Start at: Flash Bar Stores/Knights’ Table Pub . Grid ref: SK032 678 . Difficulty: Easy . Distance: 8 km .
From Flash Bar Stores/Knights’ Table Pub follow the Leek Road for a couple of hundred metres to the road to Flash village on the right. Walk on through the village to where a small lane heads off to the right just as the buildings come to an end. Almost immediately up this lane a path heads off right into the fields.
Follow the path gently up Oliver Hill using the wall on your left to guide you. When the wall runs out cross the fields ahead moving diagonally left for stiles in the first two fields. A small patch of open moor follows with a road at the far side. Turn right along the road, then left, to pass Hilltop and take a small road left to Axe Edge End.
Where the road forks take the footpath to the left then turn left again at the path crossroads shortly after. The path now brings you to a footbridge over a stream, followed by a second, smaller, stream which is easily crossed as you make your way up towards Drystone Edge. At the foot of the edge turn left, with a wall on the right all the way to Readyleech Green where the path becomes a farm track.
Turn right at the T junction then at the end of the first field on the left turn left again for the descent into Knotbury. On reaching the road turn right and cross the road to take path into the fields on your left. The path now follows the course of a drainage channel across the fields before bending left towards the trees. Continue through the coppice as the path widens and follow a wide sweeping left hand curve as you follow the line of the hill above until you almost reach Hawk’s Nest.
Just before Hawk’s Nest a path on the right leads off, dropping gently to a footbridge across a stream where you turn left on the far side and start climbing steeply. Finally reaching a T junction turn right and follow the track to a road. Turn left here to retrace your outward steps with the steep climb into Flash. Pass through the small village again to reach the main road and a left turn back to Flash Bar Stores/Knights’ Table Pub.