Tameside Trail (East - Broadbottom to Mossley)

This eastern section of the Tameside Trail strikes out from Broadbottom and climbs steadily into the moorland fringe above the Tame Valley, finishing in Mossley. At a touch over 10 km with more than 450 m of ascent, it is a properly challenging half-day on foot, rewarding the effort with long views across Greater Manchester to the Pennine edge.

From Broadbottom the route gains height through pasture and wooded cloughs onto Harridge, before working its way up to Noon Sun Hill. The high ground opens out to reveal the remains of Buckton Castle, a medieval hilltop site perched above Carrbrook, and the trail also passes the remains of a chapel along the way, a quiet reminder of older settlement on these hills.

The final stretch descends off the moor towards Mossley in the Tame Valley, where the railway station offers a straightforward car-free finish. Expect a mix of field paths, rough moorland tracks and lanes, with some steep pulls and potentially boggy ground after rain.