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.
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.
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