Old Glossop

OLD GLOSSOP, CHARLESTOWN WHITELY NAB,SIMMONDLEY,DINTING VALE,HADFIELD,PADFIELD,SWINESTONES OLDGLOSSOP

Distance: 9.5 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Strong southerly wind, generally overcast but no rain.

Walkers: Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, George Whaites.

Leader Laurie with promptings from Colin

B walkers: None met with separate report?

Non-walking drinkers: none

Apologies: George Dearsley (working) and Jock Rooney (North Sea diving). Peter Beal(Sorrento), Alan Hart(nursing a cold)

Starting point:  Old Glossop car park

Starting time: 9.45am. Finishing time: 2,15pm.

Despite last weeks report of the popularity of the Wednesday Wanderers’ walks appearing  to be growing only 3 of us made the starting line. Could be the lack of enthusiasm for Glossop area or absence of Geoff accounting the non-appearance of the B team.

Undaunted we set out down to the park; notable for lack of flowers;  but large trout were still in the stream. We crossed theA57 at the roundabout and walked into the new estate. Here Colin pulled the first rabbit out of the hat, suggesting we climb the steps between two houses to bring us out at the footpath at the bottom  of Whitefield Hill. This we duly did and it saved us walking at least 100yds up the road.

Here we started walking in open country  (10mins) over rough fields grazed mainly by horses. The ground was surprisingly dry and firm, leaving Whitefield Barn Farm on our left we continued in a direct line across the fields to reach the by road above Charlestown. A good path took us down to the Hayfield Rd(35mins).We crossed this walked along several deserted factories which had been vandalised for lead and aluminium flashings etc. When we first did this walk about 14 years ago they were all in productive work.

A footpath at the road junction then took us the Lees Hall Farm road to reach Herod farm where we had an early break(60mins). Quickly on our way we climbed up Whitely Nab with great views over to Doctors Gate and Featherbed Moss. Coming down through the heather it is easy to take a wrong path  Colin opted for the unmapped path down Horse Clough, George and I stuck to the mapped path down to Simmondley. uniting at the top of the estate road we walked together down to Dinting Vale.(100mins) once again crossing the A57 we turned left and then first right to pick up a very grotty path that followed the river (Glossop Brook a tributary of the Etherow) through a wood at the back of a factory estate. Under the railway viaduct we bore right on a tarmac path parallel to the railway taking the first track left to continue down towards Hadfield . A very straight easy to follow path took us eventually to Sparrow Square were we noted the Spinners pub had been refurbished but sadly not open on Wednesdays. Further up the hill we found The Anchor  pub which was open and we were warmly welcomed by the landlady (only 2 other customers). Excellent  fresh tasting Tetley’s bitter was served at 260p a pint(160mins).

Resuming our walk the leader persuaded the crew to take a different route – rather than walking up the road we took the Longendale trail and branched off  right (thanks to Colin for spotting the path) to reach Padfield. A settlement mentioned in the Domesday book (much unchanged since) were we found the pub mentioned last week The Peels , which was open but empty. Now Colin pulled his second rabbit out of the hat and found a route up to Swineshaw without going through the cemetery. Coming down Broom hill towards Moorside the farm which in its time had peacocks, emus, ducks and geese had now been rebuilt, all very tidy and not an animal in sight – times change.

We reached the car park at 2.15pm after walking (225mins) to find the Wheatsheaf shut the lady in the Bulls Head next door was working in the pub and kindly invited us in. The Queens was open, busy, but no signs of other wanderers

Next week’s walk will start from the car park on the A628 at Crowden for an ascent of Black Hill at 9.45am. There is no pub for a livener, afterwards meet at the Gun  Hollingworth Jct A57/A628 at 2.30pm.