Get Lost Mountaineering

Margery Hill, Outer Edge & Horse Stone from Langsett Barn

Start/Finish

Langsett Barn car park (free on 17/4/16) which is just off the A616 road from junction 35A of the M1 to the roundabout where it meets the A628, Woodhead Pass by the Flouch Inn. The car park is about a mile south east of the roundabout. At weekends, the car park can fill up very quickly leaving one to look around for parking. There are toilets by the car park.

Distance/Time

19 km      About 6 - 7 hours depending on ground conditions

Peaks

Margery Hill, 546 m, SK 188 967.

Outer Edge, 541 m, SK 177 969.

Horse Stone, 526 m, SK 158 976.

OS 110: Sheffield & Huddersfield. OS Outdoor Leisure 1: Dark Peak

Introduction

This is a good but strenuous walk with good moorland views in clear weather. Some of the going is boggy and gaiters are recommended in a wet spell when progress will be slow. Some of the route is pathless. There is plenty of time for this walk on a late-winter's day when the views are often at their best and the frozen ground is more pleasant to walk over. Snow and ice are not normally a problem but err on the side of caution if you have any doubts. There are no really steep sections. Crow Stones (below Outer Edge) is one of the finest outcrops in the area.

Route

(1) Walk out of the bottom of the car park and soon pick up the main path heading NW with Langsett Reservoir below and on one's left. The good path leads to the NW corner of the reservoir before crossing the Little Don River by a substantial old stone bridge. Follow the path up the other side, roughly S then more SSW passing Hingcliff Hill on its E flank. Stay with the main path to reach Mickleden Edge with the obvious large clough containing Mickleden Beck on the right; one is now heading more to the S. Higher up, Mickleden Beck splits and the path, becoming more boggy, follows the left fork on a section known as Cut gate with the path going roughly SSW. There is little gradient now and the path can be very boggy in places necessitating significant detours. At the highest point is a cairn which signifies that one is now on the crest of the broad Howden Edge with Margery Hill about 500 m to the SSE and Outer Edge about 1500 m to the NW. Follow the obvious, but very boggy, path SSE, crossing a stile, to the trig point which marks the summit of Margery Hill, 546 m, which sits in a flat and wet boggy area although it is quite easy to reach the trig point. On a clear day, one can see the Holme Moss mast (slightly left) and the Emley Moor mast (slightly right).

(2) Descend roughly NW back to the stile then continue, on very boggy ground, following the path back to the Cut Gate cairn. Go straight on, following the boggy path. There is a gentle descent then an equally gentle ascent which leads to the Outer Edge trig point, 541 m. As one approaches the shallow col between Margery Hill and Outer Edge, some strange “cairns” are seen on the skyline to the right of Outer Edge. These are actually isolated trees! A drier, but rougher, route between the two hills is to look for some short white marker posts on the right, E. These also have low cairns near them and can be followed until close the the summit of Outer Edge.

(3) Continue along the boggy crest using the very boggy path as a guide. There are some old wooden fence posts (not the white ones) which may help. Descend to the very shallow col then continue for about 1.5 km then go almost due S heading for the Horse Stone. You may be lucky enough to find a faint path! On 20/4/16, there was a temporary shed to the E of this line. Once level ground is reached, continue ahead to reach two adjacent “layered” boulders which are the Horse Stone, 526 m. The boulder is fairly straightforward to ascend but may be surrounded by water.

(4) Return to the crest of the Howden edge. Walk E for about 1 km then leave the crest and descend NE, aiming for Near Cat Clough. The ground is rough but not too bad and a few easy cloughs will be crossed. Some of the heather has been burnt back which helps. Eventually cross a clough with fence posts. The next one has grouse butts and just to its E is the only path but it is quite boggy. However, it does lead down to a footbridge over the Lower Don River with a very obvious track leading up the other side. (The track leads to the A628 Woodhead Pass road near to the Dog and Partridge). The return goes along the N bank of the river but, initially, the usual route crosses the river then soon crosses back – the footbridge does not help. Continue along the N bank on a fairly good path with a few boggy sections. Pass a well made set of sheepfolds. Further on, the high bank can be awkward and one may have to ascend up it to pass. Further on still, the same problem occurs again with the same solution or one can cross the river, on a wide section, then cross back on a footbridge within a few hundred metres and continue on the path. Later pass through a gate in a wall. When it climbs high above the river, go through a second gate, in a fence, and follow the path through a wood with the river off to the right. Further on, the path appears to split with a muddy path going ahead and a better one cutting back up and left. Both rejoin later then a wooden bridge is reached with the major old stone bridge, crossed earlier, over the river off to the right. Go up the easy slope after the bridge, go right and rejoin the outward path not far from the old stone bridge.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 20^th April, 2016.