Bollington

BOLLINGTON, HARROP BROOK, ANDREW’S KNOB, CHARLES HEAD, RAINOW

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Overcast with brief sunshine

Walkers: Alan Hart, George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman,

Apologies: Peter Beal (on his boat), Jock Rooney (Isle of Man ?), Colin Davison (sailing), George Whaites (Spanish holiday)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Ken Sparrow

Non-walking drinkers: Frank Dudley, John Eckersley and Tony Job

Leader: Fairman  Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The main car park at Bollington

Starting Time: 9.38am. Finishing Time: 2.15pm

Had your diarist been a mountain goat he might have enjoyed this walk more. There were a couple of steep climbs and a period where we appeared to be walking for a long stretch on a 45 degree angle. Maybe I should blame the four pints the previous evening in the Lantern Pike that took the edge off my athletic prowess. No matter.

We left the car park and sauntered – as tradition demands – to the nearby Pie Shop, where hand-made hot pies were duly bought and stored.

We walked past Church Street, along Ingersley Road and at 9.45am our leader had the first moment of self doubt, believing a wrong turning had been taken.

After doing that thing where you think you’ve left the gas on, turn round and then remember that you had switched the appliance off after all…we carried on in the original direction.

We passed The Poachers Inn and turned left following signs to Pott Shrigley. We turned right onto Hedge Row, where a building (once a café favoured by bikers) had been turned into an impressive house.

At Winterside Farm we kept left, through a farm and then through a five bar gate.

We crossed Harrop Brook, passed a farm on the left and began the ascent up a steep hill.

At the top we turned right onto a metalled road and over a cattle grid. A turn to the left of a stile took us to Andrew’s Knob, one of the 10 rudest place names in Britain, according to Google.

http://googlesightseeing.com/2009/02/top-10-rudest-place-names-in-britain/

Minge Lane and Sluts Hole Lane are among its rivals.

One of two stone gorillas decorating the gateway of a house in the early part of the walk.

Gorilla

Classic view of the Cheshire countryside looking towards White Nancy.

With Andrew’s Knob to our left we veered right and a few minutes later a farm hoved into view.

We went through the farm, over a stile and turned right past Brink Farm Cottage.

We crossed the B4570 and up a hill, turning left onto a metalled road.

At 11am Pie Time was declared.

We set off again at 11.11am and passed through Charles Head Farm.

We turned right but quickly realised we had made an error and were redirected by a middle aged woman with a frisky dog called Archie who seemed intent on biting Mr Hart.

Archie needs educating.

We retraced our steps and found ourselves on the sloping terrain mentioned above.

We went through another farm and turned left.

We then came onto a road and turned right. The road took us downhill to Burton Springs Farm, an impressive house with an even more impressive, reed laden pond.

With the house on our left we turned right up yet another hill. This one seemed never ending.

We passed Round Knoll Farm on the right. Reaching a road we turned right, down Smith Lane.

This took us back to the B5470 where we turned left, reaching the Robin Hood pub at 12.42pm.

Here we linked up with Geoff Spurrell and Ken Sparrow. Black Sheep was £2.90.

We set off again at 1.28pm, heading down Stocks Lane and right into Chapel Lane.

At 1.51pm we had lunch at the waterfall, opposite Waulkmill Farm.

We headed off at 1.58pm reaching the cars at 2.15pm.

We were soon in the Dog & Partridge where Unicorn was £2.55.

In situ were Frank Dudley, John Eckersley and Tony Job

Next week's walk will start from the car park at Disley railway station, leaving at 9.30am. We will head for Fox at Brookbottom as the half way point, finishing at the White Horse in Disley. At time of writing your diarist has a prior engagement and will probably be unavailable.