed part of the way through the detritus removed from the tunnels beneath us…not only the canal, but three different train tunnels dug at different points. The view looking back.
Up to Brun Clough reservoir.
And then up across the moors. Golden brown enough still with winter to warm any desert girl’s heart, a little too boggy for our trainers — this is the way not taken:
This the old turnpike road we traveled:
Final freedom of Marsden moor before the descent to green fields:
Coming into Marsden:
And finally, the picturesque dignity of sheep (I jest, you know I do, I know too much about sheep now):
A delicious meal in the Brewery Riverhead Tap, and back on the train to Manchester. With a sigh I confess. We still have to go back to find the Roman road.
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