Hayfield

LITTLE HAYFIELD, KINDERLOW, HAYFIELD

Distance: 7.6 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Mild, weak sunshine.

Walkers: Nigel Crank, George Dearsley, Colin Davison, Alan Hart, George Whaites, Lawrie Fairman, Peter Beal

Apologies: Jock Rooney (Isle of Man), John Laverick (Man flu), Chris Corps (similar lergy), Julian Ross(dentist), Mickey Barrett (aftermath of flood), Tom Cunliffe (wor^ing)

Leader: Beal  Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Lantern Pike

Starting Time: 9.41am. Finishing Time: 1.45pm

The first draft of this week’s walk was revised due to the closure of previously chosen pubs and fears of inclement weather.

The result, however, was a pleasant walk, good ale and general bonhomie, which are surely the essential ingredients of Wednesday Wandering.

Heavy traffic delayed some Wanderers from reaching the amended meeting point of The Lantern Pike.

But the loins and other essential parts of all seven walkers were suitably girded by 9.41am as we set off…all, that is, except one. Mr Davison sallied forth with his rucksack still in his car!

I will not attempt any cheap shot as it could well be me next time. But it was funny.

Mr Davison was soon to delight us again later. While criticising the inappropriate footwear for sloping terrain of Mr Whaites, Mr Davison proceeded to fall backwards into bracken, performing an improbable commando roll as he attempted to regain his dignity.

Where would the Wanderers be without such entertainment?

From the Pike we took the road towards Hayfield and then turned left opposite Slack Lane.

At the end of the road there is a familiar five-bar gate and we passed from it and continued straight up the rising track immediately opposite.

This is a not-too-demanding climb that takes walkers to the (white) Shooting Hut.

At the top of the hill is a sign for “Edale” and “Snake Pass” and that we duly followed.

At 10.12am the imposing sight of Kinder Reservoir hove into view below us.

                                                                                    Up to our firkels in heather

                                                                  Beautiful autumnal colours around the reservoir.

We crossed a bridge with the sign “William Clough” nearby and at 10.57am we veered left from the path towards a copse.

Somewhere around here we spotted a carcass, probably of a sheep, picked clean by a fox….or maybe a werewolf or even something out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Or is my imagination working overtime ? Judge for yourself from my picture below.

At 11.08am Pie Time was declared at a stream which is called Red Brook.

Although Mr Cunliffe was not present to chivvy us forward early, this week’s Pie Time was only nine minutes.

At this point Mr Beal argued that if we took the easy, flat route we’d probably reach the pub early.

Many Wanderers found no fault whatsoever with this logic but had misread Mr Beal’s intentions.

The ever-competitive, former fell runner was suggesting the Wanderers set themselves a challenge.

Reluctantly convinced that hills are better for avoiding myocardial infarction….(heart attack in old money)…we promptly followed our leader left at right angles to the stream and up the most demanding hill of the day.

We passed a sign for “Broad Clough”, eventually dog legged right around a wall and joined the path from Kinderlow, which takes you back down towards Hayfield.

We passed a sign for “Kinderlow End”, went through a gate and at 11.56am passed Tunstead House.

This property had a barn (conversion)  attached, which is for sale via Gascoigne Halman.

If you have £750,000 to spare it’s yours.

Click on the link or paste it into your browser for details.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38440402.html

Our route took us to a metalled road and at 12.05pm we passed the Hayfield campsite.

By 12.20pm the Hayfield cricket ground hove into view.

Five minutes later we were in the Royal where Mr Fairman generously bought ale for everyone to celebrate the birth of his latest grandson, Owen (or he will be by time he leaves university). Owen Barnes to be precise. Gawd Bless the wee lad. Thwaites Original was £2.80

                                                                                       A carcass picked clean.

The Royal now has a Ramblers bar at the rear and as the Wanderers have plenty of members who have perfected the art of rambling, there we sat.

Alan Hart – in the Ramblers’ Room

As well as organising next week’s walk (the details of which you will find at the end), it was also agreed that on December 11th the walk will start from Mr Davison’s house at 11 Carr Brow (bacon butties provided) and later in the day we will have lunch at the Dog and Partridge.

But it gets better – the walk on December 18^th will start from Mr Hart’s house in Poynton where bacon butties AND mince pies will be on offer.

Then around 2pm we will congregate for yet another lunch at The Bull’s Head, Poynton.

We left the Royal at 1.19pm, walked into Hayfield and took a left to pick up the Calico Trail which diverts towards Little Hayfield, via Bank Vale Road.

Just as we left the pub a few spots of rain fell. But it soon blew over.

Back at the Lantern Pike (where Timothy Taylor’s is £3.30 and Black Sheep £3.10) mine hosts Tom and Stella had generously prepared bread and butter and chips.

B Walkers diary

Walkers: Ken, Geoff, Tony        Apologies:  Wally (W*<king), Terry (optician)

 

Route:  Met at Ken's house, driven to Wizard NT car park.  Walk to Stormy Point for a view over N.Cheshire, walk back to Finlow Hill for elevenses, then Hocker Lane, Hayman's Farm, Finlow Hill (for lunch). Heavy hail shower caught us on the way back to the car, otherwise sunny and dry. About 4 miles.

Only one pub today - The Drum and Monkey. Robbies bitter £3, Trooper 4.8% £3.05, both good. Two noisy groups of ladies, and a noisy child with her lager-loving Dad (5 pints downed in an hour, well beyond our capacity). otherwise pleasant enough.

Geoff and Tony have been biassed against this pub in the past, possibly due to bad experiences on the bowling green (1 and 2 scored respectively). It is Ken's local.

Next week:  Meet Rising Sun A6 car park 9.50, Provisionally 199 bus to Disley,walk from Disley to Kettleshulme or Furness Vale, then maybe meet the A team at the Horseshoe.

Next week’s walk will also start from Colin’s house at 9.35am, with the Fox at Brookbottom earmarked as the half way stop (if it is open) and post walk refreshments – after de booting – will be taken in The Horseshoe, High Lane.

Sadly your diarist is wor^ing.

Happy Wandering!