Barrow Bridge – 21/10/2026 – Leader Judy

The Woodland Trust car park was new to some and not too easy to find, but we soon had 20 standing in the damp conditions. After a bit of history about Barrow Bridge and its chimney (see link for some internal pics as well), we set off past some of the lovely Mill cottages and headed up into mist towards the Old Links golf course and onward to Yate Fold. More farmland took us to the famous viewpoint at Matchmoor Lane, today swallowed up by misty clouds. 

We headed to above Montcliffe Quarry, still actively being quarried for construction materials as well as being used for recycling and bulk material handling. We had our coffee break on a slightly raised bank before descending carefully past the quarry, but could see little of the work going on there through the mist. Next we headed to Wilderswood and on to Pike Cottage, now a cafe, tempting some, and with the first requests for lunch when we were less than half way! 

Here the first glimpses of a view appeared, on and off, as the mist and drizzle were swirling. We headed up to Two Lads at 389 metres where the cairns on the top of the remnants of Bronze Burial Grounds were being rebuilt. The workers had gone to lunch leaving the surrounding fence unlocked, so some of us took advantage to study the work, the appearing and disappearing views and the Two Lads panoramic cairn. As we descended it got windier and the showers came and went.  Finding a sheltered lunch spot was difficult, with mutiny threatening, so we grabbed the first semi suitable place on entering Holden’s plantation. Just after we all got settled it rained heavily, but stopped fairly soon after we moved off!

We continued onwards in showers to meet the Rotary Way and the Winter Hill Mass Trespass Memorial Stone, before climbing to the picturesque Dean Hill Reservoir, also built by the Lord brothers to help service the Mills on the site where we started. From here we descended to reach Walker Fold, and above Dakins Brook to the 63 step descent back to the car park.

Very many thanks to Stephen D for taking the fantastic and totally untouched photos, and to Heather for back marking.

Distance – 9.48 miles     Ascent – 1473 feet    M/h – 2.1

Pics – Stephen D.    Write up – Judy

‘If you wish to see a static view of the pics all in one go, then click here.’

Continuously running slideshow below – you can see it full screen by clicking in top left of picture