GPS Cycle and Walking Routes

Castleshaw Reservoir

2 miles (3 km)

These two reservoirs in Oldham have some nice walking trails to try. It's a beautiful setting with the Upper and Lower reservoirs surrounded by some lovely Pennine scenery.
You can start the walk from the Castleshaw Centre public car park on Waterworks Road, Delph. It's located at the southern tip of the lower reservoir. From here you can pick up paths along the lower reservoir before another footpath takes you around the upper reservoir. It makes for a nice circular walk with good views across the water for the duration of the route. On the eastern side of the lakes you could also explore the ancient remains of the Castleshaw Roman Fort.
To extend your walking in the area you can pick up the Pennine Bridleway and further explore Saddleworth Moor and Delph Heights. You could follow the long distance trail north and head to the nearby Dowry and Readycon Dean Reservoirs for example.
The Oldham Way, Crompton Circuit and Rochdale Way also run through the area. They're all good options for reaching several of the other reservoirs dotted around this area of the Pennines. This includes Ogden and Piethorne Reservoirs located just 2.5 miles north west of Cattleshaw.
The reservoir sits on the edge of the Marsden Moor Estate where there are some splendid walking trails.

Postcode

OL3 5LZ - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Castleshaw Reservoir OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Castleshaw Reservoir Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

A few miles to the south west there's more nice waterside walking around the two reservoirs at Strinesdale Country Park.

Castleshaw Roman Fort History and Detail: The fort, made of turf and timber, was constructed around AD 79 with the purpose of guarding the Roman Road between York and Chester.
Today, little can be seen of the site due to its protected status as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which has restricted excavation. Previous trenching has revealed that the fort underwent two phases of construction. The locations of the granary, stables, headquarters, commander’s tent, and various workshops/storerooms are known. It was a small fort, housing around 500 soldiers, likely an auxiliary cohort, and fell out of use in the mid AD 90s. To prevent it from being captured by enemies, the fort was deliberately destroyed.
Around AD 105, a fortlet was built on the same site but with different foundation trenches, also in two phases. The second phase, around AD 120, included more modern features such as gates, an oven, a well, a hypocaust (a type of central heating), and possibly a latrine. This fortlet, likely an administrative/logistical centre, accommodated about 50 soldiers plus administrative staff and officers, totalling no more than 100. Its small garrison was only sufficient to hold off minor attacks until reinforcements arrived. By the mid 120s, this fortlet too was abandoned, with forts at Manchester and Slack (near Huddersfield) taking its place.

Photos

Castleshaw Lower Reservoir - geograph.org.uk - 483305

Castleshaw Lower Reservoir. In the 1800s as the population of Oldham grew, due to the boom of the cotton industry, demand for water outstripped supply so in 1880 two reservoirs [upper and lower] were built at Castleshaw which still supply water to the Oldham area today. The buildings in the foreground is the Castleshaw adventure,leisure and learning centre

Sheep grazing by Castleshaw Upper Reservoir - geograph.org.uk - 1775580

Sheep grazing by Castleshaw Upper Reservoir. Standedge forms the skyline behind.

Castleshaw Lower Reservoir - geograph.org.uk - 63345

Castleshaw Lower Reservoir. Viewed from outside the Hunter's Hill Hotel on the A62, this is the lower of the two reservoirs at Castleshaw, with Wood Farm in the distance.

Castleshaw Top Reservoir and Standedge - geograph.org.uk - 332329

Castleshaw Top Reservoir and Standedge. Looking across Castleshaw Top Reservoir, near Delph, towards the high gritstone ridge of Standedge.

The Roman Fort at Castleshaw - geograph.org.uk - 3042387

The Roman Fort. The remains of the fort are located on Castle Hill on the eastern side of Castleshaw Valley. More detail above.

Castleshaw Valley - geograph.org.uk - 3042401

Castleshaw Valley

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Castleshaw Reservoir.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>'Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Share>Save to Files')

Memory Map Route

Castleshaw Reservoir.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>'Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Share>Save to Files)