Herb Riddle's photos with the keyword: Longdendale

A promise of dry clear weather tempted us out for a seven mile walk along this trail in Derbyshire yesterday. About two miles along the trail from here (which runs along the old railway track) are the famous and now historical three mile long Woodhead railway tunnels that used to take freight and passengers alike from Manchester to Sheffield. Of course the flowering Hawthorne tree is the star here with the dam wall of Woodhead reservoir seen just behind the fences. Just by the big house runs the thundering A628 Woodhead Pass road which has a continuous line of heavy traffic, all taking the goods that used to run on the trains some 43 years ago. Fortunately the trail itself is an oasis of wildlife now enjoyed by walkers and cyclist alike. See Pips HWW, have a great day.

A panoramic view of this big reservoir here in North Derbyshire consisting of three photographs (approx 170°). On the far side accompanying the full length of this water runs the infamous A628 Woodhead Pass trunk road, passing over the nine-hole bridge that we can just see too. Woodhead reservoir was created between 1847 and 1877 with much difficulty, to supply the urban areas of Greater Manchester with fresh water. The Longendale chain of five reservoirs, of which this is the top one, were once the biggest chain of man-made reservoirs in the world. At the far end near the electricity pylon was the start of the Woodhead railway tunnel complex too. Three parallel trans-Pennine tunnels each 3-mile (4.8 km) long, now all closed the last in 1981) took at one time as many as 400 trains a day under the moorland. Many people died on the construction of these. The largest one now carries the national electricity power cables underneath instead of over the moors on pylons. See PiP for tunnels

Take a walk with me along the Longdendale trail, but bring along your picnic and binoculars. Enjoy full screen. Have a great day.