Cowms Rocks

From the car park we head off along Dinas Tor Stitch behind the Snake Pass Inn to follow Oyster Clough to the shooting cabin. Crossing over Oyster Clough we pick up the intermittent faint track through the moorland running just below the heather line towards Cowms Rocks.

In January 2008 there was a landslide along here which closed the Snake Road for about a month. There is now a newly formed crack or split in the ground which in places is 8 to 10 metres deep. A landslip about to happen??

We keep going along Hey Ridge to the corner of the wall/fence where it meets the treeline. Passing through the fence we follow the broken wall through the trees on a steep, boggy and slippery track downhill to Alport Castles Farm.

Climbing up to Alport Castles we turn right at the top to walk along the obvious track across Rowlee Pasture towards Lockerbrook. There is a fun but steep downhill track which we can use if everyone is up for it otherwise we go on to Lockerbrook and turn back towards Rowlee Farm crossing the river at Rowlee Bridge before continuing along the track to re-cross the river at Alport Bridge.

From here we follow the course of an old Roman road which leads above Hayridge Farm and across Cowms Moor back to the car park. This track is muddy and undulating with a couple of small streams to cross. It also has a short but very steep climb at the 11 ish mile mark.

This is a fairly tough walk with only 1 real escape route, at Alport Castles Farm, which would cut off about 3 miles from the full distance. There will be a stop of about 10 minute for elevenses and lunch will be about 1300.
There are 2 ladder stiles which are about 5 feet high to cross so bear them in mind if you bring your dogs.