The Greater Manchester walk with views and a pub at the top

The circular trail around Werneth Low in Hyde is firmly in the second category, and the fact that a welcoming historic stone pub sits right on the hilltop makes it one of the finest afternoon outings in the whole of Greater Manchester.

Rising to 279 metres above sea level on the eastern fringes of Tameside, Werneth Low offers views right across the city region and, on the clearest days, as far as the Welsh mountains on the horizon.

It is the kind of panorama you might not expect to find just nine and a half miles from Manchester city centre, but that is exactly the surprise Werneth Low has in store.​

Views from the pub Hare and Hound Inn (Image: Google Maps)

The three-mile circular route starts from the free car park off Higham Lane and takes in open heathland, sheltered wooded cloughs and the commanding hilltop war memorial before looping back to the start.

Dogs are very welcome throughout, though leads are required between mid-March and the end of July to protect ground-nesting birds.

The 80-hectare country park also connects with the Tameside Trail and the Trans Pennine Trail for those who fancy a longer outing.

The story behind the park itself is worth knowing before you set off.

In 1920, following a public appeal that raised over £14,000, Hyde Borough Council purchased Lower Higham Farm and its surrounding land as a living memorial to the 710 men from the town who died in the First World War.

The war memorial on the summit was unveiled on 25 June 1921, and a wreath is still laid there each year to mark the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

The inscription “In honour of the 710 men of Hyde who gave their lives for King and Country” gives the hilltop an atmosphere that no guide can quite prepare you for.

The park’s varied habitats, heathland, meadows and ancient woodland cloughs attract a wealth of wildlife through the seasons, from pollinators and ground-nesting birds in summer to migratory geese passing overhead in winter.

Volunteers have also been creating new ponds to encourage great crested newts back to the site, and traditional dry stone walling work continues on the park’s historic field boundaries.

As for the reward waiting at the end, the Hare & Hounds Inn sits right on Werneth Low Road at the top of the hill, a handsome stone building dating back to 1728.

The Hare and Hound Inn (Image: Google Maps)

CAMRA describes it as having “fantastic views over the whole of Greater Manchester from front windows and outside seating”, and it is currently rated the number one pub in Hyde on TripAdvisor, with more than 2,000 reviews.

Recent visitors have praised the food, the friendly staff and above all, that view from the beer garden. It serves food daily, is dog-friendly, and opens from 9am seven days a week.