May 14th 2014
DISLEY, BLACK ROCK, HAGUE BAR, BROOKBOTTOM,
STRINES
Distance: 8.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy with two slightly strenuous climbs
Weather: Sunny
Walkers: Alan Hart, George Dearsley, George
Whaites, Jock Rooney and Tip, Julian Ross, Steve
Courtney, Colin Davison
Apologies: Lawrie Fairman (with the B
Walkers), Tom Cunliffe (lunch with grandson), Pete
Beal (walking in Menorca)
Leader: Hart Diarist: Dearsley
Starting Point: The car park at the White
Horse, Disley
Starting Time: 9.26am. Finishing Time: 2pm
Undoubtedly the best weather of the year
enabled the Wanderers to enjoy an excellent peregrination, enhanced by
sumptuous views over Cheshire from Black Rock and the heights above Hague Bar.
Four of the seven A Walkers decided that
shorts were the order of the day and despite Mr Hart’s unduly pessimistic
warning about nettles, it proved a good decision.
We turned right out of the White Horse’s
car park and headed to the Quaker Meeting House.
Here we turned right and then swung left
onto a road, where we turned left.
The Cage in Lyme Park was visible in the
distance away to our right.
We went left at a sign saying “Askam” and
around the side of Bollinghurst reservoir, following the wall.
The track here was quite muddy.
At a Y-junction we took the right fork.
We followed a sign to Drake Carr Cottage. This
brought us to Millennium Wood.
We went through a gate and onto a road
where we turned right.
We passed on the left Bolder Hall Farm,
which appears to be up for sale. But investigations on the internet drew a
blank as the property may have been taken off the market, despite a for sale
sign outside.
A few yards further on we went over a stile
on the left and from here begins the ascent, gentle at first, later more taxing
to Black Rock.
On a previous wander in April 2011 your
diarist almost suffered a cardiac arrest on this stretch but regular rambling
seems to have improved his conditioning and the top was reached at 10.15am with
scarcely a pant.
Below is a short video of the vista from
this vantage point. If you cannot click on the link simply cut and paste it into your browser.
The top of Black Rock
Having caught our collective breath we
turned left and headed along the horizon.
We went over a ladder stile and through a
kissing gate. A gentle breeze made the walk even more comfortable.
We began our descent at 10.32am, eventually
reaching a road and crossing over to pass Byrom House.
We went through a five bar gate and turned
left.
At the bottom we turned right passing Pear
Tree Cottage. Brines Farm was on our right.
We then passed a chapel on our left which
is being converted into a house, it seems, but the progress is painfully slow.
At another Y-junction we went to the left
and across a road.
On the trail to the top of Black Rock
We went under a railway arch (10.49am) and
over a bridge leading to the canal.
Pie Time was declared at 10.52am and
without Mr Cunliffe’s badgering the Wanderers enjoyed an unfeasibly long 17
minute refuelling stop.
While we were masticating three narrowboats
sailed by in around 10 minutes.
Re-girding our loins we continued along the
towpath.
We passed five parked up narrowboats and
soon afterwards took a path on the right just after the Swing Bridge.
This led to a narrow, sometimes steep and
slippery track which took us down into woods and after we had crossed a wooden
bridge over a tiny steam the path climbs back up again, helped by some man made
steps.
Back on the flat we came across a stretch
of water where some Canada Geese and their offspring were enjoying a leisurely
float.
The first of three narrowboats in 10
minutes
Canada Geese and their young
We emerged onto a road and turned right,
passing a sign for the tissue paper factory we had just left behind.
We went immediately left down a track to
the riverside.
This brings you out onto a road where
another property - Owl Barn on the right
– appeared to be for sale. Again there was no trace on the internet.
We passed Hague Bar picnic site on the
right, finding ourselves in Waterside Road.
This brings you out onto the main road from Marple to New Mills which we crossed into Hague Fold Road, from where one final steep climb takes
you to the welcoming sight of the Fox at Brookbottom.
View from near the Fox
At crossroads we turned left and soon the
pub hove into view.
As on our last appearance here it was
closed when we arrived at 12 noon. As we waited Ken Sparrow and Lawrie Fairman,
a two-man B Walk arrived.
We finally gained entry and Unicorn was
£2.95.
We set off at 12.57pm, going down the track
past Strines railway station and later Strines Hall.
The pub…a welcome sight
The B Walkers turn up
Strines was once renowned for its annual
Bullshit competition. A farmer would measure out a plot of land in a field,
fence it off and then divide it up on paper into 100 squares.
Villagers paid
money and chose a square. When all the squares had been taken, the farmer would
turn his bull out into the fenced of plot of land and everyone would stand
around and wait to see whose square the bull would crap in. Apparently it could
take some time and villagers would make a day of it, having picnics and
listening to a brass band. What fun.
Nowadays the only way to enjoy a Bullshit competition is to listen to a party political broadcast.
The Dovecote
Nearby is an ornate dovecote in the middle
of a private fishing lake.
We stopped at 1.15pm for lunch near the dye
works on a reclaimed piece of land that until recently was a derelict football
pitch. Now it’s anicely landscaped picnic area.
We set off again at 1.28pm going straight
across the road and up an incline that eventually leads onto the canal.
Here we turned left and after leaving the
canal we made our way past some allotments and onto Hollinwood Road on the
outskirts of Disley.
We reached the cars at 2pm, debooted and
entered the White Horse where Unicorn was £2.90.
B Walkers’ diary
The B team are
getting smaller with time. Geoff still recovering from his op Tony under the
knife John off fishing,Terry and Wally busy .So it ended up with Ken and Laurie
walking to meet the A group at the Fox
Using the same
starting point we fetched up at the canal at Woodend then left it for Strines
to cross the Goyt.passing the newly filled pond we turned left following the
Goyt valley way to Richmond farm turning right we climbed the hill at the side
of Mellor golf club. At The Bants we took a right turn onto the bridle path to
reach the Fox at exactly 12 to find a very thirsty Alan at the front of a short
queue. The rest follows the history of George. Our total mileage about 6miles
Next week the A
team are at Alport in the absence of any better offer we propose meeting at the
Unicorn and walking to Prestbury for the Admiral Rodney
Next week’s A walk will visit the village
of Alport, Derbyshire. It will start at 9.55am from the free public car parking
on the road to Youlgreave, the first right past Haddon Hall. The half way point
will be either the Red Lion of the Druid Inn in Birchover. Your diarist will be
in Turkey until September.
Happy Wandering!
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