Old Glossop

OLD GLOSSOP, GLOSSOP LOW, LONGDENDALE TRAIL, HADFIELD, PADFIELD

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Rain and wind.

Walkers: Peter Beal, George Dearsley, John Laverick, Julian Ross, Colin Davison, Chris Corps and Fergus, Steve Courtney, George Whaites,

Apologies: Alan Hart (funeral), Tom Cunliffe (said it was “too wet”), Nigel Crank (funeral),

B Walkers: please see blog

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Wheatsheaf, Old Glossop

Starting Time: 9.45am. Finishing Time: 2.16pm

The BBC’s weather forecast was spot on: rain, rain, rain.

However, the Wanderers who braved these horrid conditions enjoyed a challenging walk, good company and fine ale.

The inclement weather made note-taking difficult. So I hope you will forgive your diarist if my account is shorter than usual.

We went up Blackshaw Road and through some flats on the right to pick up a trail that led past some farm buildings.

There has been a fair bit of work here since our last visit a year ago.

We continued as far as possible, up a slope and then climbed a stile on the left.

Swineshaw reservoir was below us.

We began a long ascent towards Glossop Low, with an area called Peaknaze Moor in the distance to our left.

Pretty early on Mr Fairman realised he had made a grave mistake by bringing an umbrella instead of sticks, as his brolly turned inside out.

Wet, wet, wet

The climb to the top was quite taxing, especially as we were being buffeted by the wind.

Pie Time was declared at 10.55am and taken in a rather decrepit stone built erection, which at one time was – we guessed – a shelter for grouse shooters or Shooting Box.
Had Tom been with us we'd have all concurred - for once - with his exhortation to finish Pie Time early, such was the cold.

Immediately below is a picture taken the last time we visited this refuge….and immediately below that the scenario from our latest visit.

Pie Time 2013

It ain’t half cold, mum. 2014

pic courtesy of C Davison

The only bonus was that on our previous visit in January 2013 the valleys were full of cloud and mist and we were unable to see anything.

This time we could appreciate the wonderful vista, albeit with the wind blowing rain and sleet into our eyes.

                                         View from the top, Tintwistle reservoir below

Our descent took in part of the Pennine Way, a National Trail running 431 km (268 miles) from Edale, in the Derbyshire Peak District, through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park, ending at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border.

The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes described as the "backbone of England".

The track itself was tricky, especially in the high winds.

But finally we reached the bottom and crossed a main road to join the Trans Pennine Trail turning left at a sign which read “Hadfield 3 miles”.

This, is also part of the Longdendale Trail.

The trek into Hadfield is flat and without a great deal to observe. But we were just glad to reach the Anchor pub by 12.31pm.

Tetley’s was £2.67.

Here Mr Laverick treated himself to a plate of chilli and onion chips.

At 1.14 were left the pub, turned right and proceeded down Railway Street to the railway station.

We passed the station, crossed the road and took a ginnel on the left which brought us to Temple Street.

This took us past the Peels Arms pub.

At the end of the road we turned right.

We then negotiated a series of stiles which brought us onto a metalled road.

We turned right and the left.

We climbed a stile on the left and found ourselves on another metalled road with a huge graveyard on the right.

Colin decided to play Lawrie bingo….trying to find a headstone with a cadaver younger than our leader.

We were soon alongside Swineshaw Reservoir again and trudging on a muddy path. This brought us back to a slippery descent which led to the road we had originally taken out of Old Glossop.

John, messing about in the river (pic by C Davison)

B Walkers' Diary

Walkers: Geoff, Tony, Wally, Terry        Apology: Ken (family business)

Route:  199 bus to Newtown, walk to Queen's Arms (New Mills), 61 bus to Monks' Road, walk towards Charlesworth, turn right onto path leading eventually to Herod Farm. Lees Hall, and  Charlestown, then A624into Glossop.

The idea of attacking Glossop from the South had two attractions when we started: 

1. The 61 bus would keep us out of the rain, and

2. The walking would be mainly downhill.

The reality when we got off the bus was that the wind and rain increased steadily until we reached a spot above Herod Farm for late elevenses, by which time we were really cold and wet, and struggling to keep on our feet in a gale. By the time we got down to Charlestown, and found the first pub we used in the past convereted into a private dwelling, we had decided to shorten the walk by cutting out Whitfield and Old Glossop. Geoff's discomfiture was complete when a 61 bus passed us 200 yards past a bus stop, heading for Glossop. A bit further on, we came to the Surrey Arms with a Boddies sign outside, open for business and selling English Pride bitter, 4.5% ABV at £2.05 a pint. Other drinks were correspondingly cheap. Toilets and beer garden not pretty!Spirits restored after a couple of pints, we continued into the centre of Glossop, past a Wetherspoons and into the Norfolk Arms for warmth, cleanliness, and Joe Holt's bitter at £2.40 a pint. This good pub is opposite the 374 bus stop back to Hazel Grove, in our case via Simmondley and Gamesley (both best avoided).

By 2.16pm we were back at the Wheatsheaf car park and after de-booting we enjoyed a libation in the nearby Queens.

Old Speckled Hen was £2.95 as was Wainwright. Unicorn was 5p cheaper.

Next week’s walk will start from the main car park in Bollington. The Robin Hood is our half way stop and we will visit the familiar Dog and Partridge at the end of our walk.

Happy Wandering.

Chapel-en-le-Frith

CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH, MANCHESTER-BUXTON RAILWAY LINE, DOVE HOLES, THE BULL RING NEOLITHIC HENGE, DOVE HOLES QUARRY, THE WANTED INN AT SPARROWPIT, BENNETT WELL, GOLDPIECE FARM, BAGSHAW HALL, THE ROEBUCK INN AT CHAPEL

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderately easy.

Weather: Mainly dry and bright with a brief spell of light drizzle.

Walkers: Steve Courtney, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

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

Apologies: Peter Beal (hiking in Lake District), Chris Corps (w*^king), Nigel Crank (job and house-hunting), Jock Rooney (Isle of Man tax exile) and Mike Walton (w*^king).

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free public car park off Station Road, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbsyhire.

Starting time: 9.42am. Finishing time: 2.10pm.

This was a walk which started on time, reached the intermediate pub on time, arrived at the finishing pub on time – and it was led by Colin ! So three cheers for our new, improved leader. 

If Mr Davison can reach such pinnacles of precision after such a disappointing start, who is to say what David Moyes may yet achieve ?

Before we set off there was further speculation about our first-choice diarist, George Dearsley, who was believed to have been heading for Turkey for two weeks over Christmas, and has not been seen since. There was talk that he might be held as a valuable pawn in some political game being played in the Bosphorus area, a la Terry Waite. If necessary we will hold a silver collection to secure his release.

(STOP PRESS: Your diarist has just returned a phone call from George, who returned from Turkey late on Tuesday night)

We walked out of the back of the car park to a path where we turned right downhill and emerged by the side of The Roebuck, which was to be our final watering hole. Passing it on our right, we crossed the road and turned left down a cobbled street reminiscent of Weatherfield. We wondered, momentarily, whether we might meet Ken Barlow until we realised he was unavoidably detained elsewhere.

The cobbles swung right down to a main road where we turned left and crossed over. At a green public footpath sign we turned right (5mins). This took us to the end of Park Road, where we carried straight on along a lane (11mins).

We turned right over a stream and entered a muddy field. Past experience reminded us that this meadow is often muddy in the summertime. On this occasion it resembled conditions at The Somme circa 1916. John was an early casualty as his stick sank down to the handle and his right leg went in up to his fetlock.

On reaching a drystrone wall in the right corner of the field we turned right (22mins) and walked through a tunnel underneath the Manchester-Buxton railway line (25mins). We went through a gate and turned right just before a group of cottages (29mins).

People were slimmer in medieval times

At the far end of the cottages now on our left, we squeezed through a gap stile on our right (31mins). This caused special difficulties for Tom, who blamed his thick thighs. We headed diagonally left through a field and crossed a wooden stile on our left. Now we headed diagonally right to the right of a farm building and went through a nine-barred metal gate to reach a road (40mins).

Our group turned right and followed a sign for Dove Holes. At a junction we turned left (42mins) and then left again at a wooden public footpath sign (49mins). We walked directly across the field and over a tricky stone step stile. This was the first of many broken or slippery stiles we were to encounter during the day.

Our route took us through a flock of sheep, which had been infiltrated by a lone chicken, and a gaggle of geese. At a lane we entered a farmyard and ran the gauntlet of four chained dogs who were doing their utmost to break free and attack us (58mins). 

Happily The Wednesday Wanderers laugh at such idle threats.

We emerged at a road (65mins) opposite a belated Christmas display which included a sexy female version of Santa, posing provocatively on a wall, What message, we ask, does this send out to our children ? Or, for that matter, to the Stuart Halls and Jimmy Saviles of this world.

Our party turned left, passing Dove Holes train station (69mins) and turned left to reach the main road called Hallsteads. We crossed the road and entered the community centre to stop for Pietime by the side of a children’s playground (76mins).

Continuing, we walked to the right of The Bull Ring, a Neolithic henge which has nothing to do with la plaza de toros apart from its shape. It was here, a plaque informed us, that our ancestors would hold important meetings and sacred ceremonies.

All smiles

We turned right down a steep bank (80mins), swinging left, then right over two wooden stiles (84mins). A steady climb brought us to the massive Dove Holes Quarry ahead (88mins), causing one wag to remark that Derbyshire’s biggest export appeared to be Derbyshire itself.

We headed left of the quarry, crossing a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow (95mins), then crossed a ladder stile to enter a field with a drystone wall on our right. Some 100 yards to the left of this wall was a well hidden stone step stile (100mins) which we found and crossed.

A series of stiles led us through fields until we reached some farm buildings which we passed on the left (115mins). We went straight on over another series of stiles which brought us out ultimately on the A623 (124mins). We turned left to reach The Wanted Inn (126mins), where two women were serving excellent pints of Greene King IPA at £2-80, as well as Doombar and, later, Marston’s Pedigree.

One of them explained that they had taken over the pub five weeks previously. We then had the embarrassment of informing one of them that Tom was inside a cubicle and had discovered, somewhat belatedly, that there was no lavatory paper. She bravely entered the arena and left a roll on the window ledge. Tom’s description of his hobbled shuffle to retrieve the paper does not bear repeating.

Colin gave us an interesting account of the origins of Doombar, in the Camelford area of Cornwall where it is brewed. The story involved sailors shooting mermaids and curses being issued. Although it sounded highly improbable, John googled it and discovered the legend to be entirely accurate !

On the subject of folklore, it is interesting to note that The Wanted Inn sits astride a watershed. Consequently if you threw a bucket of water out of the front door, it would make its way westwards to end up in the Irish Sea. Throw water out of the back door of the pub and it would head eastwards to the North Sea.

Your diarist’s suggestion that we should put this to the test with marked plastic ducks was dismissed so we left the pub, turning right and passing Sparrowpit Methodist Church on our right. A little further along to our left we passed Bennett Well where a plaque confirmed your diarist’s earlier assertions about the watershed.

After passing one wooden public footpath sign on our right, we took the next one 30 yards later and crossed a field diagonally left (133mins). After crossing a stone step stile we walked downhill with a drystone wall on our left and passed Goldpiece Farm on our left (136mins).

We continued our sharp descent over stiles until we reached a road (148mins) where we paused for lunch. The road downhill  took us past Bagshaw Hall on our right (152mins). Shortly after the hall we turned right through a muddy field, Instead of continuing downhill to the road into Chapel, Colin led us to the right through tufted swampland and across a stream.

On reaching a road we turned right for ten yards and then went left (164mins) over a wooden ladder stile at a public footpath sign. We crossed one stone step stile and then went immediately left over another with the village of Chapel directly ahead below us.

We crossed the A6 (175mins) and on the far side we followed a beaten track to the right. This brought us to a green public footpath sign (179mins) where we turned left and went downhill through a lorry park. A handy stream on the far side enabled us to wash the mud off our boots before crossing the footbridge (185mins).

The path emerged on a road which we crossed to the right and reached the main road. After passing the Old Pack Horse and the Shoulder of Mutton on our right and Chapel Town Hall on our left (190mins), we returned to the cobbled street at Church Brow on our right, and retraced our footsteps to The Roebuck (195mins).

Here we enjoyed pints of Tetley’s mild for £2-55 and bitter at £2-85 before being joined by the B team. They had caught the bus to Whaley Bridge, from where they had walked across the shoulder of Eccles Pike to the Old Hall at Whitehough.

After a pause for refreshment they had walked along the Peak Forest Tramway to Chapel Milton and thence to Chapel, a distance of five miles in all.

Next week’s walk will commence at 9.45am from the car park opposite The Wheatsheaf at Old Glossop. Lawrie will lead our group past Swineshaw Reservoir to The Anchor at Hadfield around 12.30pm. The intention is to return to Old Glossop around 2.30pm for drinks in either The Wheatsheaf, The Bull’s Head next door, or The Queens down the hill, depending on which pub is open.

Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE, SHALLCROSS INCLINE GREENWAY, COOMBS RESERVOIR, HANGING GATE PUB AT COCKYARD, CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH GOLF COURSE, BRADSHAW HALL, WOODSIDE FARM, ECCLES PIKE, OLD HALL AT WHITEHOUGH, PEAK FOREST TRAMWAY, BUGSWORTH BASIN, BUGSWORTH VILLAGE, SILK HILL, SHEPHERD’S COTTAGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE AND THE COCK AT WHALEY BRIDGE

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry, mainly cloudy and chilly.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Chris Corps with Fergus, Nigel Crank, Colin Davison, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Terry Jowett, Geoff Spurrell and Mike Walton.

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (car trouble), Lawrie Fairman (tummy trouble) and Jock Rooney (Isle of Man).

Leaders: Beal and Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road outside The Cock at Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 1.50pm.

After several weeks of rain which has brought flooding to the southern softies, we enjoyed a dry day with good visibility. Unfortunately it was inevitable that the footpaths were covered in watery mud and they proved treacherous.

Chris plunged to his knees , smearing his trousers with sludge.  Julian managed to save himself from an ignominious fall with an almost balletic grace not often seen in a rugby player, barely scraping his knuckles as he pirouetted back to the upright position. The rest of us managed to slip and slide our way around the course to record clear rounds.

After passing The Cock on our left we turned left to cross a stream and head uphill to the disused Cromford and High Peak railway line, which led us to the Shallcross Incline Greenway (10mins). This brought us to Shallcross Road where we turned left, crossed Elnor Lane and entered the field opposite by a wooden stile (19mins).

The route took us remorselessly upwards until we reached a farmyard (43mins), walked through it and headed down a lane which brought us to Coombs Reservoir (50mins). We continued along a lane with the lake on our right until we reached a road and turned right (55mins).

We left Tomlane and entered Manchester Road, ignoring a public footpath sign on our left and proceeding past a sign for Chapel-en-le-Frith (56mins). Entering Cockyard and passing The Hanging Gate pub on our right, we turned left along a lane, passing cottages on our left and then the clubhouse of Chapel Golf Club (63mins)

This brought us to Bradshaw Hall on our left (71mins). We turned left to pass the front of the building and went through double gates to enter a field. Ladder Hill, with its distinctive telecom mast, was on our left.

We went through a gate and to the left of a farmhouse before turning right uphill at a sign for Woodside Farm (81mins). We paused for pies on a pile of rocks and stones (84mins) before following the public footpath sign for Eccles Pike. On reaching a lane we turned right (94mins),passing a pair of curious alpacas on our left.

 At a public footpath sign we turned left, passing the sign for Eccles Pike (103mins). Just before we reached the summit we discovered a memorial to George Sugden in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the conservation work of the National Trust.

But this is only part of the extraordinary story of George “Hickey” Sugden, OBE, MC and bar, JP. He won two Military Crosses with the Royal Tank Regiment.

In June, 1942 in Libya, Sugden, then a second lieutenant, was acting as column intelligence officer of the 8^th Battalion. A column of guns and tanks was advancing when armoured cars reported that an enemy column of 16 tanks with 88mmm guns and two batteries of field guns was deploying behind a ridge on the left flank.

Signalling to the tanks to follow, he at once drove his truck up on to the ridge. Disregarding machine gun and shell fire, he stood up in the open truck so he could direct the tank squadron commander into the best position. After battle was joined, Sugden drove over to the commander’s tank under a hail of fire and gave him a concise and accurate appreciation of the situation. He then drove back to column HQ and provided a clear report of the battle to the Armoured Divisional HQ over the wireless.

The citation for the bar to his earlier MC stated that by daring bold leadership, in the face of enemy fire, he was wholly responsible for the successful action.

Sugden, the son of a flour mill owner from Brighouse, Yorkshire, won his first MC in Libya as commander of the remaining five tanks of the battalion and was largely responsible for preventing the over-running of the 6^th New Zealand Infantry Brigade by the German advances. A month later, with only one tank left under his command, he destroyed an 88mm gun which was harassing the rest of his squadron.

On many occasions Sugden took his tank into strong points, pinning down the enemy with fire until the infantry could close on them. He fought at El Alamein. Of the 52 tanks in his battalion, his was only of only eight serviceable ones to emerge.

Sugden was wounded twice and mentioned in despatches in the Italian campaign which followed. Demobilised with the rank of major, he then served for five years with the Army Emergency Reserves, acting as Lieutenant Colonel.

He rejoined Henry Simon for whom he had worked prior to the outbreak of war, became a director in 1949 and joint managing director for ten years. He was a director of the parent company, Simon Engineering, from 1960-71. A lifelong bachelor, he was a JP from 1967-81, a keen walker and a dedicated volunteer for the National Trust.

The Wednesday Wanderers salute a remarkably brave and resourceful man.

On reaching the summit (107mins) we turned right with Coombs Reservoir on our right and the village of Chinley on our left below. We reached a lane and turned left (126mins). A stone step stile on our right brought us to a road where we turned right and then swung left downhill (130mins).

After crossing a roadbridge over the A6 (136mins) we reached The Old Hall (139mins) for pints of excellent Marston’s cask bitter at £2-80.

Suitably refreshed, we walked downhill from the pub entrance until we reached the Peak Forest Tramway on our left and passed a lake on our right containing four black swans. After passing the Stephanie Works of Vinyl Cupboards Ltd on our right, we stopped at a bridge on our right over Black Brook for lunch (155mins).

Resuming, we reached Buxworth Canal Basin(160mins), passing The Navigation Inn on our right (165mins) and noticing that the canal had been drained for repair work. We crossed a bridge over the canal, headed uphill and took a road on our right called Silk Hill.

At a sign for Shepherd’s Cottage (178mins) we followed a green footpath sign downhill. This brought us to the disused Cromford and High Peak railway line on our left just beyond a public car park. We walked uphill, passing a shrine on our left to Steven O’Riordan, who disappeared from Whaley Bridge in June, 2011.

By dropping down from the line we emerged back on the main road by the railway bridge and turned left to reach our cars (193mins).

We were joined for pints of Robbies’ bitter at £3 by the B walkers. They had caught the bus to Chapel-en-le-Frith, from where they had walked a circular route of nearly five miles. This had taken them past Slack Hall, Ford Hall, Malcoff and Wash before returning to The Roebuck. From there they had caught the bus to Whaley Bridge.

B Walkers' Diary

Walkers: Geoff, Tony, Wally, Terry.        Apology: Ken (unbalanced again)

 

Route: Chapel (Town End) - Slackhall - Ford Hall - Malcoff Farm - Wash - Chapel (Federal Mogul) - Roebuck

(5.5 miles).

We started with 2 plans - 1. As above to Wash, then on to Bridgeholm Green and the Old Halls to join the A team, and                       2. The 10.30 bus to Peep o'Day, and walk back to Chinley via South Head.

Although we were early enough for the bus, it looked as if the Chapel to Hayfield bus route has gone, so that left plan 1.

The path to Slackhall, crossing the Chapel by-pass, was slippery and muddy, with a couple of tricky stiles, so progress was slow. We paused for elevenses at 11.45 near Malcoff Farm, and then it started to drizzle, so we stuck to the road back to Wash and Breckend. After another break, and now too late to make the Old Halls,we continued under the by-pass to the Federal Mogul (ex-Ferrodo) factory and turned right for Town Centre. Chapel church loomed  and just beyond it the Roebuck. Tetley's cask bitter was £2.80, Black Sheep £2.85 - both OK.

After a rushed pint or two, we got the trusty 199 to the Cock to join the A team. The price of Robbies' Unicorn appeared to have gone down 5p under Mitchells' management-of-pubs-without-a-tenant-or-manager scheme.

Next week’s walk will start from the free public car park some 100 yards above and behind the Roebuck at 9.45am. We hope to reach The Wanted Inn at Sparrowpit for a libation at 12.15pm, returning to The Roebuck around 2.30pm.

Dısley

DISLEY, COCKHEAD, MILLENIUM WOOD, BOLDER HALL FARM, BLACK HILL, BLACK ROCKS RIDGE, OWLS’ NEST, SEVEN SPRINGS, PEAK FOREST CANAL, HIGGINS CLOUGH SWING PRIDGE, PAPER MILL, GOYT VALLEY, HAGUE BAR, THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, STRINES STATION, STRINES HALL, PEAK FOREST CANAL (AGAIN), WOOD END LIFT BRIDGE, HAGG BANK AND THE WHITE HORSE AT DISLEY

Distance: 8-9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate with stiff climbs.

Weather: Dry and Bright with Chilly Wind.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Jock Rooney with Tips, and Julian Ross.

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

Non-walking drinkers: Frank Dudley and John Eckersley.

Apologies: Chris Corps (w*^king), Nigel Crank (business meeting), George Dearsley (Turkey trot), Mike Walton (w*^king) and George Whaites (Spanish hols).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting Point: Car park of White Horse, Disley.

Starting Time: 9.28am. Finishing time: 2.10pm.

After a disappointing turn-out in awful weather last week, we doubled our numbers for this walk which took place in unseasonably mild conditions and good visibility. There were several  undulations which had to be faced and the route resembled a rollercoaster ride.

This was particularly arduous for John after seven weeks’ absence due to illness and an exotic holiday in Mexico. However, if we are to strip him of the 12 pounds gained over Christmas, he must learn there can be no gain without pain. (Speaking for myself, I have managed to gain weight many times in the past without any pain at all, thus disproving this theory).

The planned route went like clockwork until we reached The Fox at Brook Bottom at High Noon precisely, only to find the landlord seven minutes behind schedule in opening the door. I need hardly tell you that this led to a prolonged bout of whingeing from Colin, who was suggesting all sorts of alternatives before we heard the cheery sound of the bolts being drawn back.

This coincided with the arrival of the B walkers, who had timed their finish in a way which would have done Lester Piggott proud.

The route, which is the only one your diarist is allowed to lead, is a familiar one so it is not our intention to describe it in the usual detail.

From the White Horse car park we swung right uphill, reaching the sign for the Ring O’ Bells, the former pub which was long since converted into a Quaker meeting house. We turned right here, crossing a stream and ignoring the muddy short cut on our left. Instead we kept to the path and turned left at the next fork to take us along the path we wanted.

With Lyme Cage directly ahead in the distance, we took a lane which pointed to the left of the distant Cage, turning left at a public footpath sign just before we reached a farmhouse. The path took us down to a wall on the left of a reservoir in an area with the delightful name of Cockhead.

At the end of the reservoir wall we pressed forward for a few yards and then went right over a wooden stile into a wood. The path led us to a lane which we crossed to head for Duke Carr Cottage (29mins). With the cottage on our right we went left up some steps and entered Millenium Wood. This path took us to the road from Disley to Moorside, where we turned right.

After passing Bolder Hall Farm on our left we followed a public footpath sign on the left which took us steeply up through moorland to the ridge at Black Rock (53mins). We turned left along the ridge with splendid views of the reservoirs in Lyme Park and Lyme Cage below us in the middle distance with  a series of hills beyond.

After crossing a ladder stile we then began our descent, passing The Owls’ Next, an outward bound centre for pupils of Manchester Grammar School, and then the childhood home of the late Frank Bloomfield, a legendary Wednesday Wanderer,   as we reached a road, crossed it and passed some stables before heading left downhill.

This brought us to a T-junction where we turned right and walked downhill through Seven Springs on a rocky path which had turned into a babbling brook. This brought us to the A6 (71mins) which we crossed to enter Lower Greenhall Lane. We went through a tunnel under the Manchester-Buxton railway line and reached the Peak Forest Canal (75mins). At a bench we paused for pies and port.

Resuming we walked along the towpath with the canal on our left until we reached Higgins Clough Swing Bridge. We turned right through a gap leading to a footpath (91mins) and took the left fork, later bearing left over a wooden stile and passing a pond on our right. This took us past the car park for a local paper factory,

Our group crossed a stream and reached a T-junction where we turned right up steep steps (98mins). This brought us to a road and a footpath on our left which went along the right bank of the River Goyt. This led to a road (110mins) where we turned left.

We passed Hague Bar playground on our right, went over a roadbridge across the Manchester-Sheffield railway line and exited Waterside Road to cross the main road into Hague Fold Road (118mins). There now followed a steep and unpopular climb along a twisting lane which brought us out on the road linking New Mills with Brook Bottom (129mins).

Our octet and Tips then turned left and reached The Fox just as it should have been opening at noon (130mins). However we had to wait for seven anxious minutes before the door was eventually opened, thus ending a tiresome rant from Colin. Inside we enjoyed pints of Robbies’ mild at £2-80 and bitter at £3 and the company of the B walkers. 

When we resumed by turning right downhill at a sign for The Goyt Way, we found Terry had increased our group to nine, with a reduced number of three now in the B team. Although they chose a more direct and shorter route, a brisk pace enabled us to reach the White Horse five minutes ahead of them.

To reach our destination we had walked through the tunnel under the Manchester-Sheffield railway line (143mins) and passing Strines Hall on our left. To our right we noticed that the former lake had been damned and then drained.

We crossed a roadbridge over the Goyt (147mins) before stopping for lunch at a picnic table in a field on our left (148mins). Continuing, we crossed Strines Road (151mins) and headed uphill until we reached the Peak Forest Canal (158mins). Here we turned left along the towpath with the canal on our right until we reached the Wood End Lift Bridge (168mins).

Our group turned right over the bridge, heading uphill again before passing Hagg Bank allotments on our left. This took us to The Dandy Cock on our left as we reached the A6 (178mins). We turned first right, crossed the road and then went left at the main traffic lights in Disley. The White Horse was on our right and we walked to the car park to de-boot (185mins).

Next week’s walk will start from outside The Cock at Whaley Bridge at 9.35am. Unless we receive confirmation that it has been permitted, we should not park in the pub car park. There should be plenty of room on the unrestricted road. Lawrie is proposing to lead us to The Old Hall at Whitehough, Chinley, for a livener at 12.30pm, returning to The Cock around 2.20pm.

   

Poynton

POYNTON SPORTS CLUB, PRINCE’S INCLINE, DAVENPORT GOLF CLUB, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, BOAR’S HEAD AT HIGHER POYNTON, LADY’S INCLINE AND BULL’S HEAD AT POYNTON.

Distance: Five miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Wet and windy.

Walkers: Chris Corps and Tricia Hill, with Fergus, Finola and Murphy, Alan Hart, Tony Job, John Laverick, Jock Rooney with Tips, and Dave Williams.

Non-walking drinkers: Ivor Jones, Maggie Laverick and Mary Rooney.

Apologies: Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, George Dearsley , Lawrie Fairman and Julian Ross.

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting time: 10.33am. Finishing time: 2.20pm.

Starting Point: Poynton Sports Club.

The weather proved to be every bit as bad as the forecast, so no doubt are numbers were depleted by the pessimistic realists. There were only a magnificent seven, plus four canine friends, to take part in the annual New Year’s Day pilgrimage and some of us were soon questioning our wisdom in braving the elements.

One of Chris’s four dogs had already refused point blank to come out and the three which did were soon wishing they were back home with their four-legged pal. 

The constant rain had turned the footpaths and even the towpaths into the sort of quagmires last seen during the Somme offensive. In these conditions it is not much fun being a dachshund with one’s dangly bits trailing through the mud.

From the club entrance we turned right towards Hazel Grove and right again after 80 yards into Woodside. We took the footpath on the right which brought us to Towers Road (15mins) which we crossed and followed the footpath. By now heavy drizzle had turned to driving rain and your diarist’s umbrella was rendered redundant by the blustery winds, which at one stage removed Dave’s hat.

After passing the home of the late artist, hiker and occasional Wednesday Wanderer Ian Price, we crossed a bridge over the Middlewood Way and reached the Macclesfield Canal. Here we turned right and headed towards Bollington.

By the time we reached Lord Vernon’s Wharf, Chris and Tricia’s dogs were looking particularly bedraggled and were clearly not enjoying the experience. They were no doubt relieved when their owners decided to cut short the walk and take them home.

The remaining five men and his dog went to the comparative shelter of the Middlewood Way, where we stopped for whisky, port and cakes beneath a convenient tree (60mins). By the time we had enjoyed a leisurely break, the doors of The Boar’s Head nearby were opening. There was a unanimous decision to curtail the walk and get out of the rain. No vote was deemed necessary.

While drinking pints of Black Sheep cask bitter at £2-92, a barmaid asked if it was OK to give Tips a treat. She explained that she had a pet collie and she had a soft spot for them. Tips, however, reacted with horror and fled from her advances.

She snuggled up next to your diarist and started licking his face (Tips, not the barmaid). We later worked out that Tips had recently paid a visit to the vets, whose staff wore aprons. The barmaid was wearing an apron so Tips had presumably made the connection between aprons and painful needles.

By the time we were ready to leave, the rain had ceased temporarily and we were able to walk downhill to Hockley along Anson Road. At the end we went straight on (75mins) uphill into Davenport Golf Course, turning left and crossing the fairway.

The path took us back to Lady’s Incline, which led us to Woodside and on to London Road North (100mins). Here we turned right to reach The Bull’s Head (102mins) for pints of Thwaites Original cask bitter at £2-95. We were later joined by Ivor Jones, Jock’s wife Mary and John’s wife Maggie.

Next week’s walk will start from the car park of The White Horse at Disley at 9.30am. Although there are signs threatening that non-drinkers will be clamped, your diarist has arranged for our cars to remain unmolested until we return from our walk around 2.15pm. We plan to make a stop for refreshment at about 12.15pm in The Fox at Brookbottom.