Walk 30: Joe Brown’s Numbers north
Walk distance: 11 miles | Date recorded: March 2025
Start point: The Street car park (SK23 7HB) | Google Map
GPX file: Contact me with walk number reference
This is the second of two walks following Joe Brown’s Numbers; an orienteering course around the Goyt Valley and up to Combs Edge created by one of Britain’s most respected climbers during his early career working at White Hall Outdoor Centre in the 1960s.
The course comprises of 20 clues Joe carved in stone, with either a grid reference, or a compass bearing and distance, which point to the next clue. Click here for more about the course, as well as links to a crib sheet.
Joe’s original course starts at the gates of White Hall but is virtually impossible to complete in one day. So I’ve split it into two more manageable sections, both starting from The Street car park beside the twin reservoirs.
The 8.5 mile southern section is the easier of the two (click to view). This 11 mile northern section is more challenging, with a fairly steep climb up to Castle Naze and along Combs Edge. (Contact me for a gpx file of the route, quoting walk no.30.)
Above: A ‘Relive’ version of the walk. Click to play and use the expand option to view in full-screen. Click here for more Goyt Valley ‘Relives’.
Above: Click map to enlarge.
View printable A4 pdf.
1: From ‘The Street’ car park beside the twin reservoirs, walk up to the top of parking area and follow a path on the left which runs parrellel to the road.
2: As the road bends to the left, go through a gate on the opposite side and follow the wide gravel track through the trees.
3: The first clue is on the left, just as the track bends around to the right, a short distance into the trees.
4: Follow the track, passing Oldfield Farm on right to eventually reach Normanwood Farm. Turn right through the farmyard to reach a gate into a wide field. Head down the slope, keeping the wall to your left. Cross a stile in the far right corner and turn left along the lane.
5: Look out for a small gate in the wall to your right just before you reach Knipe Farm. Head down the slope to your left, following the obvious path to reach a small footbridge over the River Goyt. Clue #2 is near here.
6: Follow the footpath sign to Fernilee, heading straight ahead towards a small gate (don’t take the path slightly right up the slope). Keep in the same direction up the slope to eventually reach a wide gate leading into a farm yard. Go through here to reach the main road, and take the lane to the left of the Shady Oak pub.
7: Go up the lane to reach a narrow road (Elnor Lane), and then head diagonally left up a wide footpath on the opposite side to eventually reach a farm track, turning right.
8: Turn left when you reach a footpath sign to Combs. There’s a stone sheep pen just past the sign. Clue #3 is near here.
9: Follow this footpath for some distance through the trees, eventually exiting through a gate into an open field. Head diagonally right down the slope, following the obvious path to reach an old Roman road, and turn left.
10: Turn sharp right when you reach a narrow lane, heading down the slope between the houses. Go through a gate into a field (which is often muddy and may have horses in it), keeping the wall to your left. Go past farm buildings on your right, turning left when you reach the road. Take the next right to reach the railway bridge. Clue #4 is near here.
11: Follow the path to the right just beyond the bridge, through a gates and over two small footbridges. Head right as you exit the trees towards a dilapidated farm building beside a narrow lane. Cross the lane straight ahead, turning right at the next road through a railway bridge. Go left just beyond the bridge and follow the footpath to reach a gravel track.
12: Turn right at the track and follow the path as it slopes up and around to the left for some distance. Keep the wall on your left to eventually reach a narrow road. Turn right, passing between houses to reach a footpath leading up to Cowlow Lane. Clue #5 is near this junction.
13: Follow the footpath leading slightly right up the slope to reach the ancient Bronze Age fort of Castle Naze. This is a perfect spot to take a breather and enjoy the stunning views. From here, follow the path along Comb Edge to the right – with Castle Naze to your left.
14: The path around the edge is narrow and often muddy. Continue for some distance, going from one side of the wall to the other depending on the conditions. Eventually you come to two huts. Clue #6 is near here.
15: Take the path sloping down from between the two huts. Follow this fairly indistinct and often boggy path as it slopes gradually down towards the fencing, heading for the very far corner.
16: Climb over the wooden slats at the end of the fencing, heading slighly left down the slope towards the ruins of a stone barn in the distance.
17: Clue #7 is fairly easy to spot as you get close to the barn. The original clue was carved on a stone window lintel but this seems to have vanished and is now engraved on a small metal plate. This is the final clue in Joe’s route and at one time a bottle of single malt whisky was left inside the ruins as a reward for those who managed to complete it.
18: From the barn you can just retrace your steps up to the fencing to return to the path, or cross the moorland heading southwest along a more gentle slope to eventually rejoin it. The map on this page and the gpx file takes the second option.
19: Turn right when you reach the path, following it for some distance across the moorland until you reach the corner of a field. Go through a stile and over some wooden duck-boarding, and head down the slope towards a wide farm gate. Turn right down the old Roman road, passing White Hall on your left. Clue #8 is on a rear gatepost.
20: From White Hall, head down the narrow lane for some distance, turning left through a field gate just before a farm house. Follow the obvious path up the slope towards a large stone on the horizon. Cross the wooden slats beside the stone to enter the field. Clue #9 is on the stone, known as Hanging Rock.
21: Head down the slope, keeping the stone wall on your left. Go through a gap in the next stone wall and follow the more obvious path down towards the main road.
22: Cross the road, continuing in the same direction down the farm track. Ignore the path on the left and you soon come to clue #10 which is perhaps the most clearly defined one on the route.
23: Retrace your steps a short distance along the path and then head to the right, keeping the stone wall on your right, to follow an obvious path down the slope. Cross a small footbridge at the foot of the slope and continue in the same direction, following a track as it slopes up through the trees.
24: After reaching the small car park, go down the path from the far corner, keeping the fence on your right, heading towards Fernilee Reservoir.
25: This path leads to a wider track. Follow it around to the right and look out for a small culvert which drains a stream into the reservoir a short distance on the right. Clue #11 is near here, but very difficult to read because of small trees that obscure the view.
26: Go through a gate at the foot of the reservoir, crossing open grassland to reach a path on the other side which leads up and slightly left through woodland. Exit through a small gate and take the path leading diagonally right up the slope to return to the car park.