Moss Gate Trig Point - Higher Crompton. 253m

Thursday 20th April 2023. 

Today the weather forecast was dry with an easterly wind, sunshine and cloud. A good day for a walk.

A trig point quite close to home which I had never been to before seemed a good idea to go and check it out.

I picked a route which would give us a couple of hours out and would also introduce us to the area we had never walked before.

The car park on Rushcroft Rd, SD 92727 09736 was the start point and we followed the route on the map below in an anti-clockwise direction.

The path goes north through Higher Crompton Municipal park which is lovely and well kept with a kiddies play area and a Crown Green Bowling Green. There wasn't many people about.

Once through the park you more or less join the path into open farm land, a very boggy path/stream bed at Moss Gate is not a place you would stay dry footed after a spell of rain. However, today it was boggy but passable.

At this point the views start to open out and progress is easy under foot. 

We headed for an os benchmark which is marked on the system at SD9305 1045. It is supposed to be at the junction of 3 field walls. Unfortunately these walls are no more than rubble on the ground and no OS marker.

Manchester Skyline.

Lots of spring lambs and ewe's guided us up to our next os benchmark which just happened to be the trig point. For some reason it has a couple of names, Moss Gate and Hey Farm. GR. SD 93001 10581 with a Flush Bracket number S2788.

253metres.

Leaving the wonderful views south we followed the sheep NW along the Rochdale Way on a good green lane with high walls. Many footpaths veer off from the way so we had to take a little care ensuring we were going the right way. A very pleasant section.

Ewe ok?

We stopped a while to listen and search out the first Skylark of the year. Followed by a few Lapwings.

We passed a couple of people in a field close to Bryney Hayes Farm and thought they were setting mole traps. As it turned out they were metal detecting.

Close to the farm we made our one and only minor error, missing the path, which was "badged". So we retraced our steps a short distance rejoining the Rochdale Way. 

Walking along a very old route we passed a couple of farms dating to the 17century. Moorgate East was one of them and the other has slipped my mind.

1693 is the date above the door. Along with John Milne.

Crossing Rochdale Road and heading west along Pit Lane we passed the first person of the day. I say passed, he was actually on a hybrid mountain bike. Going too fast to say Hi.

We tried and failed to find another os benchmark just on Rochdale rd. Oh well we will try again next time.

Pit Lane is another ancient route which led us round and through Fentons Farm where we disturbed a Hare. For some reason we have seen an abundance of Hare's this year. Far more than any other year that I can recall. A horse in Fentons stayed aloof and ignored our passing.

A one eared Hare.

Once more across Rochdale rd and for a short time on the Crompton Circuit we found a good spot out of the cold breeze for a coffee.

We passed all the caravans at green Hill Farm before re- entering the park and finding our car safe and sound.

Our route.