I took a picturesque walk on cobbled Greater Manchester street that means so much and is a real hidden gem

Social movement and support for the fellow man is something Greater Manchester is known for. Over history, the people have made a stand against hardship and cases of wrongdoing and, in one case in particular, it didn’t even matter that it was thousands of miles away. 

Rowley Moor Road is an old stretch of road that branches out towards the Greater Manchester-Lancashire border. Rising up from the streets on the outskirts of Rochdale, the cobbled street is a symbol of those who opposed slavery. 

I made my way up the road, which is a gateway to rolling fields of the surrounding hills. For all of its picturesque views, the road has a vital historical significance. 

In the 19th century, Lancashire was the world’s cotton provider. Mills across the region spun cotton that was sent around the globe, by using raw material picked by slaves in America- this being a dark chapter in the region's historical past. 

During the war, there was a shortage of cotton that led to many mill workers losing their jobs as a result. There wasn’t any ill feeling from workers, who instead felt they needed to show solidarity with the slaves who were forced to pick cotton in the fields of North America and elsewhere on the continent. 

Unemployed mill workers laid the stones of the road from local quarries in order to receive poor relief. The road serves as a practical and permanent reminder of the anti-slavery sentiment that thrived within the workers. 

To get to the start of the walk, I took a tram out to Rochdale and then hopped on the 467 bus to Daniel Fold. The short walk from the bus stop to the start of what is one of the Rooley Moor Heritage Walks takes you from the suburban streets to the grassy incline of the road lined by farmers fields. 

Some menacing clouds gathered over the road as my walk began, but intervals of sunlight made me optimistic for a decent afternoon. The cobblestone of the roads remains for most of the path to the top, but in some places it is in better shape than in others. 

I was pretty much alone on the walk other than one or two other walkers. In terms of woolly companions, I was inundated with sheep popping up in the long grass either side of the road more than intermittently. 

The remains of old stone buildings are also a feature of the landscape, one again reminding walkers that before it was a tranquil walking route the area played a significant role in the industrialisation of the region. Reservoirs and dams add to the layout of this part of the world, and the further up Cotton Famine Road you venture, the better view you have of these. 

The walk back down took me closer to the Greenbooth Reservoir and through Shawfield. The rain that had threatened all afternoon did eventually start to fall, but luckily I was able to seek refuge in the Black Dog pub just in time. The shower was so swift that I was even able to enjoy a pint outside, bringing to an end a walk of nearly seven miles. 

This is a stunning part of Greater Manchester, with a historic significance dating back over 150 years. Tying in beautiful scenery and an example of Greater Manchester people showing support against injustice, Cotton Famine Road and Rooley Moor in general is a gem well worth exploring.