Hartington

HARTINGTON, HULME END, BIGGIN DALE, WOLFSCOTE DALE, DOVE VALLEY, MILLDALE, THE GEORGE AT ALSTONEFIELD, GIPSY BANK, MORSON WOOD AND THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT HARTINGTON

Distance: 11 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry with early cloud giving way to sunshine.

Walkers: Nigel Crank, Tom Cunliffe, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Jock Rooney with Tips, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Peter Morrall, Geoff Spurrell and Mike Walton.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (hols), Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Colin Davison (boating),George Dearsley (hols), Malcolm Halley (long distance cycling) and Ken Sparrow (hols).

Leader: Rooney. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Hartington village square, White Peak, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 10.10am. Finishing time: 2.47pm.

The start was delayed after the Poynton contingent discovered that none of their five-strong group knew the way to Hartington. Nor, indeed, did we know that Hartington, though south of Longnor, the previous week’s starting point, was in Derbyshire while Longnor was in Staffordshire. Your diarist produced a road map and that quintet arrived five minutes behind schedule.

We then encountered the vagaries of the county boundaries as we skipped from Derbyshire into Staffordshire and back on several occasions through some of the prettiest scenery the White Peak has to offer.

En route we met an armed mink hunter and several youngsters taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. It is often forgotten that the polite well-disciplined behaviour of these young people is inevitably overshadowed by the publicity given to the anti-social antics of other teenagers.

Setting off from near the duck pond in the centre of Hartington, we passed The Devonshire Arms on our right as we entered Hall Street and headed uphill. When we reached the youth hostel at Hartington Hall on our left (5mins) we turned right following a wooden public footpath sign for Hulme End.

We went straight on over a stone step stile, ignoring a wooden public footpath sign pointing left, and straight on again at a wooden public footpath sign for Biggin Dale (20mins). We turned left at a blue arrow marker (35mins) to enter Biggin Dale and then turned right at a dew pool to follow a sign for Wolfscote Dale.

As we followed the clear track, the word STUDIO had been spelt with white rocks on the hillside ahead. It was decided that as this word derived from Italian, it had probably been left by the Romans some time after 55BC.

We reached the River Dove at 11am sharp (50mins) for pietime and met a mink hunter who had just arrived on a quad. He explained that wild mink had become the curse of the environment, depleting fish stocks and indigenous water voles.

These American mink, who had escaped captivity in farms where they were bred for their valuable black pelts, are fiercely aggressive. When caught in traps, they are still dangerous and have to be shot with air rifles.

The mink hunter, who is employed by Beresford Fisheries and Derbyshire Angling Club, pointed out a crag on the far side of the Dove where a pair of peregrine falcons had built a nest. He had recently seen the male carrying a pigeon home for dinner.

Despite a lengthy 25-minute stop, we hadn’t see the falcons’ aerial display by the time we resumed by turning left with the Dove on our right. After passing a large house on our left (80mins) we went over a bridge across the river, thus entering Staffordshire. We ignored the upper route to Alstonefield and took the lower route with the Dove now on our left.

This brought us into Milldale (94mins) where we turned right and immediately right again following a sign for the chapel. We headed uphill, passing the chapel on our right, before arriving at The George in Alstonefield (112mins). After ordering pints of Marstons’ cask bitter at £2-95 we all found them to have a sour after-taste.

The George

Tom declared this, and a lack of fizz, to be an indication that it was stale. To her credit the landlady took them back without a quibble, other than to say her undiscerning regulars hadn’t noticed anything wrong the night before, and changed the barrel. There was a massive improvement, which caused second pints to be ordered.

We left the pub by turning left and followed a road sign on our right for Lode Mill and Ashbourne (113mins). After passing The Wesleyan Chapel, rebuilt in 1879, we turned left at a green public footpath sign (114mins). 

We followed the sign for Narrowdale, Gipsy Bank by Pease and Rocks.

At a public footpath sign we turned right (121mins) and walked to the right of a farm before following a yellow arrow through a gate (127mins). We plunged steeply down Gipsy Bank and crossed the river by either a bridge or stepping stones (144mins).

On the far bank we turned left along the path with the Dove on our left, stopping for lunch at the same spot where we had paused for pies (147mins). Continuing, we ignored the path on our right for Biggin Dale and followed the sign for Hartington. We passed a cave on our right quickly followed by a bridge on our left (171mins).

We crossed a footbridge over the Dove (176mins) into Staffs, then turned right with the Dove on our right. We then re-crossed the river by another footbridge (181mins) to return to Derbyshire and enter Beresford Dale. With the Dove now on our left we walked through Morson Wood (185mins) and through gates on either side of a stony track (196mins).

When we reached a road we turned right and arrived at our final destination, The Devonshire Arms, on our right (200mins). Here we enjoyed pints of Jennings’ Cumberland bitter at £3-20. The more extravagant wanderers drank Marstons’ Pedigree at £3-40.

B Walkers

Logistics By Geoff Spurrell:  Meet with 2 cars at Prestbury free car park. Car 1 to Hare Hill with walkers.

Walk back to Prestbury via Leigh Hall.  Arr. 12.15 forRobbies bitter in top form at the Admiral Rodney, £2.85 a pint. Car 2 with walkers back to Hare Hill, then on to the Wizard N.T. car park. Walk back to Hare Hill for car 1. Both cars to Thief's Neck at Woodford for more Robbies, this time not so good, and £3.10 a pint. Nice beer garden, uncomfortable chairs, but open all day.

Distance walked: 5.3 miles.  Height gained: Zero, thanks to fine planning by Geoff.

Next week’s walk will start from The Queens Head at Taddington, near Buxton, at 9.50am. We intend to stop for refreshment (and possibly lunch) at the Church Inn, Chelmorton, around noon, returning to the Queens Head about 2.20pm.

Longnor

LONGNOR, MANIFOLD VALLEY, BRUND, SHEEN, THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT HARTINGTON, BANK TOP FARM, DOVE VALLEY, PILBURY CASTLE AND THE HORSESHOE AT LONGNOR.

Distance: 10-11 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry with early cloud giving way to afternoon sunshine.

Walkers: Nigel Crank, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, and Jock Rooney with Tips.

B walkers: Tony Job, Peter Morrall and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (hols), Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Tom Cunliffe (w*^king), Colin Davison (boating), George Dearsley (w*^king), Malc Halley (long-distance cycling), Julian Ross (w*^king), Ken Sparrow (entertaining), George Whaites (Cornish hols).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Main square in Longnor, Staffs.

Starting time: 10.06am. Finishing time: 2.50pm.

After a record turnout of ten A-teamers last week, we replaced quantity with quality for this walk through meadows full of wild flowers. Some of the fields were occupied by grazing cows, and for the second time in a month Tips showed her courage under attack.

It seems that cattle are genetically programmed to regard any relative of the wolf family as a potential predator and therefore form a stampeding herd to drive away the interloper. Tips was more than a match for the lumbering beasts as she showed her agility darting between their thundering hooves and demonstrating her bark, if not her bite.

Each time she escaped their attentions and skipped over a stile to exit their field, Tips turned to face her tormentors, barking enthusiastically while wagging her tail. It was the canine equivalent of George Formby’s mocking : “Never touched me.”

From the cobbled main square in Longnor we walked out of the village with the Crewe and Harpur pub on our right and the sadly-closed Grapes on our left. We walked along River View past Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on our left and entered High Street before turning right at a public footpath sign (3mins).

This brought us into a farmyard, where we turned left, climbed over a stone step stile and turned right (7mins). A gate took us to a bridge over a stream with the Manifold River on our right (15mins). We were now heading south through a series of fields entered by a variety of gates and stiles. As we did so, Tips was able to demonstrate her gallantry under fire.

The unoccupied fields showed England’s green and pleasant land at its best, with splashes of alternative colour provided by an abundance of bright yellow buttercups, interspersed with purple clover, white Queen Ann’s lace, pink ragged Robin, pale blue forget-me-nots and the stalks of daffodils whose blossom had been replaced with ghostly seed balls.

Our route along the beaten path was clear as we reached a wooden footpath sign for Brond, which later became Brund (39mins). Ahead of us was the distinctive hill called Whetton Hall and to our right was Swallow Moss. At a fallen tree in the shade we stopped for pie and port time (54mins) at 11am sharp.

Continuing, we passed a wooden public footpath sign for Brund and Sheen, crossed a road and followed a footpath sign for Hulme End and Longnor. 

We ignored a concessionary path on our right and walked on for 80 yards to reach a wooden public footpath sign, where we turned right then left to reach a road (71mins).

We turned right along the road and then crossed a stone step stile marked with a blue arrow (74mins). Another stone step stile brought us to a road (82mins), where we turned right then left across a stile to the right of a private drive. This took us to a field which we exited at the far left corner and crossed a footbridge over the River Dove (99mins).

A gate led us into woods (106mins) from where a path brought us to a road (108mins) with a former cheese factory on our right. We turned left along Stonewell Lane and reached the centre of Hartington, from where we could see The Devonshire Arms (111mins). Pints of Cumberland Ale cask bitter at £2-70 were in good form.

Resuming, we left the pub and made for the village duckpond and its surrounding benches where we immediately stopped for lunch (112mins). We left the village by passing the pool and Edensor Cottage on our left. We swung uphill (116mins) and followed a lane, passing Bank Top Farm on our left (126mins).

We reached the River Dove on our left (132mins), where Lawrie remembered his angling exploits some 40 years earlier with the Sheffield Fly Fishing Club. He recalled their neighbouring fisherman was the Manchester City and England soccer star, Mike Summerbee.

A gate brought us into the hamlet of Pilsbury (152mins) and we turned left to enter a public bridleway. This brought us to a mound on a limestone outcrop on our left, which a placard informed us was Pilsbury Castle.

Pilsbury Castle from the air

This had probably once been an Iron Age fortification but was believed to have been updated into a motte and bailey construction shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066. One theory is that it was built by Henry de Ferrers on land given to him by William the Conqueror. It was one of a trio of castles built by Henry at Tutbury and Duffield as well. From such bases, the Normans carried out “the harrying of the North.”

An alternative suggestion is that it was built by Robert de Ferrers during a period known as The Anarchy, when the de Ferrers supported Stephen of England and the neighbouring Earl of Chester backed Empress Matilda. The castle may have been abandoned when the land on which it stood was passed to the Duchy of Lancaster after the 6^th earl was dispossessed.

What exciting times our ancestors enjoyed !

Continuing along the picturesque Dove Valley, with a kestrel hovering in hunting mode above us, we reached a road (191mins), where we ignored The Pack Horse pub on our right and turned left. A bridge across the Dove took us out of Derbyshire and back into Staffordshire, where we passed the sign for Longnor (201mins).

This took us past Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, which was just closing and back to our cars to de-boot (211mins). Nigel used his diplomatic skills to persuade Andy, the genial landlord of The Horseshoe, to remain open long enough to sell us pints of Deuchars cask bitter.

Next week’s walk will start from Hartington at 10am and will be led by Jock. He intends to take us on a figure eight route with a stop at The George in Alstonefield around 12.15pm before returning to The Devonshire Arms, Hartington, about 2.30pm.

Little Hayfield

LITTLE HAYFIELD, BIRCH VALE, OLLERSETT MOOR, BIG ROCK, CRACKEN EDGE, PEEP-A-DAY, KINDER VALE, BOWDEN BRIDGE, THE SPORTSMAN AT HAYFIELD, SNAKE PASS TRAIL, MIDDLE MOOR, PARK HALL POOL AND THE LANTERN PIKE AT LITTLE HAYFIELD

Distance: Nine miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry but mostly cloudy.

Walkers:  Mickey Barrett, Chris Corps, Nigel Crank, Russell Crank, Tom Cunliffe, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Colin Davison (sailing to Holland), George Dearsley (w*^king), Malcolm Halley (long-distance cycling) and Jock Rooney (w*^king in Turkey).

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of Lantern Pike at Little Hayfield, High Peak.

Starting time: 9.36am. Finishing time: 2pm.

Another Wednesday: another debutant. This week we were happy to welcome a new member to our group for a guest appearance. Russell Crank, brother of Nigel, lives on a working farm in Hayfield and was able to break away from the world of double-glazing to enjoy some of the sights in his neighbourhood previously unseen.

Tom was our leader for the day and, despite a technical fault for crossing a barbed wire fence, he managed to fulfil the main criteria of reaching the two pubs not only on time but a little ahead of schedule. Whether the leader’s badge sub-committee will overlook the illegal manoeuvre on Ollersett Moor remains to be seen. (They will probably sit on the fence)

From The Lantern Pike we headed downhill past the former rented homes of Coronation Street creator Tony Warren and actress Pat Phoenix on our right to pass what was once Clough Calico Printing Mill on our right. It has been converted into luxury apartments, one of which is occupied by George D, to whom we gave a wave as we passed by.

After swinging left beyond the mill we crossed a brook (4mins) and followed a wooden footpath sign to our left (8mins). This took us past a row of cottages (14mins). After passing Lower Cliffe Farm, built in 1713, on our left, we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign (18mins) to emerge by a farmhouse.

We are indebted to Tom for pointing out a washing line surrounded by netting which keeps off flies and dust. Much to his chagrin we were left somewhat underwhelmed by this information, wondering whether this was to be the highlight of our journey.

After heading right along a lane for 50 yards we turned left over a stone step stile, passing a field occupied by hens and guinea fowl. During the course of the day we also saw herons, lapwings and curlews.

We crossed a bridge over the River Sett (24mins) and passed a mill lodge on our left before crossing the Sett Valley Trail and emerging at a main road opposite The Grouse at Birch Vale. After crossing the road and with The Grouse to our right, we entered Morland Road (28mins) to start a long climb up Ollersett Moor. 

We carried straight on at a public bridleway towards Chinley (39mins) and we heard some rebellious mutterings as the ascent continued from a Wanderer sporting a beard and a Geordie accent.

When we reached a three-way crossroads (62mins), Tom consulted his map before leading us straight ahead across moorland in the only direction not indicated by the three fingerposts. This brought us to a low wall and a barbed wire fence (69mins).

Taking a leaf from his former metallurgy tutor’s book, Tom took the obstacle in his stride, showing no hint of surprise or hesitation. A year ago Lawrie might have had great difficulty in surmounting the wire without serious danger of partial castration. But on this occasion, mercifully,  he did not need to find a friend willing to disentangle him.

After clearing the wall and barbed wire, we turned right through an open gateway (71mins) and continued to head upwards until we reached Big Rock on Cracken Edge (74mins) where we stopped for pietime.

Resuming, we dropped down to a path 50 yards below and turned left (76mins) downhill. This brought us past Peep-A-Day, the 200-year-old landmark house, on our left (95mins). A few yards later we turned left on the main road to Glossop and then right uphill following a wooden public footpath sign (97mins).

After a short climb we followed a public footpath sign for the Kinder Valley. After passing Russell’s farm on our left, at a T-junction we turned left (125mins) and crossed Bowden Bridge. We turned left again (131mins) and reached The Sportsman on our right (136mins) just after its noon opening.

Here we enjoyed pints of Thwaites’ Original cask bitter at £2-90. We were persuaded to stay for a second pint, generously bought by Nigel to celebrate his birthday two days earlier. Age seems to have dulled Nigel’s memory for he described himself variously as 47, 53, and, somewhat optimistically, 39. At this point we bade farewell to Russell, who was returning to his farm.

On leaving the pub we turned right along Kinder Road towards Hayfield, then right again at a green public footpath sign (139mins) indicating the way to The Snake Inn. This took us past Twenty Trees, and at a bank by a drystone wall we stopped for lunch (153mins). It was at this point that the familiar cry of the curlew was heard and a pair of lapwings tried to scare us away from their nests on the moor by solicitous flights across our bows.

 After passing through a gate leading on to Middle Moor (164mins), we turned left downhill and emerged at the driveway to Park Hall. This took us past a dazzling display of a variety of rhododendron bushes which were the legacy of an expert, now dead.

Tom offered to take our group to the derelict Park Hall Pool, which was once a commercial, open-air swimming baths. This involved two false starts which clearly lost the confidence of some of his followers, who returned smartly to The Lantern Pike. Those of us who kept faith were rewarded with a fascinating glimpse into the past.

From the side of the bus stop opposite Tom’s pub, we headed uphill, before stepping over a low barbed wire fence and becoming trespassers for the second time. Here in a woodland glade was a remarkable sight. On two levels were the abandoned pool which was still being fed by fresh water from Kinder, with its overflow continuing down and under the main road. The changing rooms and toilets appeared to be still intact, although coated in grease and grime from more than 40 years of neglect.

The deeper of the two pools was occupied by a dozen bright orange carp – an example of what can happen if you give a goldfish a bit more room.

Here, in a microcosm, was a perfect example of the changing face of Britain. In the post-war years, Park Hall Pool had been a magnet for swimmers who came from far and near to visit this beauty spot. But when the Beeching axe fell on Hayfield railway station in 1970, the number of visitors fell into sharp decline and the pool was abandoned.

A subsequent attempt to revive it, Tom informed us, was stymied when a neighbour objected to planning permission being granted and the council upheld his view.

The village of Hayfield has suffered a similar fate. In 1901 it was a boom town with a population of 2,817. Of its 1,351 active workers, 788 were engaged in manufacturing , predominantly at the calico and print works and in weaving; 308 were in the service industries of which 140 were in the retail trade, 69 were quarrying and 46 farming.

The population was served by 17 pubs, eight grocers’ shops, seven greengrocers, seven butcher, two bakers, two tripe dealers, two confectioners, two newsagents, two chemists, one bookseller, one hairdresser and a yeast dealer. There were 15 dressmakers’ shops, 12 boot and shoe retailers, eight tailors, four drapers, six laundries, two milliners and one clogger.

Today, with a population of 2,615, Hayfield has eight pubs, two restaurants, two hairdressers, two antique shops, two surgeries, two motor dealers, one fish and chip shop, one butcher’s, one florist, one greengrocer, one general store, one health food shop, one gift shop, one art gallery, one newsagent, one chemist, one post office and one estate agent.

The arrival of the railway in 1868 seems to have brought about the rise in Hayfield’s fortunes. Its closure in 1970 seems to have marked its commercial decline. Discuss.

Despite the reduction in amenities, however, Hayfield’s popularity as a rural retreat has continued to grow. Its house prices continue to soar and are among the dearest in The High Peak area.

After our visit  to Park Hall Pool, we rejoined the rest of the nine-strong party at The Lantern Pike for pints of Timothy Taylor’s excellent Landlord cask bitter and chip butties generously provided by Tom.

Walkers; Wally, Tony, Ken.    Apologies: Pete (domestic duties) and Geoff (taking Gill to Oswestry for another mini op.

Route: Bollington Rangers' car park - F.Smith pie shop - Ingersley Vale - Virgins' path - Flagg Cottage - Kerridge Ridge - White Nancy - Kerridge - Bollington.

Wally had printed off 2 different walks, but Ken needed a pie, so when we reached the pie shop, we were not on one of Wally's routes. Ken suggested White Nancy; after chatting to a younger couple, we decided to attempt the ascent of Kerridge Ridge by a zig-zag path starting by the dam below Rainow. Ken would have led us back to Ingersley Vale, but we stayed put until he came back. After lunch at White Nancy, we descended towards Kerridge, and hit on an open Bulls Head. Emerging after a single pint (beer OK), we turned right, then headed left downhill, which brought us via the canal to the public library opposite the rec, and hence to the D & P., where we were joined by Geoff.

Stats:

Stats.

Mileage 4.75

Elevation 1116 feet

Average speed 1.46 mph

Fastest 3.73 mph

Time 2.55 hours

Next week’s walk will start at 9.55am from the main square in Longnor, Derbyshire, with a break at The Hartington Arms, Hartington, around 12.30pm. Our final watering hole has still to be decided, depending on whether Frank Dudley can be tempted out to celebrate his 97^th birthday.

Poynton Pool

POYNTON POOL, HIGHER POYNTON, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, LADYBROOK TRAIL, LYME PARK, LYME CAGE, LYME HALL, DEER PARK, BOAR’S HEAD AT HIGHER POYNTON, MIDDLEWOOD WAY, LADYS INCLINE AND BULL’S HEAD AT POYNTON.

Distance: Nine miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Early cloud giving way to blue skies and sunshine.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Chris Corps, Nigel Crank, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Ken Sparrow, Geoff Spurrell and Mike Walton.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), George Dearsley (w*^king), Lawrie Fairman (Hungarian hols), Jock Rooney (w*^king in Turkey).

Withdrawal of apology: Colin Davison (not sailing after all).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Poynton Pool car park off Anglesey Drive.

Starting time: 9.38am. Finishing time: 2pm.

We welcomed another newcomer to the Wednesday Wanderers on an ideal day for walking. Chris Corps made his debut, stepping straight into the A team, and appeared to find no difficulty in keeping up with a brisk pace.

This gave us a good turnout of eight A walkers, and we soon had one over the eight when we encountered a marooned mariner en route. 

The ideal walking weather also produced perfect drinking conditions and we ended the day on a high note when Barbara and Sally Bromley once again produced two platters of sandwiches as a goodwill gesture. They hope to see us again. They surely will.

Poynton Pool was once an attractive feature in the estate of Poynton Hall, the home of Lord Vernon, who was lord of the manor. In 1850 Bagshaw’s Directory described Poynton as a compact village near the Macclesfield branch of the London and North Western Railway.

In 1841 it contained 152 houses and 854 inhabitants on 2,400 acres of good, well-drained land. “Its subterranean wealth far exceeds that on the surface,” the directory declared, following the discovery of rich seams of coal beneath the farmland. Although much of the coal was worked out at the start of the last century and its 71 pits closed down, Poynton continued to grow because of its proximity to Manchester (20 minutes by train for commuters) to the north and to the spectacular countryside of the Peak District to the south and east. It now has a population around 16,000.

From the car park we crossed Anglesey Drive and walked between the trees separating London Road North on the left from its houses on the right. This brought us out on Towers Road, where we turned right. After passing South Park Drive on our right we reached a bungalow on our right which was once the site of Towers Hall, from which Towers Drive derived its name. Like Poynton Hall, it has long been demolished, but one interesting remnant survives.

By turning left through a kissing gate (10mins) to join a public footpath, we soon reached a mound on our right. This hid a flight of steps down to a grilled door on the far side which had once been the entrance to “The Ice House” – a cool storage facility for the family and servants of Towers Hall.

We continued straight ahead through a series of fields via gates and stiles until we emerged at The Macclesfield Canal (42mins) and turned left along the towpath. At the first bridge across the canal (Bridge 13) we turned left to go back over it and there encountered Colin (47mins).

He explained that his catamaran trip across the North Sea to Holland scheduled to start on Monday had been postponed for four days because the boat involved was blocked by another vessel and could not reach any water to start its journey. Colin joined our group and before you could say “Hello sailor!” he was issuing orders.

For anyone who falls into obvious traps such as iced-over canals, it may have seemed cruel to lead Colin up the garden path, so to speak, but he does bring out the worst in your diarist. After crossing the bridge we rounded a World War 2 pillbox to follow the towpath with the canal now on our left. After 100 yards we reached a wooden footpath sign on our right and followed it into woodland which is part of the picturesque Ladybrook Trail.

The trail in turn crossed the Manchester-Buxton railway line (69mins) before leading us by a footbridge and a ladder stile into Lyme Park (72mins). Our journey had taken us gradually uphill, but now came a steeper ascent as we turned right at the entrance hut and made our way up to Lyme Cage (90mins).

By now the clouds were clearing and the sun was shining as we paused for pietime overlooking the countryside and landmarks below. Resuming, we walked down from Lyme Cage and passed the entrance to Lyme Hall, the ancestral home of the Legh family for more than 500 years until it was handed over to The National Trust in 1946.

It was decided to make a brief detour round the deer park, to the left of the hall, first passing the lake where Mr Darcy emerged with dripping breeches to melt the hearts of not only Elizabeth Bennett but also the millions of Jane Austen fans watching the series on BBC back in 1995. Continuing, we saw a herd of fallow deer grazing and sunbathing to our left before making two right turns to bring us back to our homeward route.

From the car park outside the kiosk and with the hall on our right, we turned left and followed the road round to the right. We forked right again to skirt the wall and headed downhill out of the park. Still going forward and still descending, we crossed the bridge over the Macclesfield Canal, passed the Nelson Pit museum on our right and reached the Boar’s Head on schedule at 12.15pm (146mins).

Here we enjoyed pints of Black Sheep, Thwaites or Wainwrights’ cask bitter at prices from £2-92 to £3-20. The B walkers had just pipped us to the bar from a stroll which had left Tony with a sore ankle. After the A Team had departed, three of them headed on a direct route to the Bull’s Head while Tony made his way by bus.

Meanwhile the main party walked back from the Boar’s Head to The Middlewood Way, which we joined and headed in the direction of Marple before stopping (152mins) at a bench for lunch. Resuming, we left at the first exit by going right and then left over a bridge leading into Green Lane.

We turned right along Green Lane, ignoring the first footpath on our left which would have led us to The Anson Museum. At the next footpath (162mins) we turned left and headed steadily downhill until we entered Woodside Road. At the end we joined the main road between Macclesfield and Hazel Grove and turned right.

We reached The Bull’s Head (189mins) at 2pm and enjoyed draught Bass and two other cask beers at £3 a pint. Barbara and Sally Bromley did us proud with two platters of home-made sandwiches.

This has raised the bar considerably for next week’s walk, which finishes at The Lantern Pike. At the time of writing Tom and your diarist are examining the logistics of an A team walk from Edale up along Kinder, ending in Little Hayfield, possibly starting with a train from New Mills Central station.

When arrangements have been finalised, you will be notified.