Stoodley Pike

If you look very carefully, you should be able to see Stoodley Pike on the right hand side, in the distance, on the top of the hill.
The hill is 1,300 ft. In the South Pennines , and dominates the moors above Todmorden.
Which is where we stared our walk.
Designed in 1854 by local architect James Green, and completed in 1856 at the end of the Crimean War.
It replaced an earlier structure, started in 1814 to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon, and the surrender of Paris. It was finished in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo.
It collapsed in 1854 after being struck by lightening.

A stop for lunch, and a climb up the spiral staircase ( in the dark) 39 steps and 40 feet above ground level.
It was worth it for the wonderful view from the balcony. A perfect day. Cold, but very clear.
We did pass pockets of snow on the way up!

However the next part of the walk, partly on the Pennine Way, across a very bleak moor.
(Difficult stoney path, and quite boggy.)
Was not pleasant.
We came back past Gadding Dam,and the Basin Stone.
This stone was the location of the radical meetings of the Chartists, Hudsonites, and later Socialist groups.

A walk that we had been told would be 7 miles turned out to be 10.
We were all well and truly cream crackered!
Set off at 10.30 am and got back to the car about 4.30pm.

Straight home, and into a hot bubble bath for a good soak.
Now feel much better, and time for tea!

Will remember when B and A say the walk will be such and such to add 3 miles to their calculation!
Extra photo of the way up.