We offered this walk from Marple Bridge as part of the Greater Manchester Walking Festival (entered in their category: 'Challenging'), a programme of 300 walks at every level during May 2017.  Our group of 10 walkers included three LDWA members for whom this was their first South Pennine group walk and three women from Rochdale/ Oldham as part of their training for a charity challenge event.  A lovely spring day, countryside looking beautiful and everybody seemed to have a great time.  We left Marple on the Peak Forest canal, skirted the edge of Lyme Park, then over the edge of Whaley Moor to Whaley Bridge.  Canal and tramway to Chinley and an icy blast and good views as we lunched on the slopes of Chinley Churn.  Up to the summit of the Churn, down to cross the Sett Valley trail, up Broadhurst Edge and then down, dodging the golf balls, to reach Bottoms Hall and back to start. 

In emails, I had said that Chinley Churn was the only 'real hill' - well, the only hill with a well known name but there were a few other (?gentle) slopes (!!!!) on the way and the route was excellent fitness training with the GPS recording a full 1000 metres of ascent and about 21 miles.  The group recorded a moving average speed of 3.0 mph and finished by 4 pm, a really creditable effort as 20 miles was a 'personal best/longest' for more than one of the walkers!  Good luck to the Positive Steps charity team as they prepare for Challenge 2017 in aid of Oldham Carers Service - we're sure you'll make it!  More details on this link.  And thanks to the Greater Manchester Walking Festival for giving a bit of extra publicity to our local walks programme - hope to take part again next year!