The Grey Panthers

Explorer Map OL31, - North Pennines

If you have fine weather this is a totally delightful walk.
The walk takes in a succession of views of Baldersdale, all of which are a pleasure to the eye.
The walk starts from the Balderhead Reservoir dam, from where there are views of the other reservoirs in Baldersdale as well as Goldsborough and Shaklesborough Hills.
An easy ascent of Goldsborough provides further views. The walk ends by using the footpath along the Southern shore of Hury Reservoir, crossing over the the footpath on the Northern shore of Blackton Reservoir.
Finally, a visit is paid to Hannah's Meadow.
The only difficulty lies in crossing the Howe Beck. There is no footbridge, and some agility is needed to jump across the beck.

For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above link.
(Overlay made with Version 5 of Memory Map)

Some new mapping software is now available which you may want to try, - QUO mapping. You can download the software for free from the link below, complete with demonstration maps. Having installed QUO, you can import and export Memory Map overlays. Thus YOU DON'T NEED Memory Map to use any of the overlays provided on the Grey Panthers web site, - just use QUO!!

Start from the car park at the North Eastern end of Balderhead Reservoir.
Walk South Westwards along the reservoir's dam until you come to the track down to the hostel at Blackton.
Continue until you come to the farm track between Birk Hatt and Clove Lodge Farm. Turn right and continue along the track to Clove Lodge Farm.
Now continue along the minor road until you come to the finger post that directs the Pennine Way footpath towards Goldsborough.
On the Southern flank of Goldsborough there is an easy track that takes you to the summit of the hill.
Continue along the footpath over Cotherstone Moor in a South Easterly direction. The footpath is generally quite clear, but may be troublesome in poor weather conditions.
Cross the Howe Beck over the footbridge, and continue on the footpath until you come to a marker post a few hundred yards ahead.
Here turn left and follow the path in a North Easterly direction to a boundary wall. Continue in this North Easterly direction to pass through a gate in a fence.
Not far past this gate is a stile that takes you to the footpath that crosses the Howe Beck. This crossing is in a fairly steep little valley, and the actual crossing involves a small jump over the beck.
Once out of the valley, follow the track Northwards over the rough grassland to West Briscoe Farm.
The footpath skirts to the right of this farm, then joins the farm access road.
Continue along the road to Hury Reservoir.
There is a footpath that follows the Southern shore of the reservoir. This footpath emerges at a small dam, which you cross before continuing on the footpath to the Blackton Reservoir.
At the Blackton Reservoir, take the footpath that follows the Northern shore of the reservoir to Low Birk Hatt Farm.
From here, head Northwards past Hannah's Meadow to the road that takes you back to the car park you started from.