Marple

MARPLE

Distance: 9.5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Overcast but dry

Walkers: Alan Hart, George Dearsley, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, George Whaites, Peter Beal

Apologies: Jock Rooney(abroad)

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

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley. Frank Dudley

Leader: Davison Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Top car park, Brabyns Park

Starting Time: 9.35am. Finishing Time: 2.25pm

From famine to feast. After last week’s paucity of A walkers, a sextet duly assembled for a trek around Marple.

We exited Brabyns Park onto Station Road and crossed over into Town Street, Marple Bridge, made famous by the local woman who hit Mrs Thatcher with a bunch of daffs.

After meandering past the shops we turned right opposite the GPs’ surgery and before the road rises and crossed the cobbles that link several tastefully renovated cottages.

This track also rises and at 9.51am Mr Davison called our attention to a hole. This one was rather special. It led to a tunnel and nearby there were much larger excavations which turned out to be the remains of a mill built by the famous entrepreneur Samuel Oldknow.

The Wellington wheel-pit, dating back to 1793, has been dug out mainly by volunteers. The wheel itself was 22 feet in diameter, once the world’s largest. You can learn more here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-17320765

Tunnel vision

Where there’s (not) a wheel

The road we were on turned out to be Bottoms Mill Road and at the end we turned left, passing a sign to Prescott Old Hall Farm.

We went right onto Lakes Road and passed the Roman Lakes.

A few hundred yards on we turned right over the impressive stone bridge. When we reached the road that links Marple and New Mills we turned left and then right at a white house called Spouthouse Farm.

We turned left, negotiating a stile with a spooky looking red house in the distance.

Then we went diagonally across a field to a stile.

We embarked on a gentle climb that took us to the Peak Forest canal (10.23am) where we turned right.

We left the canal at bridge 21 dropped down and followed footpath 175 towards Marple.

At the road we turned left and right.

We passed the Crown at Hawk Green at 10.42am onto Barnsfold Road. Moments later Colin decided we should view Hawk Green cricket ground. Yes. It was green and empty.

With no sound of leather on willow we set off again only to find ourselves in a nearby cul de sac.

Howzat? Colin was caught out.

Retracing our steps we soon reached the main road and as we passed the Goyt Mill Mr Davison decided to remonstrate with three dubious looking individuals about a large van which was parked on the pavement forcing pedestrians into the road.

The pleadings of one of the trio that they had no knowledge of the van or its owner cut no ice with our leader who grumbled on, as another of the accused rather unkindly called him: “Knobhead”

Anyone for bridge?

After Goyt Mill we rejoined the canal at stopped for Pie Time at 10.55am.

We set off again at 11.07am cutting right onto the golf course from the spot where Colin once fell into the canal.

We crossed the Middlewood Way, passing Marple Rugby Club’s and Mellor Football Club’s pitches, eventually emerging onto Torkington Road.

We were about 15 minutes early for the pub, so Colin recommended we turn left and we sauntered past some expensive houses emerging at the entrance to Bosden Fold Estate and onto the road linking Marple and Stockport.

We turned right and soon picked up a tricky, muddy and slippery path that led us to the Hare and Hounds at Otterspool.

We arrived at 12.08pm. Already there were the B Walkers who had met in Brabyns and walked about 2.5 miles along the canal to Chadkirk.

Most chose Hyde’s Original at £2,65. Your diarist drank a guest beer Caskablanca at £2.90.

We left the pub at 1pm turning left towards Chadkirk.

We went onto Vale Road and turned right onto a path that led us to the new shiny green bridge, which we had seen being built on a previous walk a few months back.

We stopped for lunch at 1.20pm setting off again at 1.28pm.

Lucheon

After the bridge the track became quite muddy for a while.

It followed the Goyt river and the collective thinking (and hope) was that if we followed the river it would eventually bring us to Brabyns Park.

Unfortunately at an intersection we decided to go straight on passing the Marple Canoe Club’s premises and ignoring a cleaner and tidier path.

The one we chose followed the river closely but soon the path almost petered out in undergrowth.

At around 1.50pm the group split up.

Your diarist and Mr Hart followed a plastic pipeline that climbed upwards, while the remaining Wanderers tried to find a better path.

Soon they were met with a cliff like escarpment and retraced their steps to the pipeline, which eventually led to a road that goes right to Marple Dale care home.

We turned left and took the road into Marple.

At the shops opposite the Texaco Station we turned left, picking up Station Road and reaching the cars at 2.25pm.

After de-booting your diarist reached the Royal Scot at 2.35pm.

The breakaway quartet were not far behind.

Our gathering, augmented by Messrs Dudley and Eckersley, enjoyed the largesse of Mr Beal and Mr Whaites who celebrated their birthdays (64 and 70 respectively) in the usual Wanderers way with free ale.

Next week’s walk will start in the main car park at Bollington at 9.30am. We hope to reach the half way point the Robin Hood at Rainow at 12.30pm and finishing at the Dog and Partridge.