Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, TAXAL EDGE, KETTLESHULME

Distance: Ten and one fifth miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Drizzle, some Sunny spells

Walkers: Colin Davison, George Dearsley, George Whaites.

B Walkers: Tony Job, Geoff Spurrell, Ken Sparrow

Non Walkers: John Eckersley, Frank Dudley

Apologies: Peter Beal (work commitments), Jock Rooney (Diving in Azerbaijan), Alan Hart (domestic duties) Lawrie Fairman (Cruising in the Adriatic).

Leader: Davison   Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Cock, Whaley Bridge

Starting Time: 9.34 am. Finishing Time: 2.54pm

Leaving the car park of the Cock at Whaley Bridge we walked past the pub and took the path to the left which snakes through a housing estate. The last time we were here a funeral was in progress. Not so today. We crossed the main road that leads out of Whaley Bridge and climbed the hill opposite.

Excavations

 We soon came across what appeared to be either excavations or preparations for some kind of pond or boating lake. (see picture above)

Old vehicle

Nearby was a rather ancient vehicle, extensively modified, which sharp-eyed Mr Davison immediately recognised at an Austin Gypsy. Going into Jeremy Clarkson mode he gave us a Top Gear style potted history of the motorised device.

Further research by your diarist reveals that The Gipsy was visually similar to the Land Rover, but unlike the Land Rover, the Gipsy's bodywork was steel and, in time, suffered badly from rust in the outdoors off-road environment it was intended for.

The suspension was sophisticated - independent suspension all round, using 'Flexitor' rubber springs. Later models used leaf springs on the front and rear which was felt to offer a greatly improved ride over rough surfaces. It used either a BMC 2199 cc petrol based on the one in the Austin A70 car: by the 1960s the compression ratio was unfashionably low, making the petrol powered vehicle unusually tolerant of low octane fuel. A 2178 cc diesel engined version was also offered. Production of the Gipsy was stopped after some 21,208 vehicles had been sold. Afficianados might like to visit this site. (click on the hyperlink).

 Our route then took us past the large graveyard adjacent to Taxal Church.

At the end of the steep path past the church we turned left, past Glebe Farm and a few yards further on past the Rectory we took a path to the right marked “Kettleshulme via Taxal Edge”. Conversation was temporarily suspended as we climbed higher and higher. At 10.13am the sun made a brief appearance.

We reached a metalled road (Taxal Moor Road) at the side of a wood and made to turn left. But Mr Davison, throwing caution to the winds, decided we would change the habit of a lifetime and turned right. We took a path into the woods but it quickly petered out and a decision was taken to simply take the shortest route to the top (Taxal Edge) which involved crossing an acre or two of heathered slope.

The climb afforded us spectacular views of the Cheshire countryside, the one below looking down to Toddbrook reservoir.

Excellent view

Reaching Windgather Rocks, we decided it was time for our “elevenses” even though it was just 10.51am. We resumed our walk at 11.05am

Passing Taxal Nick, we proceeded along Taxal Edge and a few minutes later reached Pym Chair. Local legend has it that a highway man called Pym used to lay in wait to ambush those who used the packhorse route, (at Pym Chair) although another version says Pym was a preacher who gave sermons here.

At the end of the road we turned right, following a sign marked “to Saltersford”. We then turned left onto a footpath, crossing a cattle grid.

We traversed a farm and then a second farm (Saltersford Hall Farm), exiting via the front gate and turning left. We crossed a stile and came to a stream, crossing over and passing an attractive looking white house on our far left and an equally impressive pond immediately to our left.

A brand new looking circular gate installed by Cheshire County Council took us onto a small metalled road. We climbed a hill and after 50 yards negotiated a stile on the left (stile number 176 in memory of rambler George Rochford) and through a metalled five bar gate onto the road.

The sun came out again as we past Greenbooth Farm on the right. We then past a house called Autumn Croft and as an imaginary clock chimed one we found ourselves at the Swan, Kettleshulme.

Already in situ, enjoying such ales as Marston’s at £2.75 were the B Walkers. They had taken the bus to Disley and then used Red Lane and Green Lane to reach the Moorside. Their trek then took them past Cornfield Farm, down to Hole House and over some muddy fields to the Swan.

Mr Davison then had one of those embarrassing moments when he uttered (rather loudly) the word “pornography” at the very moment that the entire pub fell silent. Luckily, no maiden aunts or vicars appeared to gag on their Cock-o-Leekie and the moment past without incident.

Mr Davison calculated that the main walkers had covered 7.6 miles up to that point.

We left the pub at 1.56pm crossed the road and walked through the garden centre. At the far side we turned right and then left down Kishfield Lane.

We took lunch on a picturesque stone bridge at 2.10pm, resuming our walk at 2.19pm.

Our route took us to Toddbrook reservoir where the water was higher than normal and necessitated us climbing an escarpment to reach the road.

Soon afterwards we caught up with the B Walkers. They had covered more than seven miles in the day.

We were back at the cars at 2.54pm and in The Cock soon afterwards, where John Eckersley and Frank Dudley were already seated.

Next week it was decided to explore the Castleton area. Walkers are invited to meet at 9.15am at the Fallow Deer pub, just off the by-pass for onward ferrying to our start point.