{"id":67578,"date":"2025-05-02T05:25:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T05:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/67578\/"},"modified":"2025-05-02T05:25:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T05:25:12","slug":"the-historic-greater-manchester-pub-with-stunning-reservoir-views-perfect-for-sunny-day-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/67578\/","title":{"rendered":"The historic Greater Manchester pub with stunning reservoir views perfect for sunny day out"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been a part of the area’s heritage for generations and is situated right by a beautiful reservoir\"OwdOwd Betts pub in Rochdale has been described as the perfect sunshine spot for a post-walk pint(Image: Owd Betts)<\/p>\n

A historic 19th-century Greater Manchester pub<\/a> situated at the end of a popular walking trail has been described as the perfect spot to visit during the nice weather.<\/p>\n

With a 229-year-old history, Owd Betts, on Edenfield Road in Norden, Rochdale<\/a>, is a pub undeniably steeped in history. Hailed as a \u2018home away from home\u2019 on its website, the venue features log fires, exposed brick walls, and a cosy aesthetic.<\/p>\n

The pub<\/a> building originally started life in 1796 as the Hare and Hounds pub, which was run by Richard and Mary Ashworth. Carried through the Ashworth family, the pub was renamed by their son John\u2019s wife, Betty.<\/p>\n

Following John\u2019s death in 1869, the pub was taken over by Betty who was known to locals as \u2018Owd Bett\u2019. The pub eventually took on her namesake in 1950 and it\u2019s stuck ever since. In fact, some locals believe the spirit of Betty still hangs around the pub<\/a> – haunting visitors with the occasional sounds of mysterious footsteps.<\/p>\n

But beyond its historical roots and unseen presences, the pub is also a common stop for those who partake in the Cheesden Mills Loop. The 3.2m moorland hike typically starts and ends at Ashworth Moor Reservoir, with its car park conveniently situated opposite the Owd Betts pub.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Owd Betts pub has a history dating as far back as 1796 (Image: Owd Betts)<\/p>\n

According to Lancashire Walks<\/a>, the trail takes in brooks, waterfalls, ponds, and even historical mill sites – including the ruins of what was once the Cheesden Lumb Mill. Just outlasting the Owd Betts pub by a couple of years, the fulling mill, built in 1786, is one of around 20 moorland mills that were built in the valley.<\/p>\n

On a clear day, the Cheesden Mills Loop also features unparalleled views of the nearby Ramsbottom and the Irwell Valley. Returning back to the Owd Betts pub after the trail, there is plenty to enjoy at the drinking hole.<\/p>\n

Alongside a wide selection of beers and ciders, the Norden<\/a> pub has, according to CAMRA, three handpumps selling Wainwright beer and two guest beers from local microbrewers. But it\u2019s the food where the pub allegedly shines the most.<\/p>\n

\"Inside,Inside, the pub boasts a cosy aesthetic with roaring log fires and exposed brick walls(Image: Owd Betts)<\/p>\n

Championing locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients, its menus feature a range of ‘old classics and new takes’, including the likes of beer-battered pickles, wild mushroom risotto, rag pudding, and their famous cheese and onion pie. There’s also Betty Ashworth’s Lancashire Lamb Hotpot alongside specials like Piri Piri chicken and a wild mushroom and porter ale pie.<\/p>\n

The pub also serves up a highly-praised Sunday roast, alongside weekly specials including a steak night menu every Friday, where two 8oz rump steaks and a bottle of wine will fetch you back just \u00a340.<\/p>\n

Of course, when the weather is nice, the pub also makes use of its reservoir surroundings with an exceptional outdoor seating area offering stunning views.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe pub also serves up a highly-praised Sunday roast each week<\/p>\n

Posting a review of the pub online, one customer described it as a \u2018lovely, warm, welcoming country pub with amazing views’. Another said: “Fabulous lunch in a lovely country pub. We had a wonderful meal at Owd Betts – food and surroundings great.”<\/p>\n

Another said: \u201cBrilliant Sunday roast location, we was lucky enough to have the beautiful sunny weather so sat out. The views are lovely there and nice and peaceful!\u201d<\/p>\n

For the last 19 years, the pub has been overseen by Rhys and Donna Knowles. \u201cOwd Betts is more than just a pub; it\u2019s a piece of our lives,\u201d the pair previously said about the venue.<\/p>\n

\"SituatedSituated by Ashworth Moor Reservoir, the pub offers stunning views of the countryside(Image: Owd Betts)<\/p>\n

Donna said: \u201cBeing local, with myself originally from Heywood<\/a> and Rhys from Manchester, we feel a deep connection to this place and its rich history. Owd Betts has been a part of Rochdale’s heritage for generations, and we are honored to carry on its legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the past 19 years, We have poured our passion and dedication into creating a home-away-from-home for both locals and visitors. Owd Betts has been welcoming guests near and far for many years, and we believe Owd Betty herself would be proud to see her establishment still thriving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Owd Betts is on Edenfield Road, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7TY.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It has been a part of the area’s heritage for generations and is situated right by a beautiful…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67579,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,393,4884,1804,2465,12038,2768,34161,8937,1170,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-67578","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-lancashire","12":"tag-manchester","13":"tag-manchester-pubs","14":"tag-manchester-weather","15":"tag-norden","16":"tag-pubs-and-bars","17":"tag-rochdale","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114436579534554695","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67578"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67578\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}