Hayfield

LITTLE HAYFIELD, HAYFIELD AND ENVIRONS

Distance: Seven Miles.

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Mainly bright, dry but chilly

Walkers: Peter Beal, George Dearsley, Colin Davison, Alan Hart and George Whaites.

B Walkers: Tony Job and Geoff Spurrell.

Non Walkers: John Eckersley, Frank Dudley

Apologies: Jock Rooney (Diving in Azerbaijan), Lawrie Fairman (visiting relatives in Southampton)

Leader: Peter Beal

Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Car park at Clough Mill, below the Lantern Pike

Starting Time: 10.14am. Finishing Time: 2.05pm.

After mulled wine and  crudites at your diarist’s abode, we climbed the hill from Clough Mill to the main road and straight over into the grounds adjoining Park Hall. Here in bygone days was an open air public swimming baths, very popular in post War years but closing in the late 1960s and now derelict.

Park Hall Baths

At the end of the wide road we turned right and through a stile, turning immediately left and continuing along a wall. We crossed a small stream. Meeting a T-junction we turned right and began on what proved to be a steep climb and included quite an icy path over the moorland.

We stopped for a snack at 11.10am at a wooden bridge, setting off again at 11.20am.

Our walk afforded us spectacular views of Kinder reservoir and the surrounding countryside.

The Moors around Hayfield

All three of my photographs were taken before 11.45am as we skirted Kinder reservoir.

At 12.08pm we emerged onto a metalled road near a water company site. A white helicopter was parked outside.

After a few hundred yards we turned left to Hayfield Campsite, crossing Bowden Bridge,

This route brought us into Hayfield Village.

We crossed the main Chinley to Glossop Road and by 12.42pm were enjoying our first pint in the Kinder Lodge. Black Sheep was £2.80.

B Walkers Tony Jon and and Geoff Spurrell joined us. They had started their day at the Soldier Dick in Furness Vale, walking along the canal to the Co-op in New Mills. They then caught a bus to Hayfield and walked to Bowden Bridge and back.

We set off again at 1.35pm turning right out of the pub and first right down Station Road.

We followed a sign saying public footpath to Little Hayfield and eventually picked up a formerly muddy track that had now been transformed into a dry and easily negotiated path that took us back to Slack Lane, above Clough Mill. 

After trying in vain to negotiate a route to the Lantern Pike across the children’s play area we returned to Slack Lane, passing the former home of Coronation Street supreme Bill Podmore and turning left to reach the Pike by 2.05pm.

Next week the Wanderers will meet at Colin Davison’s house 11, Carr Brow, High Lane. His number is 07889 998528 or 01663 810002. The half way point is the Fox at Brookbottom at 12 noon. The walk will end in a visit to the Dog & Partridge for the traditional Christmas meal, which your diarist will sadly miss, on work duty in Dubai.