The M62 from Ainley Top to Milnrow.

This is a short film I took whilst driving along the M62 motorway from West Yorkshire to Greater Manchester on September 1, 2017. This stretch of motorway is the highest in the United Kingdom, reaching a peak height of 372 metres (1221 feet) just after junction 22 at Rishworth Moor. It was opened in 1970 after a period of construction that started with planning in 1961 and spades in the ground in 1963. The speed has been increased so that a nearly 20-minute journey only takes just under 9 minutes. The background music is Cylinder Seven by Chris Zabriskie.

 

The journey starts at the bottom of junction 24 motorway slip road at Ainley Top, between Huddersfield and Halifax, and passes Outland, Scammonden, Rishworth Moor, and Windy Hill before finishing just after junction 21 at Milnrow, Rochdale. The start of the film shows a quite lovely English summer day, but by the time I am passing the slip road at junction 22 Saddleworth, the motorway visibility is greatly reduced due to fog. When building the motorway, this was considered one of the hardest sections to complete due to the ever-changing weather.

The video was doubled in speed as I was driving a truck, and whilst it may look dangerously close at some points to the Abbey trailer, I wasn't, and at that point he was really struggling for power as we were barely doing 40mph and I couldn't get out to pass.

 

A few notable points of scenery, blink and you'll miss some to look out for, and the time in view,

 

Outlane Junction 23 slip road and Outlane Golf Club 1:30

Scammonden (Rainbow) Bridge 2:42

Scammonden Reservoir and Water Tower 3:01

Rishworth Moor, 3:38

Stott Hall Farm is barely visible to the right of the picture (3:46).

The fog comes into view and reduces the long-range visibility (4:37).

Junction 22 Saddleworth 5:58

Highest Motorway in England, Sign 6:08

M62 Pennine Way Bridge, 6:18

Rakewood Viaduct (Windy Hill) 7:38