Rowarth

ROWARTH, COWN EDGE, MATLEY MOOR,  LITTLE HAYFIELD AND ENVIRONS

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Sunny with clear blue skies.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Chris Corps and Fergus, Colin Davison, Alan Hart,  Jock Rooney and Tips, and George Whaites, George Dearsley, Steve Courtney

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (sailing in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (lecturing on cruise ship), Julian Ross (sailing in Turkey) Mickey Barrett (providing the yacht for the Turkey sailing)

Leader: Beal     Diarist: Dearsley

Starting point: The car park of The Little Mill, Rowarth

Starting time: 9.39am. Finishing time: 1.58pm

Could Tom, Julian and Mickey, sailing in the Mediterranean, have enjoyed better weather? Well, according to Google, yes. It was 23 degrees in Kalkan, Turkey and only around 9 degrees on the Cheshire-Derbyshire border.

But you get my drift. The Wanderers enjoyed a sunny walk, excellent views, fine ale and good conversation.

The last time we gathered at the Little Mill Tips head butted Mr Hart in the cojones, causing a certain amount of eye-watering.

The dog was in a frisky mood again, especially keen on Colin’s shorts. But fortunately there was no violent confrontation in the scrotal region.

We left the car park and turned right, passing the two houses on the edge of the car park on our right.

We walked to a T-junction and turned right.

Then we took took a path on the left to Cown Edge.

We passed some pigs enjoying the fine weather.

We went over a stile and began a steepish climb.

We went over another stile and straight over a track that crossed ours.

Just like the Wanderers....Happy as pigs in sh……

We passed some frog spawn in two ponds on our left.

The top of the hill was reached at 9.59am. We went over another stile and passed some stones on our left which Jock said were important but which in fact weren’t. It turned out to be a joke that might need some more work on it.

We negotiated two more stiles, effectively heading straight on.

A copse on our left hove into view (10.16am).

We then veered right heading for a post on the horizon.

When we got up close we went down into a gulley and turned right, beginning a descent that led to a stile.

We passed Rock Farm on our right (10.30am).

We then passed another farm on our right.

At 10.36am we found ourselves out on the road (Monks Road) that links Charlesworth to the A624.

Having turned right, we went over a wall on our right following a sign to the “Lantern Pike 2 miles”.

Summit after the first climb

A view early on in the walk

We passed Butcher’s Piece Farm on the right and then swung left at a public footpath sign.

We went over a stile and up a slight incline.

Negotiating a wall we eventually came to a metalled road.

We turned left and Pie Time was declared at 10.54am near Knarrs Farm, on Matley Moor.

With Mr Cunliffe away the Wanderers initiated a veritable Rabelasian feast, languishing for a full 12 minutes of gluttony.

Descending towards Monks Road

We began to descend, down a path that took us back to Monks Road.

We crossed the A624 and went over a stile immediately opposite the junction.

We turned sharp right.

This track initially runs parallel to the main road but then veers off to the left.

We crossed a wooden bridge, passing a memorial to Thomas Boulger, a rambler remembered in the tome below, which I’m sure we’ve all got on our bookshelves.

http://www.peakandnorthern.org.uk/about-us/documents/ACenturyOfFootpathPreservation.pdf

Tips photobombs my picture

We began a climb onto the moor which appeared to be taking us away from our destination pub (The Lantern Pike) and frustratingly was.

Eventually we turned right (11.48am) onto a path which led us to Park Hall and the road that brings you back to the A624.

By 12.04pm we were in the Lantern Pike enjoying a pint of Timothy Taylor’s at a price I forgot to ask but which Colin helpfully described as “expensive”.

(I believe it’s £3.40.Ed)

Had we not reached the Lantern Pike so quickly, we might have benefited from the munificence of Chancellor George Osborne in knocking a penny off a pint. This would have brought the price down to a modest £3-39.

Thoughtfully absentee landlord Tom had left instructions and before you could say “afiyet olsun” (bon appetit in Turkish) several plates of chips were duly served at our tables. Top man.

In his honour we simply had to stay for a second pint. It would have been rude not to.

We left the Pike at 12.56pm turning right out of the pub and down the road that leads to your diarist’s home in Clough Mill.

We took the path (heading right) at the back of the mill which begins with flagstones but then turns into a steep climb.

On reaching the top we were treated to excellent views towards Glossop.

It was decided to stop for lunch at 1.11pm and again the Wanderers took a full 15 minutes to satiate their taste buds. Tom’s ears must have been burning….and not from lack of Ambre Solaire.

The view during lunch.

Having reached the very top of the hill we took a path to the right. We went through a gate that leads to a track and followed a “public bridleway”.

We turned left and came to a house with a couple of exotic birds outside. No, not a rural brothel, these birds were concrete (gryphons anyone?).

Just at the entrance gate we took a path on the right, went over a stile and began a descent.

We passed a farm with washing on the line and followed a sign “to Rowarth”.

We crossed a tiny stream, went over a stile and 20 yards further on turned left onto a road.

At 1.58pm we were back at the cars and after de-booting enjoyed more ale in the Little Mill, where Banks was £2.80.

B Walkers' diary follows.

Walkers: Tony, Ken, Terry.       

Apology: Wally, trying to catch up on work accumulated during his Barbados trip.

Route: 199 bus from Rising Sun to Newtown, 61 bus to Hayfield. Return by 61 to Furness Vale, and 199.

The 61 bus to Hayfield included a party of Manchester Ramblers who had used the train to reach Newtown. Their target was Kinder Low, but we met them again at Bowden Bridge quarry. Our short but very pleasant amble was up to the reservoir wall via the Sportsman, and back to the Kinderlodge via the campsite.

We had considered joining the A team at the Lantern Pike, but thought there would be a good chance of our arriving too late. A good decision, as our Timothy Taylors came in at £2.80 a pint without chips. Nevertheless, it was the best pint I've had this year. We also watched a bit of England 20-20 in Bangladesh, while the barmaid was upstairs. We settled for halves before catching the 61 back to the Soldier Dick for a final Broadside.

Total distance probably only 3.5 miles.

Next week will provisionally be a very flat walk from the Bleeding Wolf, Scholar Green, calling at Little Moreton Hall, Rode Heath, and maybe Church Lawton.

Last lap...looking towards Glossop

 Next week’s walk will start from the lane a few yards from the Monsal Head Hotel at 9.50pm.

The half way stop will be in an as yet unnamed hostelry in Ashford-in-the-Water.

Happy Wandering.