IT is hard to believe that Liverpool's mighty River Mersey rises in the old West Riding of Yorkshire. Well, at least one of its tributaries does, the River Tame.

The Tame is fed from springs on the Saddleworth moors and flows south through the textile villages of Denshaw, Delph and industrial Stalybridge before converging with the River Goyt in Stockport town centre. Here it becomes the infant River Mersey. This walk explores a rural section of the River Tame, which also gives its name to the borough of Tameside. We start and finish in Delph, a well preserved wool weaving village hidden in the meandering valley of the Tame. Lanes are followed to Grains Bar, a moorland crossroads where several old toll roads and little valleys or ''grains", intersect. Nearby is a family monument overlooking Bishop's Park. The route drops down to the wooded valley of the Tame before following lanes linking lonely hamlets back to Delph.

DISTANCE: 4 miles (allow two hours)

START: Delph village (OS Grid Ref 985 079). Roadside parking in the side street by the village church. Delph is situated along the A6052 roughly halfway between Denshaw and Uppermill. From Oldham it can be reached via Huddersfield Road or by turning right at Grains Bar.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bus links from Oldham.

Use these route directions in conjunction with the relevant OS Map (Explorer OL1 Dark Peak). Boots are essential as the walk is muddy in sections.

START the walk on the main village street and head southwards, in the opposite direction to the bridge over the River Tame. At the top end of the street you reach a junction of three roads. Ignore the road on the right (Grains Road) and continue straight ahead along the lane signed as Stoneswood Road. This climbs uphill past cottages and bends right. After the bend, the lane forks into two. Take the right fork signed as Knott Hill Lane which runs uphill between garages and the rear of cottages. The hedged lane climbs and leaves the village behind to reveal panoramic views. It is followed for 1 miles straight ahead along the scarp edge of a hill overlooking the Tame Valley to the north. Keep to it all the way until you pass the Bishop Park monument high on the hill to the left. The lane joins another road leading straight ahead to the busy crossroads by the pubs at drains Bar.

At the junction turn right along Oldham Road for a very short distance. Almost immediately, look for a footpath signed on the right in front of the Grains Bar B&B. Join this path running downhill as a grass track between fences. It reaches a walled track heading left to a white house but do not follow this. Instead bear right across the hillside along a boggy path between a wall and newly planted trees. This path starts to descend the valley slightly along a slippery path crossing a steep-sided heather slope. The path skirts around the hillside and soon reaches a wall gap by pylons. Swing left here and follow the path under pylons with the wall on the left. Pass trees and reach a walled lane by gateposts with a farmhouse close by on the right.

Go straight ahead from here keeping below the farmhouse but maintaining your height between mature and newly-planted trees. The path is indistinct at first but beyond a gatepost it becomes a track running downhill to another stone post. Turn right here and a track above a steep-sided woodland leads to a stile and gate. Cross this and drop down to the river, almost turning back on yourself to cross another stile to reach a footbridge over the River Tame -- which seems little more than a stream at this point.

Cross the bridge and continue along the hedged track on the far side of the river. This becomes a wide track running through woodland to farm buildings. The track swings sharp right between the buildings and follows a concrete driveway uphill to a turreted entrance by a road. Cross the road and continue straight ahead along a Held edge path to reach a narrow lane at the end of a terraced row. Turn right past the cottages and follow the lane for about mile until a wooden footpath sign is reached on the left by a gate with a "Private Road" sign. Take this path which leads up a walled track between fields heading for the prominent church at Heights. The track passes through another gate than turns sharp right passing alongside a barn on the right to reach a lane beyond a gate.

A left turn here leads to the old church and the Royal Oak Heights inn. But to continue the walk, turn right along the lane and it can be followed straight ahead for mile. It meanders all the way back to Delph village in the valley below. The lane soon drops down to houses and the main road into Delph. Turn left along the main road to reach the village high street.

COUNTRY CLIPS

You need never be short of a helpful advice if you are visiting the Lake District this winter. Several National Park visitor centres are opening seven days a week throughout the winter months, including Keswick, Bowness, Hawkshead, Coniston and Glenridding.