JUST a mile from the M62, the secluded Piethorne Valley is hidden from view in the lower folds of high Pennine moors.

Victorian reservoirs, built to supply water to Oldham, Rochdale and Chadderton, dominate the little valley, together with the industrial hamlets of Higher and Lower Ogden.

If the weather doesn't look good, there are plenty of short waymarked trails around the six reservoirs starting from the car park by the ranger's office. But this longer walk heads straight for the higher ground, climbing to the Windy Hill mast, then following the Pennine Way south over White Hill.

These lonely hills were roamed by the Saddleworth dialect poet, Ammon Wrigley (1861-1946), who also popped in the lonely country inn, The Ram's Head. The walk returns to the reservoirs along an old packhorse route known as the Rapes Highway, used in the pre-motorway days when woollen goods were carried over these hills between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

LANDMARK: The Windy Hill Mast above Piethorne

DISTANCE: 8 miles

START: Piethorne Valley car park, Ogden reservoir, Ogden Lane, Newhey (OS Grid Ref 953123). Leave the M62 at junction 21, head south to Newhey, then turn left along the A640 in the centre of Newhey. Follow this uphill for about a mile before turning left along a minor lane that leads to the car park by the ranger's office and toilets.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: train to Newhey from Manchester Victoria. From the train station turn right and walk uphill through the village for about a mile, turning left into Ogden Lane as above. The return route to the train station will add two miles to the

walk distance.

Follow these route directions in conjunction with OS Explorer 277 and Outdoor Leisure South Pennines maps.

From the car park, cross the stile by the gate and walk along the dam of Ogden Reservoir. At the far end climb the steps to a wall gap. Turn right here and follow the track above the reservoir which passes through a kissing gate.

Leave the reservoir behind by following the path running between a plantation and little brook to reach a junction of paths at a stone waymarker. Turn right here, cross the brook and climb the stone steps.

Continue straight ahead between walls to join another track. Turn left and follow this gradually uphill keeping a little wooded valley on your left. At the top of the valley look out for a waymarker stone with a yellow arrow on the left and turn off the track here to follow a path through rough pasture down to a walled enclosure.

Bear diagonally right from here to reach a step-stile in the which is difficult to spot.

Cross the wall and turn right to reach a crossroads of paths by a bridlegate.

Go straight ahead from the bridlegate along a stone track which passes under pylons. The walled track is followed for half a mile until another junction of waymarked tracks is reached. Take the track forking sharp left and follow this boggy walled route gradually uphill along a ridge for a further one and a half miles. It heads straight for the prominent Windy Hill transmitter. The transmitter is passed on your right and as you join the access road to the mast, almost immediately leave it on the right along the Pennine Way which joins the main road (between Saddleworth and Ripponden) on the south side of the mast.

Cross the road and continue straight ahead along the distinct well-trodden path of the Pennine Way, England's first official long-distance footpath.

This moorland route is now followed for nearly two miles and climbs gradually to the trig point on White Hill. From here it enters the National Trust estate of Marsden Moor before dropping to Huddersfield Road. Leave the Pennine Way at the road and turn right, following the road downhill for about half a mile until a gated track is reached on the right. Join this track, part of the old Rapes Highway, which climbs up a hill then drops to the lonely Readycon Dean Reservoir.

Follow the track across the dam of the reservoir and then it turns sharp left and climbs to pass through gates and meet the Saddleworth-Ripponden road again. You can spot Winter Hill from here on a clear day.

Turn left here and take care following the roadside down for a short distance to reach the Ram's Head inn. Cross over and join the signed bridleway which runs between the pub and outbuildings.

The track drops down to the Piethome Valley and crosses a drain. Look out for a path junction by a waymarker stone with blue and white arrows.

Take the track forking left here which crosses the dam of a small reservoir then swings right to run alongside the shore of Piethome Reservoir. This track is now followed for about a mile and becomes a tarmac road past Victorian houses. The car park is eventually reached on the right.