Furness Vale

FURNESS VALE, WHALEY MOOR, LYME PARK, DISLEY

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Chilly, blue skies and bright sunshine at times

Walkers: George Whaites, Phil Welsh, George Dearsley, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross, Colin Davison, Tom Cunliffe, Jock Rooney and Tips, Lawrie Fairman

Apologies: Pete Beal (walking in Northumberland), Micky Barrett (sore heel)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, Mike Walton, Graham Church

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Soldier Dick, Furness Vale

Starting Time: 9.35am. Finishing Time: 2.26pm

Snow underfoot but blue skies flecked with wispy clouds greeted the Wanderers.

According to m’learned friend Mr Welsh, who used Google Earth, the walk was only 8.3 miles, while Mr Fairman’s pedometer clocked 9.25 miles.

The elevation we covered was a tough 1386ft. Pie Times was taken at our highest point (1200ft) at the top of Lantern Wood at 2.9 miles. The Dandy Cock was at 5.3 miles. And lunch was taken at 6.2 miles.

We started punctually at 9.35am leaving the car park of the Soldier Dick and turning right along the road the goes to Whaley Bridge.

Within a few yards we turned right again up Yeardsley Lane, at the side of the Imperial Palace Chinese restaurant.

But there was no smell of chow mein in our nostrils as we  began a  lengthy but not too taxing climb. We went through a gate and swung right onto a road where we turned left.

Around 50 yards on we turned right, negotiated a five bar gate.

We were now afforded panoramic views.

Mr Hart and Mr Davision went (10.05am)  to look at the “Dipping Stone” 50 yards below us, as the other Wanderers caught their breath and admired the scenery.

Described in the Ancient Monument Schedule as a "Wayside and Boundary Cross", it stands on the crest of a shallow ridge below the southern end of Whaley Moor, and just off a footpath that leads from Whaley Lane to Hawkshurst Head.

It is notably similar to the nearby Bowstones and Robin Hood's Picking Rods, though missing any cross shafts.

                                                   The Dipping Stone (Library picture)

                                                                        Whaley Moor

It's snowtime folks

At 10.22am we clambered over a ladder stile and soon found ourselves beset by confusion. Some said go right, some left and some straight on.

Our dilemma was not helped by Mr Davison who, complaining about the quality of a map being consulted, opined: “I have a better quality map but it is the wrong one.”

Despite this apparent critical weakness, the group was persuaded to follow Mr Davison across a cattle grid to the left and then right, turning sharply downhill.

It was only when the Wanderers had reached the bottom of the slope that we realised we were on the wrong side of a fence topped with barbed wire.

Some brave souls attempted to climb the fence, straddling precariously with their crown jewels hovering an inch or two above the spikes.

Mr Fairman, meanwhile, had found a compromise route, through a muddy track and across a small stream, sans barbed wire.

Climbing the short  incline opposite both groups reunited on a metalled road and went straight over, climbing a stile that led to another hill.

We crossed another road continued to climb, finally declaring Pie Time at 11.57am just beyond a largish stone wall and within the shadow of Lantern Wood.

Mr Welsh generously provided some pork and pickle pies.

We resumed our walk at 11.07am entering the wood and soon passing a belvedere known as the Lantern (see my picture below). It is built in sandstone and has three storeys and a spire; the lowest storey is square in plan while the other storeys and the spire are octagonal.

The top storey and spire date from about 1580 and originally formed a bellcote on the north gatehouse. This was removed during the restoration of the house by Wyatt and rebuilt on the present site. It is a Grade II listed building

We exited the wood to take a track that led to the famous Lyme Park Cage. This we reached at 11.39am. It was originally a hunting lodge and was later used as a park-keeper's cottage and as a lock-up for prisoners.

The first structure on the site was built about 1580; this was taken down and rebuilt in 1737. The tower is built in buff sandstone rubble with ashlar sandstone dressings. It is square in plan, in three storeys, with attached small square towers surmounted by cupolas at the corners. The Cage is a Grade II listed building.

We followed a route we have taken before, left the park via a gate and passed some very expensive houses to reach the Dandy Cock at 12.09pm.

Here Robinson’s Bitter was £2.60 and Mild £2.50.

With no sign of the B Walkers we set off again at 12.58pm, crossing the road and heading to the White Horse before turning right into Ring o’ Bells Lane. Instead of going straight on (as usual) we turned left up a very narrow path. We turned left again at a sign saying “Gritstone Trail”.

Lunch was taken between 1.21pm and 1.30pm. We reached a road and turned left. Then left again down Corks Lane.

This brought us onto another road where we turned right passing some houses (one called Seven Springs). The path we were on was helpfully labelled Number 38. But efforts to trace this on the internet proved fruitless.

We bisected some farm buildings and turned right and immediately left past Oakwood Cottage.

At 2.10pm we could see the Soldier Dick in the distance.

The Lantern in Lantern Wood

Superman, waiting to stir himself.

                                           This week’s guest picture courtesy of Mr Welsh.

Mr Hart, striding ahead as usual, seemed to take a wrong turning. The cannier Wanderers stayed high and almost caught him up.

We eventually reached the pub at 2.26pm. We were soon joined by the B Walkers who had taken the bus to Disley and walked 3.93 miles through Kettleshulme, consuming two pints in the Swan before reaching Furness Vale.

At the Soldier Dick Wainwright was £2.70

Next week’s walk will start from the big car park in Bollington at 9.30pm. The half way point (ETA around 12.30pm) will be the Robin Hood and post de-booting ale will be taken at the Dog and Partridge. Unfortunately your diarist will be absent, on a hastily arranged break to Istanbul.