megabus Manchester – Leeds

Journey Overview

This is a journey that leaves the noise of its conurbations behind to then cut through the heart of the beautiful, but rugged and sometimes bleak, Saddleworth Moors.

There’s plenty of sheep grazing on this interesting route and it’s certainly a scenic journey as the bus passes Booth Wood Reservoir, as well as the dramatic, expansive views across Rishworth Moor, which contrasts well with the urban landscape of Manchester, left behind.

The bus passes Stott Hall Farm, often dubbed ‘The Little House on the Prairie’, a farm in the middle of the M62 motorway, between junctions 22 and 23, sandwiched by multi-land roads on both sides. A popular story is that the previous owner, Ken Wild, refused to sell his land when the motorway was built, though it’s told that engineers actually diverted the roadway as a result of a geological fault beneath the farm.

Scammonden Dam then appears and it is connected to the motorway itself – the creation of the M62 depending on the completion of the dam, which underpins a six-mile stretch of the road. Soon after and Scammonden Reservoir comes into view, then the arch-shaped Scammonden Bridge – otherwise known as Rainbow Bridge or Brown Cow Bridge. On opening, the bridge was the longest single-span bridge in the world and is currently the longest concrete arch bridge in the UK.

Shortly after and the moorland scenery gives way to a gradual build of up of houses and the bright lights of Leeds beckon, a city where there’s never any shortage of things to see and do – of culture, sport, nightlife, heritage, retail therapy and much more!