The Grade 1 Scrambler

A scramble up Diggle Brook above Diggle in Greater Manchester.  Summary verdict: five grade 1 waterfalls and a grade 2.5 that are quite far apart with great care needed over nearby rifle range

Route in: park at Sam Road car park, Diggle.  Walk past the Diggle Hotel then down to Diggle Brook

Start point: enter Diggle Brook just below the concrete waterfall e.g. at OS ref SE 00927 07885

Grading: there are five grade 1 waterfalls (two below Diggle Reservoir, two below the Black Moss Reservoirs, one in Hoar Clough) and a grade 2.5 waterfall just alongside Diggle Reservoir.

Notes: the brook is inconsistently named: no OS map name, and upper Diggle Brook is different on OpenStreetMap and Google Maps – this scramble follows where waterfalls are shown on the OS map

Warning: Diggle Brook runs through Diggle rifle ranges and you will NOT see the warning flags if you follow the brook.  Extra care needed.

End point: above the waterfalls under Black Moss Reservoir

Route out: you can retrace your steps down the brook until you get to the path through the rifle ranges, or walk up to Black Moss Reservoir then North along the Pennine Way, and then West along Standedge Trail

Time: less than 10 mins from CP to start point; then 2-2.5 hours up Diggle Brook (an extra 30 mins for Hoar Clough but not worth doing); then about 75 mins to walk back

Verdict: a good set of waterfalls but quite widely spaced and the rifle range is, obviously, impassable when in use

Video guide:

Map:

Map image/data from OpenStreetMap