Poynton

POYNTON, LYME PARK, HIGH LANE

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Mild with Occasional Showers

Walkers: Peter Beal, Julian Ross, George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Alexander Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Alan Hart, Micky Barrett, George Whaites, John Laverick

Apologies: Colin Davison (yachting in the Caribbean)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, Jock Rooney, Ken Sparrow, Graham Church, Gareth Roberts, Mike Walton,

Non Walking Drinkers: John Eckersley and Frank Dudley

Leader: Hart with occasional guidance from Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Mr Hart’s house

Starting Time: 10.04am. Finishing Time: 1.38pm

The lure of a Harty breakfast (see what I did there?) meant that the traditional Christmas walk was better attended than for many a year.

Neighbours of Mr Hart, alerted by the aroma of bacon and the queue at the door may well be checking the local authority’s planning department this week to see if a covert café (or a food bank) has been opened in their leafy road.

There were hot mince pies, too, adorned with cream laced with Baileys, mulled wine and even Pimms and ginger ale.

No wonder there was a reluctance to don boots and start walking.

The bacchanalia over, there was just time for a photo opportunity, the image below superbly captured by Mr Welsh’s 13-year-old son Alexander.

The Wanderers

Leaving Mr Hart’s drive we turned left and at the end of the road went straight ahead on a path that for a while runs parallel to London Road. Poynton Pool, of course, is on the left.

After a few hundred yards we moved onto the pavement but soon turned left into Woodside Lane, turning right at a sign saying “Kingswood”.

At the end of this track we turned right and first left, going down some steps and seconds later down and up over some more steps.

This brought us to a golf course where we turned right, going down a slope until we met a road, which we crossed.

We passed some stables, negotiated a stile and went diagonally across a field.

This brought us out on another road by a commercial building saying “Swiftec”.

We crossed the road and took a path to the left at a sign saying “Hunting Lodge”.

We came to another sign saying “Poynton Coppice” and here we turned left.

This brought us onto the Middlewood Way.

We went under Bridge 13, eschewing all superstitions.

We turned right at Bridge 12, then left and went across the bridge.

We then went through a farmyard and turned left to cross a field.

Negotiating a stile we turned right (11.25am) and passed Simpson Lane Cottage.

At the top of the hill we stopped for a six minute breather (11.30am).

Having set off again we turned right at a Methodist Church and began a modest climb.

Up we go

We went through a gate onto a path and turned left.

After 200 yards we climbed a ladder stile.

Right would have taken us to Bowstones but would have added an unwelcome 40 minutes to our walk. As the predicted rain had now started to fall it was deemed prudent to go straight on to Lyme Park.

We crossed a stream with a sign saying Cluse Hen Restoration Project. Bizarrely there is not a single Google reference to this.

At 12.52 we climbed another ladder stile and went left and first right. We crossed a cattle grid, went through a gate and negotiated a stone stile on the right.

We climbed a path up to a railway line, crossed over and turned right and then left over a stile.

This brought us to the canal (1.20pm).

At a structure that may have once been a pill box but which was now being used as a garden shed by one of the narrowboaters we took a path on the left and then turned right to cross the canal via a bridge and come back on ourselves on the opposite side of the canal.

By 1.32pm we had reached the Bull’s Head where we left the canal to join the main road, reaching our final destination the Dog and Partridge at 1.38pm.

Reinbeer, the only draught ale, was £2.70, some of the Wanderers preferring to drink lager, although the Reinbeer was quite palatable. The Christmas carvery was priced at £4.19.

The man operating the carvery was working behind a sign which said “your carver today is Carol”.

But it transpired that he was not a transsexual. And when alerted to the fact he reversed the sign which now read “your carver today is Dylan”.

The Times they are A-changing. But thankfully not that much in High Lane.

Already in situ were the B-Walkers who had started at Princes Incline, followed the Macclesfield Canal and crossed a bridge to Platt Wood Farm before reaching the gates of Lyme Park and down a hill to reach the A6.

Within a few minutes we were delighted to be joined by Frank Dudley and John Eckersley.

The carvery was excellent and good value, especially if like Mr Rooney, you managed to fill your plate (below) with an amount of food which would have impressed Alan Partridge at the Lintern Travel Tavern.

Jock's Christmas Dinner

Some of the Wanderers tucking in to their Christmas fayre, including Frank Dudley (centre, in coat)

I’m indebted to Phil “Statto” Welsh  for informing me that Google Earth had the A Walkers completing about 10.3 miles. Total ascents amounted to 1100ft. The highest point was the second stile in Lyme Park at about 1000ft (after 6 miles). The lowest point was Harty’s house at 310ft. Our “breather” stop at top of Simpsons Lane came after 4.5 miles.

May I wish all the Wanderers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

There will be no walk next Wednesday. But the following Wednesday we will meet at the Cock at Whaley Bridge at 9.35am. Further details may well follow later.

Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, ERRWOOD HALL, FERNILEE

Distance: 11 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Cold and Crisp but Sunny

Walkers: Julian Ross, George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Alan Hart, Micky Barrett, George Whaites

Apologies: Colin Davison (yachting in the Caribbean), Peter Beal (having his bones checked) Jock Rooney(Christmas duties).

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Gareth Roberts, Mike Walton,

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Car park at the Cock, Whaley Bridge.

Starting Time: 9.40am. Finishing Time: 2.27pm

With Jock Rooney unavailable for selection and therefore Tip ineligible, Mr Hart decided not to wear his cricket box as another Hannibal’s Army-style gathering of Wednesday Wanderers congregated.

We were again rewarded by good weather, even Jack Frost proving a friend as potential bogs were turned into a giant duvet filled with cornflakes.

I am obliged to m’learned friend Phil “Statto” Welsh for researching on Google Earth to reveal we walked 11 miles. No fewer than nine to the Shady Oak and another two down the valley back to the Cock.

We did 1502 feet of elevation, which is 250 less than last week, but over 30% more distance which makes it much more shallow of course.

Pyms Chair was our highest point at 1526ft (3.7 miles into the walk), Errwood Hall was at 5.2 miles, and the bridge between Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs was 6.7 miles.

The end of Fernilee reservoir was just over 8 miles. The lowest point was of course the Cock.

There were also claims of a Wanderers all-time record from the Cock to Windgather in 58 minutes. More of that later.

We set off on the familiar route past the Cock on our left and up the track, the first on the left.

The path leads to some houses and here we swung right, past a rather forlorn play area and eventually crossed the road out of Whaley Bridge to continue on the other side.

We passed the graveyard on our left at Taxal Church, turning left at the top of the hill and a few yards further on took a path on the right.

This heralds a steep climb past a tree planted in memory of rambler Terry Lardner and on to Taxal Moor Road.

Just when you think the worst is over there is a further climb to the summit, which we reached at 10.38am. A glimpse at previous diaries reveals the last time your scribe undertook this walk (in June 2012) we reached Windgather Rocks at 10.31am. However the starting time was 9.28am.

So maybe we do have to exhume Norris McWhirter.

                                                            Just reaching Taxal Moor Road

Pie Time was declared at 10.45am and held in the stone “sheep pen” which affords shelter from the winds. We set off again at 10.57am and eventually saw a road to our right which we joined.

But at 11.15am we swung left. At 11.33am we turned right following a sign to “Errwood”.

We went down a rocky track. At the bottom was a sign to “Errwood and Stakeside”.

Two more stunning views

Chapel

We turned left, following a stream and crossed a wooden bridge.

We soon came to a conical structure which is in fact a chapel, erected by the Grimshawe family to the memory of one Miss Dolores de Ybarguen.  She was a Spanish aristocrat who was the teacher at the estate school and governess to the family.

Inside the Chapel

Samuel Grimshawe (1768-1851) was a rich Manchester merchant  who, in 1835,  purchased 2,000 acres of land, including the Cat and Fiddle pub, from John Jodrell of Yeardsley Hall at Whaley Bridge and had a hall built.

Errwood Hall became the centre of a thriving estate, comprising several farms, kitchen gardens, a private swimming pool, tennis courts, a school, a private coal mine and the hamlet of Goyt’s Bridge that eventually disappeared under the waters of the reservoir.

In time, the Errwood estate was virtually self-supporting.

The Grimshawes were great travellers and met Miss Dolores while on a yachting holiday.

Apparently Dolores was never in good health and died in her 40s during a visit to Lourdes. Either she was already terminally ill or incredibly unlucky. Isn’t Lourdes meant to cure you?

The chapel’s heavy oak door is not locked and it is worth a look inside.

Just above the picture of St Joseph is a marble slab with the inscription 'Munca se le Invoca evano a San Jose prueba de gratitud' which translates to - No one asks in vain of St Joseph, a token of gratitude. The shrine is still regularly used for private acts of devotion, intercession and remembrance

Apart from Dolores the Grimshawes also brought back tens of thousands of rhododendrons and azaleas.

A few minutes later we passed the remains of Errwood Hall. Wanderers who wish to learn more about its history can check out the link below to a very informative website.

http://gerryco23.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/errwood-hall-a-mansion-on-the-moor/

We then swung left to see Errwood Reservoir below us.

Errwood Library picture

By 12.08pm we had reached the metalled road at the side of the reservoir.

We turned right where the Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs divide to cross and then swung immediately left and left again down a track.

The reservoir was now on our left and the flat pathway eventually leads onto a road which turns right up a short incline and again flattens out.

We turned left at the end of that road and at 12.57pm your diarist, now bringing up the rear, reached the Shady Oak pub a few minutes later than the main group.

Already there (since 12.30pm) were the B Walkers who had walked from White Hall outdoor centre via Buxton Old Road to reach the hostelry.

Marston’s Bitter, the popular choice and in very good form was £2.90 as was another brew called The Dog’s Bollocks.

We left the pub at 1.40pm, crossing the road and after bisecting a farm we swung left to cross a field diagonally.

We stopped for lunch between 1.55pm and 2.02pm and reached the Cock at 2.27pm.

Next week we are all guests of Mr Hart. His Poynton home will reek with the smell of bacon butties and mulled wine from 9am.

Our walk (or stagger) thereafter will take in, among other things, Princes Incline and Lyme Park.  After de-booting at Mr Hart’s house, Christmas luncheon will be taken at the Dog & Partridge.

Rowarth

ROWARTH, GLOSSOP, HARRY HUT

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Cold and Crisp but Sunny

Walkers: George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Alan Hart, Micky Barrett, Tom Cunliffe, Jock Rooney and Tip

Apologies: George Whaites (working), Colin Davison (yachting in the Caribbean), Peter Beal (cruising, in the nautical sense)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Ken Sparrow, Mike Walton,

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Photographs: Phil Welsh and George Dearsley

Starting Point: Car park at the Little Mill, Rowarth

Starting Time: 9.51am. Finishing Time: 2.32pm

The largest turn out of the Wanderers for some weeks was rewarded with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, which conspired to deliver excellent light for photographs.

The cadre might have been larger but road closures (due to flooding and ice) and an indecipherable Sat Nav meant Julian Ross had to return home when less than two miles from the meeting point.

There was further early drama, when Mr Hart was injured in the warm up, after being butted in the gonads by an over enthusiastic Tip.

Happily there was no need for the “magic sponge” and after some deep breaths and much cursing Harty was declared fit.

                                                                The dog…..bollocks!

Thus delayed, we left the car park at the Little Mill at 9.51am and walked away from the pub up the hill, turning right at a sign to “Rowarth”.

We walked through the tiny hamlet and turned left up what proved to be a steepish climb. At the top of the hill we negotiated a stile and went left and immediately right.

Only 26 minutes after departure it was time for the first map check.

Our route took us past Near Slack Farm. In 1983 I attempted to buy neighbouring Far Slack Farm but was gazumped by notorious financier Peter Clowes. Unfortunately he used other people’s money to purchase the property. His investment empire collapsed in 1988 with 15,000 people swindled out of millions. He got 10 years.

We went through a gate and turned left. The path dog -legs left (10.25am) and from this point we had a great view of the flight path to Manchester airport.

We turned right through a gate and the sun was now shining brightly directly from our right.

We came to a four-way intersection. There was a bridle path going down steeply ahead but we turned left over a stile.

Pie Time was declared at 10.52am at a vantage point which gave stunning views over Cheshire.

                                                                           Stunning view

We set off again at 11.05am turning right and heading eventually to the road which links the Grouse and Charlesworth (11.16am). This we crossed.

We climbed a stile, again with the sun to our right.

We then descended a steep path on which Mr Barrett was a faller and on meeting a metalled road at the bottom, we turned left.

A path to the right eventually brought us onto the road from Glossop to Chinley, opposite the O Sole Mio Italian restaurant. Well, I’m presuming it’s Italian, never having dined there.

We were on the road for only minutes before swinging left at a sign for Gnat Hole Farm. One can only imagine what was in the farmer’s mind when he so named his beloved home.

We turned onto a path to the right about 200 yards before the farmhouse. Of course, had we stayed on the road we would have been at the Grouse in about 25 minutes.

Our detour would delay our arrival by nearly 90 minutes. While affording spectacular views, it was to involve a climb Paras would have been proud to complete to the heights of the so called Harry Hut (please note NOT Harry’s Hut)

Harry Hut trig point

Mr Hart, spurred on by the thought of ale, duly set a cracking pace.

Your diarist opined: “He’s like Mo Farrah”.

To which Mr Barrett retorted: “I’m more like Mo Mowlem”.

At 12.17pm leader Fairman became a faller on the boggy heather.

As to the derivation of the phrase Harry Hut little could be found.

I can exclusively reveal that in 1980 no fewer than 1083 pieces of artefacts and tools from the Mesolithic Period were discovered here. Anyone operating a market stall selling gloves and woollen hats in this period would have been onto a “good earner”. But beyond the archaeology, zilch.

We plodded on like Napoleon’s infantry retreating from Moscow but at last reached the road again where Tom’s wife Stella arrived to end the cruelty and take him to a Nativity play.

(No, he wasn't playing the Donkey!).

One hopes the singing of the herald angels was not drowned out by Tom snoring.

By 12.55pm your diarist reached the Grouse, 10 minutes after Mr Hart. Thwaites Original was on offer at £3.

Five B Walkers were already in situ. They had gathered at the Little Mill, crossed a ford and walked via Plainsteads Farm to the Grouse.

Peacock (not a Grouse) at the pub

Leader Fairman insisted this was a one pint pit stop only and we set off again at 1.21pm.

The B Walkers left a little earlier but we soon overtook them.

Climbing the hill to the turning for Charlesworth we continued on the metalled road for a couple of hundred yards before taking a path to the right.

Lunch was taken between 1.45pm and 1.52pm. But the main body of Wanderers left Mr Hart behind. He was either taking a phone call or doing a bit of Horse Whispering to the animal in the nearby field.

Luncheon is taken

We followed a sign to “Rowarth via Long Lee Farm”.

This took us over a wall where we saw a sign pointing left to “Hayfield”. We turned right here.

We were back at the cars at 2.32pm but amazingly Mr Hart was already in the car park.

Had he ridden the horse?

At the Little Mill Banks’ Bitter was £2.70.

One further picture of today’s walk follows below.

Another stunning view

Given average walking speed today’s walk should have been around 10-11 miles. But Mr Welsh calculated it via Google at 8.5 miles, which may well be correct given the climbing.

Although the non-walking drinkers were absent, there is good news of Frank Dudley who has recovered from a fall at home.

Next week’s walk will start at the Old Cock, Whaley Bridge at 9.35am, with a stop at around 12.30pm at the Shady Oak, Fernilee. We will finish, of course, back at the Cock.

Happy Wandering!

Disley

DISLEY, BOLLINHURST RESERVOIR, MILLENIUM WOOD, BOLDER HALL FARM, BLACK ROCKS, OWLS’ NEST, PEAK FOREST CANAL, GOYT VALLEY, HAGUE BAR, THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, WOOD END LIFT BRIDGE AND THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY

Distance: Nine miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry with early sunshine and good visibility.

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell and Mike Walton.

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley and Tony Job.

Apologies: George Dearsley (working), Colin Davison (crewing a Caribbean yacht), Frank Dudley (in hospital), Tony Job (central heating problems), John Laverick (on union business in Paris) and Jock Rooney (diving).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting Point: Disley Station car park.

Starting time: 9.33am. Finishing time: 2.15pm.

Another newcomer joined the ranks of the Wednesday Wanderers in the chunky shape of Micky Barrett, former amateur footballer, retired business entrepreneur and all round good egg. 

He warned us he is unlikely to be a regular member of our ad hoc hiking team, but we look forward to seeing him again soon.

If he can bring such glorious weather with him he will be all the more welcome as we enjoyed our first dry day for several weeks, enabling us to have magnificent panoramic views from the ridge along Black Rocks.

A good day ended on a downbeat note when we learned from John that Frank had been taken to Macclesfield Hospital after suffering a series of falls at his home. 

Wally reported they had happened in the early hours of Sunday morning after Frank had enjoyed a convivial night at Poynton Sports Club.

While voicing our concern and hopes for Frank’s speedy recovery, we also expressed the hope that we might all live to fall over pissed at the age of 96 !

Lawrie was uncharacteristically adamant that your diarist should lead this walk – despite Tom’s protests (He recalled a shambolic performance by your diarist four years earlier when we got lost in the fog while attempting the same route).

On this occasion there were no such failures (well hardly any) as we set off in bright sunshine and managed to reach our main targets, The Fox and The Dandy Cock, with military precision.

From the car park we walked past Disley Station on our right and climbed a flight of steep steps on our left. At the top we followed the sign for St Mary’s Church before turning right uphill (6mins). This brought us a view of Lyme Cage.

Heavy rain in recent days had created a giant puddle on the far side of a wooden stile which we would normally have crossed to walk diagonally through a field. Instead we carried on along the road, then turned first right and then left along a lane leading to a farm.

Just before we reached the farm we turned left at a gate marked with a yellow arrow which guided us to the drystone wall in front of Bollinhurst Reservoir. We turned left at the wall and where it ended we went right over a wooden stile into a wood (25mins).

We exited through a gate and went straight ahead, turning left just before a picturesque cottage to enter Millennium Wood through a gate. We emerged through another gate to reach the road at Higher Disley and turned right (56mins) for 200 yards.

After passing  Bolder Hall Farm on our left we turned left over a wooden stile at a public footpath sign marked Black Rocks (58mins). Heading uphill at a steady pace we reached the summit (77mins) and took a five-minute time-out to regain our collective breath and to admire the views (82mins).

On the far side we could see Crowden Tower, Edale Rocks, Kinder Low End, Ashop Head and Mill Hill etched distinctly against the skyline. Looking back we could see Bowstones opposite, then to its right Bollinhurst and Horse Coppice reservoirs. To the left of Bowstones were Teggs Nose, Croker Hill, Sponds Hill and Shutlingsloe.

We headed north along the ridge, crossing a ladder stile and passing to the right of The Owls’ Nest, a wooden dormitory which pupils of Manchester Grammar School use as base for outward bound activities (and who knows what else?) during school holidays and weekends.

Our route took us to the right of a farmhouse and across the road back down to Disley. We went to the left of Byron House (102mins), then turned left along a path marked with a yellow arrow. At the end of this path we paused for pies and port at a convenient stack of building stones (105mins).

There was some discussion about the progress of Tom’s diet – “I’m still eating the same old sh*t but less of it,” he explained. Some experts have destroyed rain forests selling books and devouring airtime with garrulous expansions of this basic principle.

The serious tone of the conversation was interrupted by the passing of two ladies on horseback who were wearing bibs on their backs warning “Wide and Slow. Please Pass.” It was unkindly suggested that Tom should buy one.

Resuming, we turned right, passing Pear Tree Cottage and walked downhill to the A6 (116mins), which we crossed to enter Lower Greenshall Lane. After walking over a bridge across the Peak Forest Canal (120mins) we turned left to walk along its right bank.*

Shortly after passing a swing bridge we turned right (134mins) down a steep path. We followed this down to a footbridge over a stream (139mins). The path brought us to a T-junction where we turned right to head up a flight of steps and over a wooden stile.

We turned left at a stile marked with a yellow arrow which had been obscured by the trunk of a tree (144mins) and the path took us into the car park of the Disley Tissues factory (145mins). We reached a road and turned right uphill (147mins).

While others took a short cut by following a path along the right bank of the River Goyt, the main group negotiated a hairpin bend and crossed the Goyt by a road bridge before passing The Torrs Riverside Park and Hague Picnic Site on our right (157mins).

We crossed into Hague Fold Road for the long final ascent towards Brook Bottom. As we swung left at a row of houses Lawrie, not for the first time in his life, pointed out Liverpool Cathedral some 40 miles away on the distant skyline.

After swinging right at the end of the row we reached a road and turned left (168mins). This brought us to The Fox (170mins) at precisely 12.15pm. A pint of Robbies’ mild and one of bitter came to £5-70 (presumably £2-80 and £2-90 respectively).

Tom declared, somewhat loudly, that the bitter was not to his liking. Lawrie also expressed the view that it was under par. Nonetheless most of us bravely risked a second pint.

Meanwhile the B team had caught two buses from Hazel Grove to Birch Vale, passing through Thornsett, the Shiloh Road and New Mills Golf Club on a rollercoaster route of four miles to The Fox. They arrived just as we were leaving.

From The side of The Fox car park we headed downhill going under the railway line at Brook Bottom Road Bridge (181mins) and crossing the Goyt (186mins). At a main road we crossed and went straight on to reach the Peak Forest Canal (196mins) where we stopped for lunch.

Continuing our journey we turned left with the canal on our right until we turned right at Wood End Lift Bridge (204mins) to cross the canal. This path took us past allotments on our left before we reached the A6 with the Dandy Cock on our left (216mins). It was widely agreed that the Robbies’ bitter here was in fine fettle, as was the mild at £2-50 a pint.

Julian regaled us with the story of his first day as a 21-year-old Pc at Cheadle Hulme police station, where his inspector gave him a clue as to what lay ahead. “So you’re a graduate are you,” the inspector remarked. “They remind me of street lamps in the jungle. Bright but completely useless.”

*Historical note: The Peak Forest Canal, running 15 miles from Ashton-under-Lyne to Whaley Bridge, was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1794. Its main promoters were the redoubtable Samuel Oldknow and Richard Arkwright Junior with the aim of providing an outlet for the vast limestone deposits around Dove Holes.

The canal, which formed part of the English-Welsh inland waterway network, was completed in 1805. It went into decline with the invention and expansion of railways, and by the 1920s the Peak Forest Tramway and Bugsworth Basin closed. The Peak Forest Canal Society campaigned for its restoration which finished in 1974. Buggy Basin reopened for navigation in 2003.

Next week’s walk (Dec 5) will start from the car park of The Little Mill Inn at Rowarth at 9.40am. We aim to reach The Grouse at Chunal for a livener around 12.30pm and expect to be back at The Little Mill for further refreshment around 2.20pm.

Our attempts to organise a ladies’ dinner or lunch have been somewhat thwarted by unforeseen events so it was decided to announce that members with their wives or girlfriends (but not both) would have lunch next Sunday (Dec 2) at Poynton Sports Club at 1.30pm. This follows a walk which Geoff holds every first Sunday of the month at 10.30am starting from the club, for those who wish to participate.

We know some of you are unable to attend. So that the chef can know the numbers involved, would you please let Geoff or Yvonne know (0161-483-8316) whether you will be there?

Finally, in the absence of Colin’s customary largesse, the Christmas lunch day will start at 9am on Wednesday, December 19, at the home of your diarist, 68, London Road North, Poynton, SK12 1BY.

After bacon butties, mince pies and a stirrup cup of mulled wine or two, we will sally forth around 10 am passing Poynton Pool, heading up Princes Incline to Higher Poynton, through Lyme Park up to Bowstones and back past Lyme Hall to The Dog and Partridge at High Lane for a traditional lunch. We will then complete the day with a 2 ½ mile walk across fields back to my house.

    

Shutlingsloe

RIDGEGATE RESERVOIR, SHUTLINGSLOE, MACCLESFIELD FOREST

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Weather: Rainy

Walkers: George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Julian Ross

Apologies: Jock Rooney (abroad), George Whaites (working), Colin Davison (yachting), Alan Hart (home in the dry), Peter Beal (supervising workmen)

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Lay-by near Ridgegate Reservoir

Starting Time: 9.35am. Finishing Time: 1.50pm

The weather forecast was dire and the meteorologists didn’t disappoint.

Your diarist last did this walk on January 4^th 2012 with Mr Fairman and four other Wanderers, (although it may have repeated since then) in far better conditions that afforded some spectacular views.

In moderately heavy rain we left the lay-by near the reservoir and followed the trail past a sign on the left which read “Forest Office”.

The early part of the walk involves a steepish climb and by the top of the hill the Wanderers’ breathing was like something women sometimes hear on otherwise silent telephone calls from men in trench coats.

We followed a sign for Shutlingsloe which took us in the direction of the so-called Matterhorn of the Peaks. But given the inclement weather we decided not to go to the top but to skirt around the formidable crag, following a boggy path made ever more slippery by running water.

We followed signs for Piggford Moor.

At 10.47am, just past the Crag pub, Pie Time was called.

We set off again at 10.55am, negotiating a stile on the right just past the pub and crossing several fields.

Our route took us through a field of turnips, with a lot of sheep nearby. Memories of the ex-England manager Graham Taylor sprang to mind.

Pliny the Elder considered the turnip one of the most important vegetables of his day, rating it "directly after cereals or at all events after the bean, since its utility surpasses that of any other plant."

In England, around 1700, Turnip Townshend promoted the use of turnips in a four-year crop rotation system that enabled year-round livestock production.

Eventually we came across an escarpment to our right.

A stile in the wall on the right led us to a metalled road, circumnavigating the peak which is, in fact, Piggford Moor itself.

A major heather regeneration scheme in the area since the 1990s convinced bird lovers that the habitat would be a suitable home for Lagopus lagopus (or Red Grouse to you and me).

And efforts have been made to increase the population of the bird which is on an “amber” list of endangered species.

As every schoolboy knows Red Grouse are herbivores, feeding almost exclusively on heather, especially the new growth from plants 2-4 years old. They do also eat, according to availability, other moorland plants including bilberry, cranberry and cotton-grass.

The autumn fruits are favoured, but at any time of year grouse eat the leaves, stalks and flowers. To grind up these hard fibrous materials in their gizzards they need to ingest small sharp pieces of stone, of which there is no shortage in the millstone grit hills of the Dark Peak.

We reached the Hanging Gate at exactly 12 noon.

The Hanging Gate (library picture)

First licensed in 1621 this low-beamed old drovers' pub has an interesting history.

In good weather the pub has stunning panoramic views from its terrace and you can pick out Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral and Snowdonia.

Bombadier was £3.30, Doombar £3.30 and Hydes Original £2.75.

Luda the landlady tells customers that prisoners were led from the building to the gallows outside (hence the name of the pub).

But today Estonian-born Luda’s main topic of conversation was the proliferation in the area of lesbians or “lesleys” as she calls them.

We heard of two “lesleys” who run a nearby pub, one of whom allegedly walked out on her husband within a few weeks of a lavish wedding to “play for the other side”.

Luda claimed she had been kissed on the lips by a lesley who had a moustache, not a pleasant experience she insisted.

But at least there had been no “tongue-wonguey”.

Broad-minded Luda’s patience was also worn thin by a lesley version of dogging in her pub car park.

She had to tap on the steamed-up window of a vehicle one evening to call a halt to activities that you would rarely find except in the pages of Fifty Shades of Grey.

This next piece of information is of little practical use to the Wanderers but for the record lesleys have a habit, claims Luda, of running their hand up a woman’s back to see if she is wearing a bra.

Dedicated lesleys never wear bras and “let it all go South”, according to Luda.

Luda also has no time, she said, for “trannies”, some of whom try to use the ladies’ loo in her establishment.

On one occasion she followed one dress-wearing customer (who also had a large Adam’s apple and size 10 trainers) to the ladies only to discover (s)he had left the loo seat up.

Luda curtly told the cross-dresser that whatever outfit they were wearing “anyone with a todger”  had to use the gents’.

Duly enlightened, we set off again at 12.58pm.

We turned left out of the pub and descended some steps. Negotiating a stile on our right.

We wandered through some farm buildings following a sign marked “Gritstone Trail”.

Lunch was taken from 1.25pm until 1.32pm in the shadow of Fran Cotton’s palatial house.

We were back at the cars at 1.50pm and having de-booted we enjoyed a further refreshment at the Leather’s Smithy where Theakstone’s was £3.15 and guest beer Rucking Mole £3.35.

Because of the bad weather the B Walkers and others gathered at the Dog & Partridge, Bollington.

Tony Job extended his apologies to the A walkers for not joining them at the Hanging Gate.

The B team waited by Ridgegate reservoir for the promised improvement in weather until about 10.25. Failing to contact Lawrie, they decided to get nearer home, and settled for yet another walk round Bollington - Middlewood Way, Macc. Canal to Hurdsfield and back along Clegg Lane to Kerridge.

Very wet underfoot. They  found The Bulls Head closed till 5pm, the Red Lion closed, and were back in Bollington before they struck gold in the Crown. The only beers were Wainwright and Doom Bar at £3.00 a pint, but it is clean and most importantly open from 9.30 am.

They found the pie shop open at 1pm, and made their way back to the ever-reliable D & P., where they (Tony, Geoff, Wally Ken and Gaz) were joined by Alan, Pete Morrall and Frank.

They hope to see the A Walkers next week in both pubs.

They plan to travel to High Lane from Poynton (dep. Poynton Church 9.15), catch the Glossop bus at 9.33, and walk from Lane Ends.

Next week’s walk will start from the railway station car park at Disley at 9.35am. The midway point will be the Fox at Brookbottom at around 12 noon. We will finish at the car park and enjoy a pint at the Dandy Cock. Sadly your diarist wi

Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, CADSTER FARM, SPIRE HOLLINS FARM, COMBS, BRADSHAW HALL, WHITEHOUGH, BUGSWORTH BASIN,  BRIDGEMONT CANAL JUNCTION

Distance: 9.5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Overcast but dry

Walkers: George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Julian Ross, Peter Beal, Colin Davison

Apologies: Jock Rooney (abroad), George Whaites (working), Alan Hart (Barbados)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Ken Sparrow

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley. Frank Dudley

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Old Cock, Whaley Bridge

Starting Time: 9.35am. Finishing Time: 2.05pm

A perfect day for walking and an excellent turn out. Rolling Cheshire/Derbyshire countryside, intelligent banter and good ale. Were any of the Wanderers the slightest bit envious of Mr Hart in the sunshine of Barbados? Well, probably.

We left the Old Cock and took the familiar left turn a few yards up the road. For the first time your diarist noticed a sign saying Shallcross Trail. And indeed this appears to be new. 

According to the WhaleyBridge.com website the rather grandiose titled Shallcross Incline Greenway was only opened in the summer. The Greenway has been developed on the site of the old Cromford and High Peak Railway, which linked the High Peak with the Midlands. The incline was abandoned in 1892 following the closure of said railway. Since then, the incline has been disused, apart from a small section at its southern end which now forms Shallcross Crescent. The route became overgrown with self seeded trees and vegetation covering large sections and was a magnet for fly tippers.

As usual some NIMBYs said the development would exacerbate existing issues concerning crime and anti-social behaviour and would increase the fear of crime. The proposed pathway, they claimed, would also lead to a loss of privacy with local residences  being overlooked from the trail. So full marks to the local authority for going ahead and reclaiming the stretch for fresh air enthusiasts like the Wanderers.

We duly trod the virgin incline until we reached a T-junction, where we turned left. At the top of the road we went straight over passing a sign saying Shallcross Nursery. We crossed a stile and turned right.

As Combs reservoir was in the distance to our left and as the track became a little muddy I thought I would give the Wanderers the Hollywood treatment.

The direction of this walk we had followed before but on a track higher up to our right. We passed a tastefully converted barn which had a sign offering accommodation for hire at Tunstead House Farm.

We turned right and right again and were soon afforded a wonderful view of Combs Edge. It was also possible on our walk to pick out Mam Tor and Rushup.

Combs Edge

Our route eventually took us to the rear of an impressive house called Spire Hollins. The official path, however, dictates that walkers have to scale a wall that looks like something out of the Krypton Factor. To make the task more difficult it looked as if one step had been removed and a dog stood guard on the parapet. The animal turned out to be benign and the wall was duly negotiated. Although in icy conditions it might have presented more of a challenge.

Spire Hollins dates back to the 17^th century is valued by the website Zoopla at £834,417. It has been lovingly and diligently restored and with its many stone mullion windows not by your average Bank Holiday DIY-er.

Colin tackles the North Face of the Eiger

Spire Hollins

Within a few hundred yards we were at The Beehive pub where Pie Time was declared at 10.50am.

Two lithe fell runners appeared, one who was known to Mr Davison and the other having competed in times past against Mr Beal.

We set off again at 11.05am, passing the Beehive on our left and heading down the road to a T-Junction. Here we went straight over past Bradshaw Hall, once the residence of judge John Bradshaw, president at the trial of Charles I.

During his teenage years Bradshaw attended Macclesfield Grammar School (now The King's School in Macclesfield). After studying law in London he rose to high office. But Bradshaw was a controversial choice as Lord President, and opinions of his efficiency as a judge varied. Thomas Fuller dismissed him as a man “of execrable memory, of whom nothing good is remembered.”

The King himself, as well as much of the court, professed to having never heard of him. King Charles refused to recognise the authority of the court and would not plead. After declaring Charles I guilty as a “Tyrant, Traitor, Murderer, and a public enemy,” Bradshaw did not even allow the monarch any final words. Not even “I’m a Celebrity get me out of here!”

The Royalists, however, were to have their revenge following his death. After Charles II was restored to his throne in 1660, Bradshaw’s body was exhumed and displayed in chains all day on the gallows at Tyburn. Later he was beheaded, his body thrown into a common pit and his head displayed on a pike at Westminster Hall. They should bring that one back for the judge who freed Abu Qatada. Bradshaw, by the way, was played by Stratford Johns in the film Cromwell.

Mr Davison now professed that we were ahead of schedule and insisted on inserting his signature diversion into the walk. We crossed a field diagonally, came onto a metalled road and passed some expensive new stone walling being erected – rather incongruously -outside a red brick detached house.

We went left over a stile following a sign to “Eccles”. We reached a road and within 20 yards turned right along another road which we later learned to be Back Eccles Lane.

We crossed an impressive bridge over the dual carriageway that links Buxton and Whaley Bridge at 12.05pm and three minutes later arrived at the Old Hall Inn, Whitehough.

Hartington Bitter was £2.85 as was Marston’s Pedro. Marston’s Bitter was £2.70.

At 12.18pm the B Walkers arrived. They had been to Bowden Hall, Wash and Bridgeholme Green.

Just as we were about to depart who should enter the pub (with a rather overweight brown coloured dog) but former MP Edwina Currie.

The two former journalists in the group decided not to ask her about her decision in the 1980s to appoint Jimmy Savile to run a taskforce in charge of Broadmoor, where he was given temporary powers to oversee the running of the hospital following a series of industrial disputes - despite having no professional qualifications. A friend of Savile’s from his hometown in Leeds was then given the most senior job at Broadmoor.

It might have spoiled her lunch.

We set off again at 1.02pm taking the road towards Chinley.

We turned left following a sign marked Tramway Trail. We crossed a bridge on our right and at 1.18pm stopped for our own lunch.

We resumed our walk at 1.25pm, re-crossing the bridge and turning right.

We picked up the waterway at the side of the Peak Forest canal and followed it past Tesco’s into the outskirts of Whaley Bridge, reaching the Old Cock at 2.05 pm.

The B Walkers were not far behind and we were soon joined by Messrs Eckersley and Dudley.

Next week’s walk will start from the lay-by at Ridgegate Reservoir about half a mile from the Leather’s Smithy pub at 9.30am, with a stop at around 12.15pm at the Hanging Gate and ending at the Leather’s Smithy.

Bollington

BOLLINGTON, WHITE NANCY, RAINOW

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Overcast but dry

Walkers: George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Julian Ross

Apologies: Jock Rooney (abroad), George Whaites (working), Colin Davison (dentist), Alan Hart (Barbados), Peter Beal (walking elsewhere)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Ken Sparrow

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley. Frank Dudley

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Main car park, Bollington

Starting Time: 9.32am. Finishing Time: 2.05pm

Any organisation – like Dracula - needs fresh blood. And this week the Wanderers welcomed a new walker, Julian Ross, plus two long absent enthusiasts Tom Cunliffe and Phil Welsh.

Tom claimed to be on a new fitness regime to shed some of his 18.5 stones. He is, of course, the ideal weight for a man of 9ft 11in. However this did not deter him from coming equipped with a substantially larger pie than the ones the Wanderers normally buy from the shop near the car park. Your diarist and Mr Welsh stuck with the Wanderers’ pie eating tradition.

In a week where Tuesday and Thursday were wet, the weather was kind to us and so was our leader with the route.

On one of the most recent times we have left from Bollington, in June I recall, two fearsome ascents (one to Andrew’s Knob) left your diarist almost in need of a defibrillator.

This time Mr Fairman led the quintet right onto Church Street and eventually onto Cow Lane, where we squeezed through a stone stile and up some steps.

This is the familiar route to White Nancy, which we reached by 10am.

The monument, we found, had been decorated with paintings to commemorate the two big events of the year, the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics. When Frank Dudley reaches 100 I suggest the Wanderers commission a portrait on the side of the Grade 11 listed edifice, built in 1817 to mark the victory at the Battle of Waterloo.

Our leader…

Mr Fairman shows off the route he’s mapped out for next week.

Copious photographs having been taken, we set off along the ridge and at 10.15am found ourselves on slightly the wrong track. We were faced with a dry stone wall, topped with barbed wire.  It is an error I recall we have made before. To rectify the situation we descended 50 yards and picked up the appropriate trail.

This took us down to the main road where we turned right and within a hundred yards or so swung left up some stone steps.

We crossed a number of fields and on reaching a metalled road turned right. This turned out to be Bull Hill Lane.

At the top is a T-junction and there we turned left.

There were further stone steps on the right and a sign denoting the Gritstone Trail.

This trail actually links Disley all the way to Kidsgrove, Staffordshire.

As if to show off to our newest recruit Mr Fairman led us to not one but two fully operational picnic tables for our Pie Time at 10.55am.

We set off again at 11.10am, crossing a stile.

Tegg’s Nose was away to our right.

We turned left, reached a road and turned left again.

Our route took us to the Robin Hood which we reached at 12.22pm.

Already in situ were The B Walkers.

They had started at the Sports Ground opposite the Pie Shop, headed down the High Street, passing the Redway Tavern and onto Kerridge Ridge.

Timothy Taylor’s was £3.05 as was Long Row (brewed in Poynton apparently). Headless was £3.

Ken Sparrow declared he has recently taken delivery of his first ever computer.

Let’s hope he has better luck than the “silver surfer” who became enraged because his laptop told him he was "bad and an invalid."

The technical help desk explained that the computer's "bad command" and "invalid" responses shouldn't be taken personally.

After further debates on – among other things – the joys of living or holidaying in Italy and who was the former Tory Grandee caught up in kiddie fiddling allegations, we left the pub at 1.17pm.

Doubtless emboldened by ale the B Walkers decided to take the long way home while Mr Fairman opted for the well trodden Virgins’ Path (sadly now well trodden only by walkers).

We took luncheon at 1.40pm by the spectacular waterfall opposite Waulkmill Farm.

The river here, by the way, is the River Dean. We set off at 1.46pm to pass the derelict factory and reach the cars at 2.05pm.

By 2.12pm we were in the Dog and Partridge where Messrs Dudley and Eckersley were already seated. Unicorn was £2.55.

Next week’s walk will start at the Old Cock, Whaley Bridge at 9.35am, with a stop at around 12.30pm at the Old Hall Inn, Whitehough. We will finish, of course, back at the Cock. Happy Wandering!