Waugh's Well

A cracking Rossendale moorland loop with a bit of everything.

I start on Newchurch Road in Stacksteads, then cut across the old railway path towards Cowpe. From there it’s a steady pull up, passing Tippett Farm and getting you properly onto open ground. The moor can look calm from a distance, but once you’re walking on it you feel the wind straight away.

Waugh’s Well is a brilliant halfway stop. It’s the kind of place that makes you pause, even if you’re not usually one for “random landmarks”, because it’s got that local oddity vibe, and you get proper views out over the Rossendale hills. From your lunch break you carry on towards Scout Moor, keeping to the tracks and paths that link the higher bits together.

After that the route swings round through Cragg Quarry, then you drop back down on a good path above Cowpe Reservoir. There’s a nice sense of relief when the gradient eases, and the finish across Rooley Moor brings you back into Stacksteads without dragging the day out.

This is not a hard outing in terms of distance, but it’s one of those moor walks where the weather decides how “easy” it feels. After rain, expect damp patches and occasional peaty ground, so it’s worth being ready for boots that come home looking a bit worse for wear.