Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE (DISUSED), TAXAL, TAXAL EDGE, WINDGATHER ROCKS, PYM CHAIR, DUNGE VALLEY, THE SWAN AT KETTLESHULME, HARDY GREEN, TODD BROOK, TODD BROOK RESERVOIR, WHALEY BRIDGE MEMORIAL PARK

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry, mainly cloudy with sunny spells.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Sid Marland and Julian Ross.

B walkers: Tony Job, Pete Morrall, Ken Sparrow and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Peter Beal (hiking with wife), Chris Corps and Nigel Crank (both w*^king), George Dearsley (extended Turkish hols), Jock Rooney (Isle of Man tax exile), Mike Walton (w*^king) and George Whaites (Spanish hols).

Starting point: Outside The Cock Inn, Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.41am. Finishing time: 2pm.

A further outbreak of w*^king reduced our numbers for this well-trodden route around the hills and valleys in the foothills of The Peak District. With the reliable hand of Lawrie on the tiller, we suffered none of the setbacks of recent times. He will be absent as a cruise ship lecturer next week, and we wonder how long it will be before he suggests the captain might try a different course.

While Lawrie heads for the fjords, we will be in the inexperienced hands of Tom as we attempt to climb Kinder. Watch this space !

Our first surprise on arrival was to see a sign advertising that the tenancy of The Cock is for sale. Lou Haynes has been our obliging landlady here for 11 years and the pub had a major facelift four years ago. We learned it had gone on the market a week ago, and it may be no coincidence that recent comments about the service on Trip Advisor have been negative, to say the least. The barmaid later told us that Lou, who married Steve in spring, has “had enough of The Cock.” I presume this was a reference to the pub. In any event we wish her well.

We followed a customary route, passing the pub on our left and after 20 yards turning left to cross a stream and head uphill to reach the former Cromford and High Peak Railway Line. We turned right until we passed a new cul-de-sac called Alpha Mews on our right and then turned right at a wooden public footpath sign (9mins).

The path took us into a children’s playground which we exited to the right and headed downhill to the main Whaley-Bridge-Buxton road. This we crossed (14mins) to follow a gravel track which led to a footbridge on our right across the River Goyt (19mins). The path continued steeply uphill, reaching St James’ Church at Taxal on our right at a T-junction. We turned left and after 20 yards headed right over a wooden stile opposite Glebe Farm (24mins).

A park bench plaque taken from an internet site, simply for your amusement

After a steady climb through two fields, we crossed a ladder stile to reach a lane where we turned left (32mins). We soon reached a green footpath sign on our right (34mins) pointing to Windgather Rocks and Taxal Edge. Another steady climb took us past the 2001 mountain ash memorial to Chapel-en-le-Frith Rambling Club member Terry Lardner (39mins).

We continued through Taxal Nick to reach Taxal Edge and a drystone wall (43mins). We turned left to make the steady climb past woods on the left to reach the distinctive Windgather Rocks (62mins). Normally this commands a splendid view across the valley below, but on this occasion a morning mist was still hanging around to shroud the vista.

We turned left and after 200 yards dropped into a sheltered section for pie time (64mins). Resuming we continued along a path which eventually ran parallel with the country road leading to Pym Chair (83mins). This, according to legend, was the name of a rock formation 300 yards ahead which was either where a non-conformist preacher held secret meetings or where a highwayman attacked pack horse trains.

Three weeks earlier we had made the same journey before turning left towards Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs. On this occasion we turned right towards Saltersford. After a steady descent we turned right at a yellow arrow by a broken wall (90mins) and crossed a ladder stile. The well-trodden path took us to the right of a farmhouse, where we followed a yellow arrow (95mins) and passed a derelict farm building (102mins).

An upper path to the right of a row of trees took us through a new kissing gate (107mins), and by hugging the hedge on our right a second kissing gate (108mins) into the former Dunge Valley Gardens. These were once beautifully sculptured gardens where plants were on sale. In recent years it has been neglected but there are signs that the owners are once again making an effort.

We exited the gardens by a wooden stile to the left of a locked gate (117mins) and continued to crossroads (123mins). We carried on and then forked left downhill, observing the last of this summer’s swallows assembling on telegraph wires before setting off on their long flight to southern Africa.

We went left off the lane at a wooden public footpath sign marked with a yellow arrow (131mins) and continued to follow yellow arrows which marked gates and stiles. We went to the left of an elegant farmhouse (139mins) swinging right downhill. This brought us to a lane where we doglegged right and left in front of Clocks Bank Cottage on our right (144mins).

We then turned left down a flight of stone steps at the rear of The Swan (146mins), occupying the seats outside as the sun peeped out from behind a cloudy sky. The Marstons’ cask bitter was in excellent form at £3 a pint, although some of the wilder Wanderers paid an extra 20p for pints of Copper Dragon, a guest beer which they also rated highly.

After watching a Dutch articulated lorry driver reversing his massive vehicle into the nursery opposite the pub – a feat which brought him an appreciative round of applause – we continued by crossing the road into the nursery and passing both the driver and his signalman.

We left the nursery in front of Kettleshulme Church and turned right (148mins), then left (149mins) into Kishfeld Lane. We passed Hardy Green on our left (152mins) and arrived at a bridge across Todd Brook where we stopped for lunch (163mins). Our group then retraced its steps for 25 yards to turn left at a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow.

The route began uphill and then levelled off as we followed the path with Todd Brook on our left below. Hands were needed to climb a stone wall (173mins) and we emerged with a channel on our left and the start of Todd Brook Reservoir on our right. We walked the length of the reservoir to a dam wall, which we used steps to climb before going downhill across a bridge to the right of the yacht club (188mins).

We turned right along a gravel track which led us into Whaley Bridge Memorial Park (193mins), which we left by Wheatsheaf Road. This brought us back to the main road, where we turned left to reach The Cock. Robbies’  Unicorn cask bitter was on top form at £2-70 a pint.

The B teamers informed us they had taken the bus from The Rising Sun to Tunstead Milton. From there they had walked to Coombs Reservoir and up Long Lane to Ladder Hill. After drinks in The Shady Oak at Fernilee they had returned via Shallcross Greenway and the disused section of the Cromford and High Peak railway line which the A team had taken in the outward direction. They estimated the distance walked at a little more than five miles.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.35am from The Lantern Pike at Little Hayfield, calling at The Sportsman near Bowden Bridge around 1.15pm and returning to The Lantern Pike around 2.30pm.

Earl Sterndale

EARL STERNDALE, PARK HALL HILL, CHROME HILL, HOLLINSCLOUGH, MOSS CARR FARM, LONGNOR AND THE QUIET WOMAN AT EARL STERNDALE

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate with three strenuous climbs.

Weather: Dry, cloudy with sunny intervals.

A walkers: Colin Davison, Tom Hammonds, Alan Hart, Ben Holbrook, Alexander Welsh and Phil Welsh.

B walkers: Mickey Barrett, Chris Corps with Fergus, Tom Cunliffe, Lawrie Fairman, Matt Fairman, John Laverick and Sid Marland.

C walkers: To be added.

Apologies: Peter Beal (hiking with wife), Nigel Crank (working), George Dearsley (extended Turkish hols),Jock Rooney (Isle of Man tax exile),  Julian Ross (celebrating daughter’s birthday) , George Whaites (Spanish hols).

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Outside The Quiet Woman, Earl Sterndale, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.57am. Finishing time: 1.40pm.

According to Napoleon’s biographers, whenever a vacancy for a new general arose, his advisers would tell him of the various qualities of the candidates – their courage, strategic awareness and communication skills. In response, Napoleon would always ask: “Yes. All very well. But is he lucky ?”*

If Napoleon was choosing a leader for the Wednesday Wanderers, we fear the name of Colin Davison would not even reach the long list. Never has one man attracted so much misfortune. 

After the debacle last month of finding the Oddfellows Arms in Mellor shut, he marched us confidently into the north Derbyshire village of Longnor, which until recently boasted no fewer than four pubs.

Two of them, The Grapes Inn and the Crewe and Harpur, had both closed down. Our intended venue, The Horseshoe, was locked and up for sale. Our last hope, The Cheshire Cheese, was also closed.

Perhaps we should have feared the worst when a head count revealed we were starting with 13 walkers. This has been regarded as an unlucky number ever since JC invited 12 of his mates round for supper.

Among the 13 were two debutants, Ben Holbrook and Tom Hammonds, and two father and son partnerships. Lawrie’s son Matt is the heir to the Fairman fortune, while Xander Welsh is Phil’s son. He brought along his mate Tom for company, no doubt wishing to avoid any prolonged conversations with a bunch of sad old farts resembling the cast of Last of The Summer Wine.

We assembled in front of The Quiet Woman, which boasts the ironical sign of a lady minus her head and the advice “Soft Words Turneth Away Wrath”.  For those of you who were wondering, this would appear to be a misquote from the Old Testament, Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

We passed the pub on our left, turning left at its side and immediately right following a wooden public footpath sign for Hollinsclough. The path went through gates across various fields before swinging left sharply downhill to a road. After crossing the road (15mins) we entered a field via a wooden stile and broke up into two groups.

The A team, as they shall be called, ascended Park House Hill, reaching the peak (24mins) while the B team wimped out with a stroll around the foothills to the left and began the ascent of Chrome Hill. 

Meanwhile the A team, after watching an impressive aerial display by a flock of swifts, made the precipitous descent from Park House Hill, before following their chums up Chrome Hill.

                                                                                         Chrome Hill

We reached the summit (52mins) and descended to a convenient grassy knoll for a reunion with the B team at Pietime (63mins). It is hard to imagine that millions of years ago these craggy peaks were a coral reef upon an ocean bed, as geologists inform us.

Resuming we continued the descent of Chrome Hill, crossed a wooden stile and turned right along a concessionary path (68mins). We crossed another wooden stile (83mins) and turned left along a tarmac lane, before turning right at a wooden public footpath sign (84mins) and crossing a footbridge over the River Dove (87mins).

The Wanderers before the split 

The path brought us to a road (90mins) where we turned left, passing Hollinsclough Methodist Chapel on our left (96mins). A two mile route march along the road took us past Moss Carr Farm (105mins) on our left and a right turn along a main road (127mins) passing Longnor Fire Station on our right as we entered the village.

Since we last visited Longnor two months ago, The Horseshoe Inn has been put up for sale, freehold, with an asking price of £250,000, plus VAT. It is a Grade 2 listed two-storey stone-built building with a two-bedroomed owner’s accommodation above the bar area. As it is currently closed prior to sale, one might be forgiven for thinking that its rival, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, would be cashing in on the opportunity: sadly not.

                                                                                       Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Longnor

When we arrived at 12.33pm (131mins) the pub was closed. Emotions of shock, disbelief, anger and rebellion were in the air as we stopped on the benches opposite and ate our lunch. For the next 20 minutes we watched eight other potential customers look longingly through the pub’s windows before turning away.

An alternative pub two miles away in Crowdecote was dismissed because there was no guarantee it would be open. We were obliged to save our thirsts for the return to The Quiet Woman. We retraced our footsteps for 50 yards and walked uphill to the right of The Grapes Inn, reaching a road and turning right. We then headed left uphill (136mins) to Top o’ The Edge, heading first right, then left, then right again at a wooden public footpath sign (138mins).

Derelict house. Did it start as a pot plant?

We reached a lane (154mins) and turned left. This took us through a farm, built in 1846, with a David Brown Tractor outside. To answer a query posed, your diarist can confirm that such tractors, made by David Brown and Sons of Huddersfield, formed in 1936, is the same family which bought Aston Martin for £20,500 in 1947, adding their initials DB to one of the designs.

After passing the farm, we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign for Earl Sterndale (163mins), which proved to be our third steep ascent of the day.

The path led us to the rear of The Quiet Woman, “as seen on Peak Practice and Heart of the Country,” which were two TV dramas set in north Derbyshire.

After waiting so long for a drink, most of us were pleased with the quality of the Marstons’ cask bitter, but Tom and Mickey were unimpressed, leaving their pints behind. Quite frankly I would rather see an orphanage on fire than witness beer being abandoned.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.35am from the Cock at Whaley Bridge, calling at The Swan at Kettleshulme around 12.25pm before returning to The Cock at about 2.15pm.

 *Pedants may wish to point out that Napoleon Bonaparte spoke French. I have translated his words into English for ease of understanding.

Handforth

UNICORN AT DEAN ROW (HANDFORTH), VICAR FARM, BOLLIN VALLEY WAY, PRESTBURY SEWAGE WORKS, ADMIRAL RODNEY AT PRESTBURY, LOWER GADHOLE FARM, LEGH OLD HALL, MOTTRAM ST ANDREWS, MILL HILL FARM (AS TRESPASSERS), BOLLIN VALLEY WAY, HOLLIES FARM AND UNICORN

Distance: Ten miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry and mostly sunny.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Alan Hart, John Laverick and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Pete Morrall, Ken Sparrow and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Peter Beal (hiking elsewhere with wife), Nigel Crank (Portuguese hols), George Dearsley (extended Turkish hols), Jock Rooney (Isle of Man hols), and Julian Ross (family hols).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of The Unicorn at Dean Row, Handforth.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 2.28pm.

Botany was the talk of the day as we enjoyed another burst of fine summer weather during which we took a largely flat walk along the Bollin Valley Trail in north-east Cheshire. The subject was first raised by John who reported he was suffering from bottom rot.

Although it has long been suspected that John talks through his arse at times, he explained that on this occasion it was a serious fungal disease which affects onions, garlics and leeks. Sadly, he announced, his onions will not be gracing The Poynton Show this year but have been despatched to the cooking pot with their affected bottoms having been first removed.

Later we saw the full horror of what can happen when a foreign invader gets a foothold on our green and pleasant land – and we are not talking here about Nazi stormtroopers or Romanian gipsies. Himalayan balsam, a large annual plant native to the world’s highest mountain range, has spread like wildfire along the riverbank, choking our indigenous species and dominating the scenery.

We were not blessed with a map amongst us, so your diarist led the way in the hope that his natural instincts, plus a brief verbal guide from Lawrie the week before, would find a route to The Admiral Rodney. This proved to be the case, although our homeward journey was not without its adventures and unintended detours.

From the Unicorn car park we headed right at the road and kept right at the roundabout along Lees Lane. On our right a public footpath sign pointed down a gravel track which led us into Vicar Farm (6mins). We walked through the farmyard and to the right of the building where a series of yellow arrows showed us the way.

By following them we reached a kissing gate (22mins) through which we entered a garden. We then turned right following a wooden public footpath sign marked Bollin Valley Way (24mins). When we reached a road, despite Colin’s impassioned pleas that we should ignore Lawrie’s advice and a footpath diversion sign to carry straight onwards, we turned left along the road (29mins).

After 700 yards we turned right along Wilmslow Road towards Mottram (35mins) and reached on our right the wooden public footpath sign for Mill Lane (45mins) which would have been the point at which we would have reached the road if we had not been diverted. 

After some discussion, and complaints about new boots being ruined by excessive road-walking, we continued until we reached a footpath sign on our right (47mins) pointing at ornate gates and a large house screened by high walls.

A series of yellow arrows led us round the left of the property, passing a windmill and a painting of a giant cock, both of which are rarely seen outside Holland. We reached a track and turned right past a row of cottages (59mins). We continued to follow yellow arrows which led us to the River Bollin and a wooden footbridge (69mins). Here we turned left and saw the entire riverbank and its surrounds were covered in Himalayan balsam.

This plant, impatiens glandulifera to you Latin scholars, is also known as “kiss-me-on-the-mountain” or “policeman’s helmet” because of the hooded shape of its pink flowers (I kid you not!) It flowers between June and October and forms seed pods one inch long which explode when disturbed, scattering seeds up to 23 feet.

It was first introduced to Britain in 1839 along with giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed by enterprising merchants who promoted them as being fast-growing flowers which ordinary folk could afford if they could not find the cash for orchids. It has since spread along our river systems and local wildlife trusts organise “balsam-bashing” events.

Recent studies conclude that such efforts do more harm than good, opening up the habitat for more aggressive plants such as Japanese knotweed and aid seed dispersal (by seeds sticking to boots). In Germany they have carried out research which shows the seed pods, seeds, young leaves and shoots are all edible. They are hoping to use this fact to finance the plant’s eradication.

We followed the path through this unwelcome vegetation with the Bollin on out right, passing Prestbury Sewage Works, and stopping at a bridge for pie and port time (81mins). It was during this interlude that John’s bottom rot was discussed. This can cause wilting and yellow foliage, and the soil-borne fungus, sclerotium cepivoram, can persist  for 15 years: dreadful news for a leek-growing Geordie boy.

Continuing, we passed a play area on our right (100mins) and Prestbury Village Club on our left (105mins) before turning left into Pearl Street and reaching the rear entrance of The Admiral Rodney on our right (106mins). The pub was already open at 11.31am so we were able to order our £2-80 pints of excellent Robbies’ cask bitter before the arrival of the B team a few minutes later.

We started the return journey by retracing our footsteps as far as the banks of the Bollin until we reached a stone bridge (116mins) and crossed it. We went over a wooden stile (119mins) and followed yellow arrows leading us round Lower Gadhole Farm until we reached a gravel lane (129mins). We turned left uphill. This brought us to a tarmac section and we crossed a wooden stile before stopping for lunch (131mins).

Continuing, we entered a field through a kissing gate (139mins) and turned right along a path immediately after passing Legh Old Hall (140mins). We followed a yellow arrow into a field where a white horse came across to welcome us. His friendly attention was not universally appreciated, especially by Tom, who will clearly not be taking part in the Grand National any time soon.

After exiting the field by a wooden stile, we followed a wooden public footpath sign through Mottram St Andrew golf course (150mins). After crossing a fariway we left the course by a wooden stile (156mins) and reached the drive leading to the Mottram Hall Hotel. While Colin decided to turn left towards a road, the remainder of our group walked to the hotel, passing its front entrance on our right (161mins) and heading through the car park to a hedge on the far side of a soccer practice pitch.

                              picture courtesy of John  Laverick

Here we turned left following first a yellow arrow and then a wooden public footpath sign for the Bollin Way. We also saw diversion notices informing us that there was no access ahead. We ignored them and reached Mill Hill Farm, where the owner had persuaded his local council to close the public right of way for health and safety reasons.  

We crossed a stile and then a gate at the side of a house which brought us to the bank of the Bollin. As we made our way to the road ahead, we passed the backs of many signs warning that this was private property, that trespassers would be prosecuted and that there were guard dogs. There had been no warning signs for hikers walking in our direction.

We emerged at the road we had walked earlier and turned right (186mins). After 80 yards we turned left to cross the wooden stile by which we had reached the road some four hours earlier. Colin was hurrying along the road to catch up with us. The irony that a man who had earlier complained about too much road-walking had opted for a mile and half of tarmac instead of grass was not lost on us.

It should now have been a simple matter to retrace our footsteps back through Vicar Farm, but I fear your diarist and leader missed a right turn at some stage. 

Consequently, we continued to walk with the Bollin on our left until we reached a wooden stile and turned right uphill (206mins). This brought us to a series of narrow pathways which emerged at an impressive house called Wellfield on our left (209mins). We passed Lane End Cottage on our right to reach the main road (211mins). We turned right and reached The Unicorn on our right (219mins).

The B teamers were already in situ, quaffing a selection of cask bitters at £3 a pint.

B team report.

Wally, Tony, Geoff, Pete and Ken assembled in a small car park off the entrance drive to Mottram Hall. 100 yards back towards the entrance, we took the path on the left, crossed the golf course to Woodside Farm, then followed the footpath sign South towards Leigh Hall. At Leigh House, we went through a metal gate, and came out in the middle of the Leigh Hall complex. We are sure there used to be a footpath sign back to Leigh House, but this has gone. Suitably corralled, we headed for the equestrian complex at Lower Gadhole Farm where we took elevenses and met another group of wrinklies. Suitably fortified, we continued to Prestbury, and joined our A team chums in the Admiral Rodney. Rain had been forecast for later, so after the second pint, we followed the original Bollin Valley Trail, After crossing the Bollin by wooden footbridge, we cut across the golf course to Mottram Wood, and thence back to the cars for a total walking distance of 5.2 miles. At the time of editing, no B team walk had been decided on for next week. Advance apologies from Tony, who will be engaged in labouring for Poynton Show on Saturday 24th Aug.

Next week’s walk will start at 10am at The Quiet Woman in Earl Sterndale, Derbyshire.  We hope to reach The Horseshoe at Longnor around 12.30pm for a tincture before returning to The Quiet Woman by 2.30pm.

Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE, ST JAMES’ CHURCH, TAXAL, TAXAL NICK, WINDGATHER ROCKS, PYM CHAIR, ERRWOOD RESERVOIR, FERNILEE RESERVOIR, THE SHADY OAK AT FERNILEE, GOYT VALLEY AND THE COCK AT WHALEY BRIDGE

Distance: 9-10 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry with cloud and sunshine.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Chris Corps with Fergus, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Laverick and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Pete Morrall, Ken Sparrow and Mike Walton.

Apologies: Peter Beal (hiking with wife), Nigel Crank (Portuguese hols), George Dearsley (prolonged Turkish hols), Malcolm Halley (ill), Jock Rooney (Isle of Man tax exile), Julian Ross (hols), Geoff Spurrell (hols).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of The Cock at Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 2.17pm.

We welcomed another newcomer to the Wednesday Wanderers for this familiar walk. Alastair Cairns is a friend of Mickey Barrett and the fifth man from our group to have connections with Burnage Rugby Club along with Jock, Tom, Julian and Mickey.

Alastair works as a drugs dealer, or, as he prefers to describe it, as someone running transport and logistics for a pharmaceutical firm, and we look forward to seeing him again occasionally on future walks.

We also had a dog debutant in the form of Fergus, a dachshund, sometimes known as a German sausage dog, which was brought along by Chris. As we started the walk with a steady ascent for an hour, he was panting, his head was lolling from side to side and his eyes were bulging. Fergus, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself.

From the car park we passed The Cock on our left and after 20 yards turned left across a stream to reach the disused Cromford and High Peak Railway line. This was opened in 1831 to carry minerals 33 miles between Cromford Canal Wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge.

It was a remarkable feat of engineering with its summit at Ladmanlow one of the highest lines in Britain. It stood 1,266 feet above sea level, compared to the present highest point at Ais Gill (1,169 feet) on the Settle-Carlisle line. Following the reduction of Britain’s railway system, often referred to as The Beeching Axe, the first section closed in 1963 and the rest in 1967. Some parts now form part of The High Peak Trail.

At the disused line we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign just beyond Adelphi Mews (9mins). This normally well-trodden route had chest-high nettles, much to the chagrin of those of us in shorts. It brought us to a children’s playground which we exited by a road on the right hand side leading downhill to the main road.

We crossed this (13mins) and followed a gravel track downhill until we reached a footbridge on our right (17mins). This took us across the River Goyt and up a steep hill between gravestones to a T-junction with St James’ Church, Taxal, on our right. We turned left (22mins) for a few yards and then, opposite Glebe Farm, we turned right over a stone step stile.

There followed another uphill slog through fields until we reached a lane via two ladder stiles and turned left (31mins). After 100 yards we followed a footpath sign on our right marked Windgather Rocks (33mins). Another long climb brought us through Taxal Nick to a drystone wall (41mins), where we turned left.

Following the path with the wall on our right, we reached an arrow where we dog-legged left and right to walk to the right of a wood on our approach to the distinctive sight of Windgather Rocks ahead. We reached the edge (55mins) in record time and paused to admire the views across the valley below and to catch our collective breath (62mins). We then turned left along the ridge and took a path parallel with the road on our right to pass the car park and reach the placard for Pym Chair (76mins).

As we enjoyed Pietime, the placard informed us that the name Pym Chair was derived from a rock formation 300 yards ahead and that legend was divided over the origin of “Pym.” One was that he was a non-conformist preacher who gave his Sunday sermons from the rocks. Another piece of folklore was that Pym was a highwayman who attacked packhorse trains below the rocks. The route has been used since Roman times taking salt from Cheshire in one direction, and bringing coal, lime and lead from Derbyshire in the other.

Resuming, we headed left towards Buxton, passing a tribute on the second gate on the right (79mins) to the late Wednesday Wanderer Ian Price. Ian, born and raised in Poynton, was a landscape artist who loved hiking. He was a member of Stockport Ramblers, The Rucksack Club, The Over The Hill Club, and the Poynton Alpine Rapists. Ian was a bon viveur still much missed by those privileged to know him as a friend.

As we made the final descent towards Errwood Reservoir, we saw several sweet chestnut trees first to the left and later to the right just before we swung left to cross the dam between the Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs (103mins). A sign informed us that Errwood Reservoir was inaugurated in 1968 and provided 17 million gallons of water daily.

After crossing the dam, we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign (113mins) and walked along the path with Fernilee Reservoir on our left. At the end of the reservoir we carried on by swinging right uphill along a road which led us to the main road (141mins). We turned left, crossed over and reached The Shady Oak on our right (151mins). By now the sun was beating down and we were able to enjoy pints of Marstons’ bitter for £3 at the tables outside.

Continuing, we crossed the road and walked downhill through a farmyard and through a gate marked with a yellow arrow. Instead of following the arrow pointing left and going round the edge of the field, we went straight ahead downhill, over a wooden stile, crossed a footbridge over a stream and reached the bank of The River Goyt (161mins). We turned right, crossed another wooden footbridge, went through a gate and stopped for lunch on the fallen bough of a tree (163mins).

Afterwards we went through a gate and carried straight on, passing the footbridge we had used four hours earlier below us on our left. The path rejoined our earlier route and we retraced our footsteps back to the Cromford and High Peak railway line, turning left and heading back to The Cock (195mins) for pints of Robbies’ Unicorn or Dizzy Blonde at £2-90.

We were joined 23 minutes (one pint) later by the B walkers who had caught the 199 bus from The Rising Sun at Hazel Grove into Whaley Bridge, walked half a mile and then caught the 61 bus to White Hall on Long Hill (getting off one stop too early, it seems). After leaving the grounds of White Hall upon being told by a polite-but-firm lady that it was private property, they followed a steep downhill track, using iron willpower to pass The Beehive at Coombs and then The Hanging Gate on the outskirts of Chapel. A bus took them to The Roebuck at Chapel-en-le-Frith, where they enjoyed pints of Tetleys and Black Sheep at £2-80. A bus then brought them back to Whaley Bridge.

31st July: Walkers and bus passengers: - Geoff, Tony, Wally, Pete.

It was raining hard at the Rising Sun at 10am, so to escape the rain we boarded the TransPeak bus (runs July and August only), and enjoyed the ride through Buxton, Chelmorton and Taddington to White Hill car park on the A6 above Ashford-in-the-Water. The rain had stopped, so we followed the path along the Wye towards Monsal Head as far as a footbridge. Here we crossed the Wye and began the climb to Monsal Head. At the top, we rested awhile, crossed the road, and proceded to The Packhorse at Little Longstone. The Thornbridge brewery ale at about £3.20 was not good enough to warrant a second pint, so we crossed the road and headed for Great Longstone. A path round the village led us to the disused railway bridge by Thornbridge Hall station. We followed the path in what we hoped was the right direction for Ashford, and with Wally's instinctive guidance, found a gate onto the Ashford - Wardlow road. We turned right, and reached Ashford about 1.50, starting to rain but in good time for the return bus to Buxton, getting off at the Market Place for the Eagle. Hyde's bitter was again £2 a pint, Carling £2.25. The Jekyl's Gold and the 1864 were not a patch on the Hyde's Original we had enjoyed last week - poor beer today, but the walk was excellent.

14th August:  Meet at Mottram Hall 10 am, and proceed towards Prestbury via Leigh Hall. Join the A team at the Admiral Rodney, and after at the Unicorn

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the car park of The Unicorn at Dean Row, near Handforth. We will be aiming for the Admiral Rodney in Prestbury for a 12.15pm livener before returning to The Unicorn around 2.20pm for further refreshment.