Poynton

POYNTON, LYME PARK AND ENVIRONS

Distance: 8.6 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Overcast, rain later.

Walkers: Nigel Crank, Tom Cunliffe, George Dearsley, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross, George Whaites, Phil Welsh, Pete Beal, Chris Corps and Fergus, Syd Marland.

B walkers: Tony Job, Terry Jowett and Geoff Spurrell, Ken Sparrow.

Non-walking drinkers: Frank Dudley and John Eckersley.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (supervising domestic post mopping-up operations), Lawrie Fairman (lecturing on a cruise ship), Jock Rooney (Isle of Man tax exile).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Dearsley

Starting point: Alan Hart's house in Poynton.

Starting time: 9.32am. Finishing time: 1.50pm.

On the day the Wanderers gathered to celebrate the 68th birthday of Mr Alan Hart (actually on Saturday October 19th) the group's reputation for military precision took something of a battering.

Although most Wanderers were at Mr Hart's house at the appointed time (9.20am), Mr Marland arrived late and no sooner had we set off (at 9.32am) that Mr Davison appeared on a bicycle.

Citing, in no particular order, an inoperable computer, wrong information and a broken mobile phone for his tardiness, he made a spontaneous decision (as the group snaked into the distance) that securing his bicycle and putting on his boots would consume too much time and he would never catch up.

Although the Wanderers had in fact stopped and waited in vain a full seven minutes down the road, Mr Davison by this time was cycling back home to High Lane, giving (in the eyes of some) a performance akin to Joan Collins in the famous Snickers ad.

A phone message allegedly left but not picked up only added to the confusion that was beginning to make the Charge of the Light Brigade seem a textbook operation by comparison.

Colin's Joan

For the record the Wanderers had turned right from Alan's house, turned right at the end of the lane and left at the side of a five-bar gate.

Now Davison-less, the group continued, entering a field with a high number of cattle. Stories of farmer-crushing heifers abounded as we strode on, negotiating a stile on the left.

We went through a five bar gate, spotting a menage on the left. 

Menage a deux

We crossed a wide field and went over two stiles, effectively turning left.

We then crossed a road (which takes you to Middlewood level crossing in one direction), through a gate and eventually on a path leading past the home - on the left - of the late Wednesday Wanderer Ian Price. 

We turned left onto Princes Road and a left turn brought us onto the Macclesfield Canal. 

We swung left over a bridge and down the other side, effectively turning back on ourselves on the other side of the canal. Here we passed a Second World War pill box, we have seen before.

We passed a canal boat called Delirium and 75 yards further on took a right turn, at a sign saying to "Lyme Park".

We crossed a bridge, turned right and then left. We negotiated two stiles in quick succession which brought us onto a train line which we crossed and then turned right, so we were walking parallel to the railway slightly above us.

Pie Time was declared at 10.56am and despite the familiar protestations of Mr Cunliffe a full nine minutes of rumination was enjoyed.

Although we actually turned left from our picnic spot it was really a right turn from the path we had just  followed.

We followed a sign to "Bollinhurst" and went under a railway bridge.

A ladder stile took us into Lyme Park.

Pete Beal strides towards the Cage

By 11.30am we were at the Cage where Mr Hart, ever the gentleman, offered to take a group photograph for a number of women walkers.

As we continued, he was summoned back to do the job again, having left his thumb in front of the lens.

We descended from the Cage and spotted a gang of men dry stone walling, apparently for pleasure, in the rain, now falling. Just think of all the fun those convicts might have had on the chain gang had someone suggested building a wall.

Wet dry stone walling 

We exited the park, passing a house called Windgather and soon found ourselves back on the canal.

At 12.07pm we arrived at the Boar's Head. Spitfire was £3.20 and Black Sheep and Thwaites both £2.92.

With great generosity Mr Hart bought ale for every Wanderer (or lime and soda in Mr Welsh's case). Mr Cunliffe meanwhile ordered a plate of food that might have fed a family in Ethiopia for a week.

Tommy tucking in

The quartet of B Walkers soon joined us. They had taken the bus to Pott Shrigley then walked towards Kettleshulme, turned left at Bakestonedale and into Lyme Park via Moorside Road, a distance covered of around 3 3/4 miles.

We left the Boar's Head at 1.15pm. The rain that had continued to descend during our stopover now fell heavily. We took Anson Road and passed the Anson Engine Museum, as most people do, judging by their PR on Google.

At the junction we turned left onto Middlewood Road, Poynton.

We reached the Farmers Arms at 1.50pm, where the full gallimaufry of celebrations for Mr Hart began.

T shirt from Croatia.

First he was presented with a T shirt bought by Wally from Croatia. Then our host Mr Crank arrived with a ginger cake (allegedly made by Mr Hart) and candle. He had even thoughtfully changed into a matching cowboy shirt.

Jamaica cake? I did actually!

Soon after the B Walkers and also Frank Dudley and John Eckersley arrived to join in the bonhomie.

Incidentally, in the Farmers Cumbria and Unicorn were both £3.05.

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am  from the free public car park on the left near the Knot Inn at Rushton Spencer.

The half way libation will be taken at the Coach and Horses, Timbersbrook and our final destination is Ye Old King's Head, Gurnett.

Happy Wandering.