Longdendale Tales

Back in March (episode 8), Clare Savory visited an almost forgotten chapel on the hillside between Woodhead and Crowden... Now a group of volunteers from across the Longdendale valley (and beyond) have rescued St James' Church.

In this special Christmas episode, Clare invites Longdendale Tales listeners in for a sneak peek of the first concert at the chapel in years.

Music is provided by Adrian Loader and Arnfield Brass Band. Tintwistle-based celebrant Steph Baker leads the service.

You can support the volunteers repairing St James by donating to their crowdfunder campaign here: crowdfunder.co...

As the series draws to a close, Clare Savory follows an old path underneath the Longdendale Trail, where there’s another railway tunnel marked ‘The Old House’.

She ponders over words Robert Macfarlane shared about the origins of paths and “the secrets they keep of adventures, meetings and departures”.

Clare walks from one end of the tunnel to the other - listen closely to the buzz of the pylons, to the raindrops inside, to the heavy rain and birdsong at the opposite end.

And she tells a tale of a cat called ‘hero’ that is said t...

It’s the final instalment of the bard of Longdendale’s story about a group of day trippers (and their plentiful hamper) travelling the region in June 1867. Actress Cordelia Howard completes the tale of the party’s return journey from Crowden to Manchester.

The Longdendale Tales project was supported by Glossop Creates as part of their Pairings programme, matched with Matt Ross at the Peak District National Park’s Longdendale Environmental Centre in Tintwistle. 

Visit LongdendaleTales.co.uk to see our digital interactive map. 

Special thanks to Holly Close (assistant producer), Harry Heart (series the...

Nanny Greenteeth and Nell Nettlespike, Baron de Morland and Sir Mottram De Mossland…some of the characters presented in the myths and legends about the Longdendale Valley. In particular, they feature in many of the explanations of how a hairpin along Woodhead Head earned the title ‘devil’s elbow’.

Walking from The Peels Arms in Padfield to Peak Naze, Clare Savory is joined by Glossop-based science-fiction writer Matt Hill (M. T. Hill). Together they talk about how the landscape inspires their work, and savour a precious moment to welcome the lapwings back to fields surrounding Padfield.

Links...

Whilst recording this podcast series, Clare Savory met retired-clergy-now-fellow-Hadfield-ers Janet Lees and Bob Warwicker. As passionate long-distance walkers, they’ve explored many of the corners and paths of the Longdendale Trail (and much of the country by foot). 

During lockdown their observational rambles inspired their prayers to fall in the form of poetry, which are published on one of their many blog sites and have been mapped out as walking trails along the valley.

In this episode, the three Hadfield musketeers walk along the Transpennine trail, south of Rhodeswood Reservoir and finish taking shelter inside ‘The O...

From the Bulls Head in Tintwistle to Arnfield Farm; Clare Savory walks along the boundary of the Peak District National Park with Cora Glasser and David Ball of Glassball Studio.

Their latest project, GUIDEline, explores the nature of the park’s boundary, its history and how it was formed from Glossop to Diggle.

Together they share some of the work and research they’ve uncovered over the last 4 years, whilst collaborating with artists Alison Lloyd and Dr Tony Hall.

From politics, to airshafts, to memorials and brambles…there’s plenty to notice if you look...

Enjoy a windy walk with Clare Savory along the northern path of Torside Reservoir; taking time to notice the colours, the patterns, shapes and lines through an artists’ lens.

Local painter Liz Armstrong from Glossop Art Society offers tips to get started sketching when out on your walks. Plus, they share the story behind the idea of open air painting, also known by the Italians as ‘pro loco’ (of and on location).

Visit https://hadfieldhall.wordpress.com/art-show/ for information about Hadfield Open Art Show and contact Glossop Art Society via their Facebook page: https://www.fa...

From wool to cotton; Kate Raine paints a picture of how the area surrounding Bottoms Reservoir looked before and during the building of the reservoirs. Including Crowden Bleach Works, Bottoms Lodge and the mystery behind Torside Paper Mill…was it actually a pub?!

And - what connects Rhodeswood Reservoir with the Victoria Hall in Glossop? Spoiler alert: It’s Herbert Rhodes, one of the owners of the many mills in Hadfield and Padfield, and once mayor of Glossop.

Plus, how did the reservoirs get their names? Your daily dog walks will never be the same agai...

Sped up, slowed down, turned round and round - today’s Sunday soundscape is recorded walking along Crowden weir. Enjoy listening to the sound of the gushing fast flowing stream as Clare Savory turns in circles, allowing the water to move all around us. (Best listened wearing headphones!)

The week’s conversations about adopting a sense of play with the children in the brook; to the issues around safety in encouraging more women to enjoy walking the park have been rumbling around Clare’s mind. Something she ponders over, with the wise words of Dr Kerri Andrew’s book ‘...

The party has opened and indulged in the hamper’s delights, what next for Thomas Barlow’s day-trippers enjoying a wet and wild summer’s day out in Woodhead? Cordelia Howard provides the third instalment of ‘A Picnic At Woodhead’.

The Longdendale Tales project was supported by Glossop Creates as part of their Pairings programme, matched with Matt Ross at the Peak District National Park’s Longdendale Environmental Centre in Tintwistle. 

Visit LongdendaleTales.co.uk to see our digital interactive map. 

Special thanks to Holly Close (assistant producer), Harry Heart (series theme music ‘Begging’), Owain...