Start at: Hulme End . Grid ref: SK103 592 . Difficulty: Easy . Distance: 4 km .
From the car park at Hulme End take the ramp at the far end to join a path that crosses a bridge and leads you to the Manifold Track along the old disused railway line.Follow the track as it curves left along the valley floor, with Westside Mill across the river. As you head towards Ecton Hill the valley narrows abrupbtly and the banks to either side get steeper, with the track now curving to the right, then left, before reaching the Ecton Road.
With the hill rising steeply on the left continue ahead to a gate and the small car park at Swainsley. Go through the gate and take a footpath leading uphill to your right where a ramp leads to a stile. Turn half right at the stile and follow the obvious gully past a series of steps and a stile. The next stile goes through the hedge and continues uphill past old building remains to another stile, then yet another. Continuing uphill through the gate ahead another stile leads you to the road.
Turn right at the road then right again to enter the village of Warslow. Walk through Warslow to a lane that heads off left just after Dale Cottage and continue to a right hand bend. At the crown of the bend turn right using a wall on your left as a handrail as you head downhill above the river. With Ecton Hill across the river follow the track past the trees to meet the Manifold Track again.
This time cross the track onto the footpath straight ahead and head diagonally right towards the river the turn half left and climb back up to the Manifold Track. Continue ahead now as the path leads to the lane from Warslow and passing Cowlow emerges once again at Upper Hulme where you started out.