The Saddleworth Outdoor Festival is an annual weekend celebration of outdoor activities, held from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd September 2018.

Lying between the northern fringes of the Peak District National Park and the lower reaches of the South Pennines, Saddleworth’s dramatic and unspoilt landscape is a rich playground for outdoor activity enthusiasts.

The festival was conceived in order to bring together the various groups and clubs, which cater for a wide range of outdoor activities in and around Saddleworth and to provide the opportunity for individuals to experience a range of new activities, with fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

Below is a list of events that will be held throughout the weekend. Please contact the individual activity organiser for further details and consult this webpage for further updates and events. Regular updates will also be posted on the Saddleworth Outdoor Festival face book page.

See the festival facebook page for more details

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saddleworth-Outdoor-Festival/579260525547995?fref=ts

Friday 21st September

An Evening of Adventure

Once again, we have an exciting line-up of inspirational speakers at this ever-popular illustrated talk night, guaranteed to awaken your spirit for adventure.

The Adventures of a Bike Called Reggie

Andrew Sykes is a teacher, adventurer, writer and above all a cyclists. Oh, and also a lover of those quirky, humorous travelogues that meander comically from one minor adventure to the next.

In 2011, Andrew set off on a long-distance cycle adventure across Europe, from England to the southern tip of Italy, on a bike called Reggie. Upon his return he wrote and published his first book, ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘.

In 2013, he embarked upon a second trip from Greece to Portugal, following the Mediterranean coast; ‘Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie‘ was published in 2014.

A third trip was completed in 2015, from the southern tip of Spain to the northernmost point of Norway and as a result his third book, ‘Spain to Norway on a Bike Called Reggie‘, was published in 2017.

Andrew has delivered talks and lectures about his long-distance cycle adventures across the United Kingdom and will amuse you with his funny stories and anecdotes of two wheeled travel.

Tickets are £10.00 each, available at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/aneveningofadventure

There will be a charity raffle, to raise funds for Oldham Mountain Rescue Team.

Venue: Saddleworth Cricket Club, Calf Lane (off Manchester Road, opposite the Royal George), Greenfield.

Doors & bar open 7pm.

£10.00 per ticket, available at: LINK TO FOLLOW NEARER THE DATE

The Peak District Challenge

Saturday 22nd September

 

Guided Discovery Walk

Plane Wrecks of the Chew Valley.

Join us on this guided walk which visits the sites of several crashed aircraft in and around the beautiful Chew Valley.

Full details to follow.

 

Meet: 10:00am for a 10:15 start

Start/Finish: TBC

Grid Reference:

Bring suitable clothing and footwear. Packed lunch required too.

Contact: Chris – info@saddleworthdiscoverywalks.co.uk

 

Trail & Road Running

Greenfield Greyhounds, Run England Group, a social running group who explore the streets and lanes of Saddleworth.

For further details and for times of their group runs, contact Colin Green. Tel: 07803 933760 Email: colin@greenfieldgreyhounds.co.uk

 

Road Cycling & Mountain Biking

Saddleworth Clarion Cycling Club are a friendly cycling club who’s members take part in various cycling disciplines. They hold regular weekend (Saturday & Sunday mornings) and midweek (evening) rides. Weekend rides are normally Saturday and Sunday’s. Meet at 09:00, Java Esspresso Bar, High Street Uppermill.

For further information of group rides visit: www.saddleworthclarion.co.uk and https://www.facebook.com/groups/187671248032573/

 

Introduction to Outdoor Rock Climbing

An introductory session to outdoor rock climbing, with U-Project. Booking essential. For further details visit  www.uprojects.co.uk  or email info@uprojects.co.uk

This year U-project are holding a challenge walk up and down Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and the second highest in Britain. For further details contact Alan Keane at U-project.

Crag Fest

Join The Chew Valley Cragsmen for climbing, bouldering and banter. For experienced outdoor climbers only. No instruction given. Must bring own kit. For further details visit the CVC face book page nearer to the date, to see where and when they will be climbing. https://www.facebook.com/groups/120969574613193/

 

Cross Keys Road & Fell Relay – 1:00pm from The Cross Keys Inn, Running Hill Gate, Uppermill, OL3 6LW.

A unique event where teams of four runners contest a relay over two road legs of 3 miles and two fell legs of 2.5 miles. This format was originally designed to bring road and fell runners together in an event where they could appreciate each others skills and meet for a pint afterwards. Still one of the best days in Saddleworth Runners Club’s calendar and the sun always seems to shine. Road legs are two laps of a hilly circuit. Fell leg is a single lap of an undulating course over Saddleworth Moor.

Details: http://saddleworth-runners.co.uk/races/cross-keys-road-and-fell-relay/

 

Sunday 24th September

Fell Running – Saddleworth Runners Club

Join Saddleworth Runners Club for an enjoyable and social run, across the hills, valleys and moors of Saddleworth..

10:00am Lime Kiln Cafe, Uppermill. Bring a waterproof jacket.

Contact: Chris – info@saddleworthdiscoverywalks.co.uk

 

Throughout the weekend

The Diggle Jiggle MTB Challenge – An anytime, individual, challenge to see who can ride the Diggle Jiggle circuit in the fastest time.

The ‘In a nutshell’ Rules

• The challenge can be completed anytime over the period of the Saddleworth Outdoor Festival. 16th to 18th September 2016.
• Riders must follow the complete route as indicated on the Diggle Jiggle map (see link – http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/diggle_mtb_route3.pdf )
• Can start at any point along the route
• This is not a race and the route should be ridden individually and not in a group.
• All riders must abide by the rules for riding on public roads and bridleways and be courteous to, and show consideration for other users.
• Must post individual time on the Saddleworth Outdoor Festival face book page . https://www.facebook.com/Saddleworth-Outdoor-Festival-579260525547995/timeline/
• Post either on starva or some other recordable format. Photos of a stop watch and/or video of self at key locations along the route, including start and finish also acepted.
• Must include a photo of start and finish time on a Strava, watch or stop watch etc at start/finish.

No prizes, trophies or medals, just the accolade of knowing you are the Diggle Jiggle Champ!

Contact: info@saddleworthdiscoverywalks.co.uk

Orienteering

A fun-filled weekend of orienteering for all the family on a permanent course at Crompton Moor. Purchase your maps and challenge yourself to find all of the checkpoints.

Order your maps at: https://gmoa.org.uk/borough_oldham/crompton-moor/

For further information email: info@saddleworthdiscoverywalks.co.uk 

An exhibition of outdoor photography and art.

A selection of local artists will be exhibiting a selection of their work throughout the festival. More of their work will also be on display and for sale at the Evening of Adventure Talk Nights.

 Venue: Above Lime Kiln Cafe, Brownhill Visitor Centre, Wool Road, Dobcross. Other photographs will be on display within the cafe and at Saddleworth Outdoors, High Street, Uppermill.

Jim Barrott is a local photographer who has traveled the world and photographed some of the most beautiful locations on the planet. His latest project has been to photograph locations around Oldham for a new walking guidebook, Oldham Discovery Walks. 

http://www.jimbarrottphotography.co/

Ray Green, who has a passion for capturing the local landscape, took the wonderful photographs which feature in the locally acclaimed walking guidebook, Saddleworth Discovery Walks. http://www.raygreenphotography.co.uk/

Sean Willis is a local fellrunner who spends is relaxation time sketching and painting the environments in which he loves to run.

Si Taylor, a lifelong outdoors enthusiast and the owner of the award winning outdoor retail and footwear outlet, Mountainfeet, will be showcasing is photographic work for the first time. Whilst relatively new to the world of photography, Si, and his faithful dog, Gyp, have a talent for capturing wonderful images. 

www.mountainfeet.co.uk

Craig Hanna indulges his passion for the outdoors through climbing, caving, exploration and photography. Craig is renowned for his photographic mastery and is work is highly acclaimed.

For more details about the Photography & Art Exhibition, contact: info@saddleworthdiscoverywalks.co.uk

All of the photographs and artwork on display are available for sale by contacting the artists direct. In addition to the exhibition at the Brownhill’s Discovery Centre, more of the artists and photographers works can be seen at Saddleworth Outdoors, High Street, Uppermill.