Memorial Cross for James Platt

High up on the moors above Greenfield stands a stone cross that most drivers miss completely. It's a memorial to James Platt, and unless you're walking the hills around here, you'll never know it exists. The cross marks a spot where something significant happened - one of those local stories that gets passed down by hikers but rarely makes it into guidebooks.

The walk up to it is the real draw. You're looking at moorland that sprawls across Lancashire's high ground, the kind of landscape that shifts between purple heather and rough grass depending on the season. It's not a destination for leisurely strolling - you need proper boots and a decent map - but walkers will find it rewards the effort. The views back towards Dovestone Valley are genuinely good, especially on a clear day when you can see properly across the Pennines.

Historyminded visitors will appreciate having an actual reason to venture this far from the tourist trail. It's the sort of place that makes you curious about who James Platt was and what brought that cross to be built here. Kids will probably find the walk a bit of a slog unless they're already keen hikers. Allow a couple of hours round trip from Greenfield.

If you're staying at Dovestone Holiday Park just down the valley, this is exactly the kind of half-day walk that justifies a park break. You can't do this in an afternoon from Manchester. It's proper moorland hiking, and frankly, that's exactly why you'd come.