New long-distance Oldham-Saddleworth walking trail gets the go-ahead

Thanks to National Lottery players, Oldham residents will be able to enjoy a new long-distance trail on their doorstep.

The countryside charity CPRE, together with The Ramblers, Britain’s walking charity, have been awarded a £250,000 grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to establish the ‘GM Ringway’ - the new long-distance walking trail for Greater Manchester that connects Oldham with the other nine boroughs of the city-region.

Designed around existing footpaths, parks and open-access land, the two Oldham stages - 8 and 9 - of the GM Ringway take ramblers from Broadbottom via Greenfield to Newhey.

Stage 9 allows walkers to explore the moorland landscapes of Saddleworth,

Highlights include:
– A bucolic section of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
– The picture-postcard hilltop village of Dobcross
– Aerial views of the Roman fort site at Castleshaw
– A panoramic walk along the Standedge escarpment (part of the Pennine Way)
– Crompton Moor and Crompton Fold, with their woodlands and waterfall.

Green in every way, all 20 stages of the entire 186-mile (300-km) route are designed to be accessed by public transport. 

The trail also guides walkers through 57 conservation areas, nine sites of special scientific interest, 18 local nature reserves and parts of the Peak District National Park.

The Heritage Fund grant will enable signposting and an improved app and website to be established so that a wide range of people, including less experienced walkers, can enjoy the trail. It will also support the organisation of community events across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.

Once the trail is fully established, it’s estimated that at least 30,000 people will walk part of the route every year.

A GM Ringway ‘trail passport’ will also be developed which, it is hoped, will not only allow walkers to mark their progress on the route but also offer discounts to visitor attractions and pubs, cafés and hotels along the way.

A network of at least 200 volunteer ‘footpath guardians’ will be recruited across the region and trained to help signpost the route, get involved in community events, and manage the trail long-term.

As a key project aim is to open up the benefits of walking, nature and heritage to a wider range of people, the project team aims to cooperate on activities with community groups across Greater Manchester.

Andrew Read, GM Ringway Project Lead, said: “The Oldham route of the GM Ringway is an interesting and varied route and includes the little bit of Pennine Yorkshire included within the Greater Manchester boundary. 

"Our core aim is to connect even more people with our local nature and heritage.

"We know there are proven health benefits that come from moving more and from spending time in nature.

"We’re particularly keen to enable those currently under-represented in the walking community to enjoy Greater Manchester’s incredible landscapes and heritage sites, especially those living in deprived areas, young people, those with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and different ethnic and faith groups.

"We believe that, as people explore Greater Manchester’s rich landscapes and history, it will increase their appreciation of and pride in their local area.”

Margaret Manning, Chair of Greater Manchester and High Peak Area Ramblers, said: “The grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund is just fantastic as it will enable us to make the GM Ringway project a reality, which is so exciting.

"The GM Ringway will open up opportunities to collaborate with local community groups, charities and partners in the health, heritage and environmental sectors on trail-related events and activities. 

"We also hope heritage sites and hospitality businesses will benefit as visitors discover them on foot. 

"The grant will allow us to establish this wonderful trail as a long-term asset for the region.”

For more information and news on the GM Ringway, including route maps, visit: GMRingway.org

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