Bollington

BOLLINGTON, KERRIDGE, RAINOW AND ENVIRONS

Distance: 8 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Overcast, with rain and one hail shower

Walkers: Alan Hart, George Dearsley, George Whaites, Jock Rooney and Tip

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Ken Sparrow

Non Walking Drinkers: Tony Job, John Eckersley, Frank Dudley, Ivor Jones

Apologies: Peter Beal (Walking St Cuthbert’s Way)

Leader: Hart   Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Spinners Arms, Bollington

Starting Time: 9.35am. Finishing Time: 2.05pm

Having purchased hot pies from the Pie Shop near the Spinners we set off (as if turning left out of the Spinners) down the street and under the high viaduct.

About 50 yards further on we turned left up some stone steps, a steepish climb which brought us onto the towpath of the Macclesfield canal.

We turned right and after passing Adelphi Mill, at Bridge 28 (9.58am) we took the steps to the right and crossed over the bridge, taking the path away from the canal.

At Dawson Farm on the right we turned right and then after 30 yards bore left up a track.

It was now Hot Pie Time (10.10am) but no sooner had we unwrapped the piping hot growlers a car arrived to park in the space we had occupied and we had to shuffle along a few feet.

We set off at 10.15am,passing Quarry Bank on the left. At the top of the hill we turned left and faced Endon Quarry. It might have been renamed Endon Quandary because the trail appeared to go cold and with no Tonto to help we initially relied on Jock Rooney’s confident assertion that there was no point entering the quarry. (Incidentally, before I go on, did you know that the phrase Tonto used to call the Lone Ranger “Kemo Sabe” actually means “soggy bush” in Navajo? Well, you do now).

In best Tonto fashion Leader Hart went ahead to scout the route, turning right out of the mouth of the quarry and going right again about 300 yards further down the road, trailed by Whaites and Dearsley.

We quickly realised that Mr Rooney was AWOL, so the group eventually reconvened and spotted a notice saying that the path Mr Hart was about to take was closed. We re-traced our steps to the Quarry, whereupon we saw a sign offering an alternative route up the hill. 

And on climbing the escarpment there was Mr Rooney and Tip, the former smug in the knowledge that it had been wiser to consult the map than to explore the hinterland Navajo fashion.

After so much excitement, we took the path that eventually leads to Kerridge, the ridge that offers a magnificent view of Rainow to the left and Astra Zeneca’s industrial carbuncle to the right.

After a few minutes we came off the ridge to the left and onto a road where “official” Pie Time was declared at 11.12am in a bus shelter.

It might have been a scene from Last of the Summer Wine. Fortunately no bus pulled up, requiring an explanation.

At 11.22am we set off to the right, turning right (after crossing Mount Pleasant Road) and, mounting a stile, taking a track across several fields.

We initially followed a wall, then went through a gate onto a road, turning left.

At 11.50am we felt the first spots of rain.

We went over a stile onto another road, crossing it to the field beyond.

It was here we spotted what appeared to be a Vietnamese pot bellied pig

A long way from Vietnam

We crossed a wooden bridge over a stream and came to a small hamlet (Pedley Fold Farm to the right).

Soon after entering Rainow, at 12.05pm we were engulfed by a rather vicious hail storm. But as this turned to rain we found ourselves entering Stocks Lane and were soon able to see the welcome sign of the Robin Hood pub ahead.

We entered the building at 12.10pm.

Here we met the B Walkers who had accomplished two miles via The Poachers.

Hobgoblin was £2.95 but most preferred Black Sheep at £2.90.

Geoff Spurrell, celebrating his 73^rd birthday bought a welcome round of drinks.

The conversation was wide ranging from the rise of Hitler to the Battle of Agincourt, Mr Rooney giving a perfect account of why, on St Crispin’s Day, 1415, a force of 8,500 largely weary and bedraggled Englishmen could defeat a French Army numbering up to 36,000. Apparently as well as the famed skill of the long bowmen, it had much to do with the general ineptitude of the heavily armoured French knights who were knackered when they reached the English lines after crossing a very boggy stretch of land.

We set off at 1.10pm, going back down Stocks Lane, through Chapel Lane and stopping for lunch at 1.40pm on a bridge opposite a waterfall, pictured below.

Waterfall

This apparently is the River Dean.

We set off at 1.47pm reaching the cars at 2.05pm. We were at the Dog & Partridge, Bollington at 2.13pm, where Hatters Mild was £2.45 and Unicorn £2.55.

We were joined by the B Walkers and Non Walking Drinkers Messts Job, Eckerley and Dudley, plus Ivor Jones. 

Next week we will meet at Disley railway station car park at 9.20am, hoping to reach the Fox at Brookbottom for 12.15pm and finishing at the White Horse at 2.15pm

Happy Wandering!