Little Hayfield

LITTLE HAYFIELD, CALICO TRAIL, HAYFIELD,  TWENTY TREES, SNAKE PATH, SHOOTING ,LODGE,  HOLLINGWORTH CLOUGH, CARR MEADOW, MATLEY MOOR, LITTLE MILL AT ROWARTH,  SHOULDER OF LANTERN PIKE, CLOUGH MILL  AND LANTERN PIKE INN AT LITTLE HAYFIELD

Distance: Nine miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Early cloud giving way to bright sunshine.

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe, Alan Hart and George Whaites.

 B walkers: Tony Job and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Mickey Barratt (sailing in Turkey), Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Colin Davison (yachting), George Dearsley (prolonged Turkish hols), Lawrie Fairman (cruising and lecturing), Peter Morrall (stomach problems),  Ken Sparrow (golden wedding anniversary cruise).

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of Lantern Pike Inn at Little Hayfield, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2.13pm.

Following his dazzling display as a deputy diarist last week, Tom reached out for the dizzy heights of leader this week – and he was not found wanting.

The main targets of halfway pub and finishing pub were reached on time and there was no retracing of footsteps at any stage. In those circumstances we were prepared to draw a line under the barrage of coughing, spluttering, wheezing, spitting, sneezing and farting which accompanied his leadership.

He put the former down to a chest infection and the latter to a curry supper. This may be giving you too much information.

Suffice to say that the Three Amigos enjoyed a splendid walk in some of the finest scenery which The Peak District has to offer in perfect walking conditions. An enjoyable day ended when we were joined at the Lantern Pike by the B walkers, and were generously provided with free bowls of home-cooked chips. This was further proof, if proof were needed, that the best things in life are free.

From the front door of the Lantern Pike we turned right towards Hayfield and turned right again at Slack Lane 100 yards later. At a green public footpath sign we turned left towards Hayfield (4mins).

The path brought us to the end of Back Vale Road (15mins) where we turned left. On our right was the entrance to the May Carnival Field (17mins) which we entered and joined the Calico Trail on the left bank of the Kinder River (20mins).

We emerged at Market Street and turned right to pass the Post Office (22mins). We headed left just in front of Hayfield Pharmacy along some cobblestones and up steps to reach a road where we turned right (24mins). This took us past the General Stores which feature in the second series of a BBC film production called “The Village”, set in the Hayfield area from just before World War 1.

Further up this street was more ancient TV history as we passed a plaque on the wall at a house on our left where Arthur Lowe (1915-82) lived in his childhood. Arthur was an actor who spent many years in the repertory theatre before achieving fame in the role of fusspot shopkeeper Leonard Swindley in Coronation Street.

He later became even more famous for his role as Captain Mainwaring in “Dad’s Army.” Lowe was a cricketer with the Hayfield team and after the fame which he achieved in the BBC sitcom, he brought his Dad’s Army cast colleagues to play in a charity cricket match on the Hayfield pitch. The ageing actor who played Private Godfrey was allowed to field at cover point in an armchair.

Even further up the street on our right (25mins) was the old Hayfield Grammar School, a tiny building where local boys were educated in the early 19^th Century. After passing the school we turned left (27mins) at a green public footpath sign.

This brought us to a copse of 19 trees (37mins) on our left which are known as “The 20 Trees.” As you try to count these trees from different angles, some disappear and others appear. But after many years of counting, your diarist is convinced there are only 19 of them. Tell me what you think. Answers on a postcard, please.

We proceeded through a kissing gate and turned left (39mins) and through another to enter Snake Path (50mins). The path took us to 100 yards before the distinctive white shooting lodge where we turned left at a green public footpath sign (58mins) heading for Glossop via Car Meadow.

This path took us through Hollingworth Clough to a wooden footbridge, on the far side of which was a memorial to Thomas Boulger, who represented The Peak District and Northern Counties Footpath Preservation Society from 1921-63. Here we paused for pies and port (87mins).

Continuing, we swung right and soon took a fork to our left (94mins) to keep the main Glossop-Hayfield road in sight on our left. Tom had informed us that the path ahead was subject to undulations, but there was no sign of any downward trajectory  as we plodded relentlessly uphill until we were able to exit Carr Meadow by a wooden stile at the side of a sign for Charlesworth on our left (99mins).

We crossed the Glossop to Hayfield road and headed for Charlesworth, taking the second exit on our left along a gravel path (118mins). We were soon taking a left fork slightly downhill (120mins) and going through a metal gate , following the path to the right of a wooden gate.

To the left of this track was a new unmarked wooden stile on our left (134mins) which we crossed to head downhill through a field. We passed Lower Matley Farm on our left and headed through a wooden gate (143mins) to follow a path downhill past a pond on our right.

We swung right uphill with another pond nearby and turned left. Our route then led us to ford a stream (148mins) and to follow a yellow arrow on a wooden public footpath sign on the left (153mins).  Our party emerged on a lane with a red phone box immediately on our left.

Our group headed left downhill to a memorial stone on our right bearing the words: Sunday School for All Denominations, 1824. Then we turned right and headed along the track back to The Little Mill at Rowarth. We emerged 60 yards to the right of the pub, turning left to r each it downhill on our right (163mins).

The Banks’ cask bitter was in excellent form at £2-80 a pint, and it was impossible to avoid a second. When we eventually left the pub, we turned right out of the front door and headed uphill.

At a fork we turned right (166mins). Soon we were stopping for lunch (170mins), with Tom, trying to keep his svelte-like figure  in modest proportions, avoiding any solid substance.

Continuing, we took as sharp left (178mins) and headed downhill. From there we went through a five-barred wooden gate, before turning right on a path uphill (184mins). Soon we were plunging downwards past the Clough Mill (204mins), now converted into apartments with a panoramic view from George D’s perch, and back to the Lantern Pike Inn.

After de-booting 210mins), we were able to enjoy Timoth Taylor’s Landlord cask bitter at £3-40 a pint. We are indebted to Tom for a plentiful supply of home-made chips to share.

Next week’s walk will start from The Soldier Dick public house car park at Furness Vale on the A6. It is our intention to head up past the Dipping Stones and the Murder Stone to Bowstones, entering Lyme Park and dropping down to The Dandy Cock at Disley around 12.15pm. We then plan to walk along the Peak Forest Canal through New Mills to Furness Vale, reaching the Soldier Dick around 2.20pm.

We look forward to welcoming then or soon a new member of the Wednesday Wanderers, Brian Hudson, who has only just qualified for his bus pass and therefore represents new blood to our ranks. He shares our flaws as drinkers with a walking problem.

Leeds

Leeds Town Centre, Kirstall, 

Distance: 6 miles.

Difficulty: Flat and Easy,.

Weather: Clear blue skies, baking hot, around Gas Mark 5 or What a Scorcher as the Man Eve News would say 

A walkers: 

Tom Cunliffe, George Waites and John Jones.

Leader: Cunliffe Diarist: Cunliffe

Starting point: Piccadilly and Stalybridge Railway Stations

Starting time: 7:40. Finishing time: 17:00.

Today’s walk should have been a pleasant historical journey starting at Ribblehead Station (North Yorks) where a FOC guided tour had been organised which would take us back in time to the construction of the Ribblehead Viaduct. Alas, the fickle finger of fate stuck its oar in (*pardon the mixed metaphors) and ruined our original plan as a fatality on the track meant our train arrived two hours late for us to catch our connecting train.

We ended up with a semi-pleasant walk along the Leeds Liverpool Canal, it wasn’t our normal lung busting, ankle turning, knee jarring, hip wrenching cardiovascular workout through the Peak District, but more of a leg stretching amble along a canal, however due to the debilitating heat, we were sweating like three Scousers in a job centre.

Nevertheless couple this tame walk with the agreeable company and lively chat (occasionally) the day wasn’t a complete waste of time after all. Once again the WW moto of “In principium in executione firmus flexibilia” (Firm in Principle Flexible in Execution) prevailed. 

GW and JJ boarded the 7:40 from Piccadilly Station (neither were aware of each other’s presence on the train), your diarist joined same train at Stalybridge at 7:53. GW and your diarist sat in carriage No 3 whilst JJ sat in carriage 7. We were now the three Amigos!

The train left Stalybridge and the Manchester region and entered the Dark Side, as we left the village of Slaithwaite (pronounce Slowit), a clattering noise was heard from the underside of our carriage, within seconds the train had come to a halt. Your diarist’s initial thoughts were that the train had ridden over the branch of a tree or similar but no, the tannoy announcer informed us that the train had collided with a person and we would not be going anywhere for some time.

It transpired that the train had hit a 70 year woman, described in the Huddersfield Examiner as a “missing pensioner” click on link

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/woman-killed-train-slaithwaite-believed-7489739 

We all felt much sympathy for the old dear and her family, however, as we sat there for two hours and pondered our next move your diarist got to thinking about how much inconvenience this sorry episode had caused to hundreds of thousands of people – not least to the Three Amigos. 

Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family and friends of said Missing Pensioner but just think how much anguish and distress her suicide has caused them, the inconvenience to the hundreds of thousands of Trans Pennine commuters as no trains ran in either direction for the next two hours, the undoubted PTSD inflicted on the traumatised female Train Driver who had to be relieved causing further delay, the Emergency Services who had to deal with it, the loss of income to the train operator, the additional costs to the train operator ….. and so the list goes on. I think there is a salutary lesson for us all here, don’t commit suicide on the railway. Enough said!

As we sat there for the next two hours with our free cups of tea, coffee and biscuits, we decided we would press on to Ribblehead regardless, buy a map and have a mooch round. Eventually we reached Leeds 10:30 after having made an unscheduled change at Huddersfield due to “possible damage to sensitive equipment” underneath.

We checked the information board which informed us the next Ribblehead train would be leaving from platform 4b at 10:49, we hurried over there and as 10:49 came and went so did our excitement - as there was no train. One of the workmen told us we should have been on platform 9, we then checked with another workman at the information point who told us he couldn’t help us because the computers had gone down due to the huge number of delays caused by ……. you’ve guessed it. 

So picture this, here we are in one of Yorkshire’s Hell Holes (Leeds) with no train to catch, no historical walk, no idea how we would get home given the amount of disruption. The next train to Ribblehead wasn’t for another two hours (if at all) so we decided to retreat to the nearest watering hole and contemplate our next move. We found a Yates pub within 100 m of the station, a most welcome sight with most the welcome prices, a pint of Gold at £2.40. The beer was satisfactory.

We consulted a town centre map and observed that the Leeds Liverpool Canal terminated in the City Centre; we decide we would pick up the canal and work something out as we went along. The three Amigos proceeded along the canal and at 12:30 we took lunch whilst sitting by Lock No 6 and marvelled at the clarity of the water. The water was so clear you could see the bottom, you could even read the labels on the coke, diet coke and tango cans, the traffic cones lost none of the elegance sat on the bottom, even the needles on the syringes could be easily seen, a credit to Yorkshire folk everywhere. 

The Three Amigos continued along the canal for another couple of miles and then left it to find the nearest pub (it’s important to keep up one’s fluids in weather like this). Eventually we came across the Kirkstall Bridge pub where we consumed pints of Yorkshire Best Bitter by Kirkstall Brewery at £2.90,  the beer was very good but then it should be as the brewery was only ¼ mile away.

By this time we’d had enough of this energy sapping heat and decided to turn around and make for the station hoping the train timetable had sorted itself out. We reached the station around 3:00pm, caught the next train to Manchester after a 10 minute wait. 

B Walkers' diary

Walkers: Alan, Geoff, Tony, Wally, Pete.

Apologies:  John Laverick (sprained ankle), Ken Sparrow (Super de-luxe Baltic Cruise), Gaz (duvet day).

Journey:  10 am Trans Peak Manchester - Nottingham bus from Rising Sun to Ashford-in-the-Water. Return on 3.04 pm from Ashford to Buxton, then 199 bus. Our enjoyment of the trip was limited by the absence of both John and Gaz - the only potential fare-payers. Alan thought it was our fancy-dress day, which he would have won by a mile with his shorts.

Weather: Hot and sunny, pleasant breeze.

Route: Walk along banks of the Wye to Bakewell, early lunch in the park, followed by first pint of the day in The Castle. Beer OK, price not noted. Since some of the walk is new to us, and we needed to get back to Ashford before both pubs close at 3 pm, pressure to have a second pint was resisted. We retraced our steps to the footbridge crossed earlier, and headed up through a quarry in the direction of the Monsal Trail.  As the climb levelled out, we took a left at a signpost labelled Great Longstone, and headed for Rowdale House through a wood. At a main road, we turned left for Ashford, and somehow missed a path to Churchyard Farm and Churchyard Hall which might well have been nicer than the road we took. As it was we reached a hotel with 15 -20 minutes to spare. Theakston's Black Sheep was £3.70 a pint !!!  Distance walked 5.5 miles average speed 2.2 mph, or 2.5 mpp (miles per pint).

    At Buxton the 4 pm 199 bus pulled in behind us, so we boarded it, forsaking the chance of a £2.00 pint of Hydes at The Eagle. The least said about the journey the better - it was hot, crowded, smelly, and the legroom made Ryanair look like club class. An awkward, foul-mouthed, old idiot refused to move his bag to let a standing passenger sit, and the driver came back to sort him out, picking on Pete at first before giving up.

Pictures by John Jones below.

Next week the walk will begin from the Lantern Pike Inn at 9:40 stopping at the Little Mill at Rowarth for refreshments. 

Happy Wandering

Tom  -  6^th scribe

High Lane

HIGH LANE ,WYMBERSLEY ROAD, LUMBER HEY, WINDLESHURST HALL, CLOUGH HOUSE TORKINGTON ROAD, HAZEL KNOLL FARM,STOCKPORT GOLF CLUB, MIDDLEWOOD WAY MARPLE GOLF CLUB, RING OF BELLS, PEAK FOREST CANAL,DISLEY GOLF CLUB,HIGH LANE

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy, but see later.

Weather: Dry, mostly warm with cloud, gentle breeze and some sunny spells, light rain at end.

A walkers: Mickey Barrett, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Julian Ross, John Jones.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), George Dearsley (prolonged Turkish hols), Geoff Spurrell (hols) Alan Hart(cruising) Tom Cunliffe (W~~~ing?), George Waites( Hols Cornwall).

Leader: Davison Diarist: Fairman

Starting point: Colin’s house.

Starting time: 9.30am. Finishing time: 2.20pm.

Today's walk illustrated the sterling qualities of the WWs." Firm in purpose, flexible in execution”. More of that later.
Five of us assembled at Colin's (including himself) where I examined the scene of the great ladder collapse. Off we went promptly at 09.30 up the hill where took the first left to pass Wybersley Hall.

Wyberslegh Hall (sometimes spelled Wybersley Hall) is a large house dating from the 16th century, on the edge of the village of High Lane in Greater Manchester, England. Now in private ownership, Wyberslegh Hall was formerly the home of eldest sons of the Bradshaw family. Of unusual design, it hascastellated gables with a rather ungainly castellated wall between them, above the main entrance. Hardly a handsome house but an historic one. The authorChristopher Isherwood was born there.)[1]

The hall was designated a Grade II listed building in 1967.[2]

We soon turned left across the fields to pas the covered reservoir where there appeared to be extensive works in operation. First time I have seen a dock leaf hedge. Walking round the delightful grounds of Lomber Hey House we could then enjoy extensive views over the Cheshire Plain and Manchester (sadly Liverpool Cathedral was not visible ).
The next hall came to view was Windlehurst Hall a modern development on the bones of an old hall. Currently 4 bed house could be yours for £395,000.

We crossed the road at Windlehurst Farm and followed the Holly trail we reached the road at a Clough House Farm and turned right for Torkington Road
 Sadly our leader turned right here instead of left. The left turn would have taken us to Broadoak Farm and Danbank. Consulting the map Colin spotted another path further down the road and we decided to try this. Initially it seemed straightforward go to Hazel Knoll farm and follow the path down Stockport Golf club course. At this stage we had walked for 1 hour and crossed 16 stiles.

We were in for a shock - initially we overshot the path and had to return the length of the field. There it was a footpath sign, but no footpath, just a mess of swamp and brambles. Our redoubtable leader plunged into this mess - John tried to follow a compass course to no avail. Deeper into the wood the undergrowth was becoming impenetrable. 

When your scribe spotted Humphrey Bogart pulling the African Queen he had had enough and struggled upward to the light and the edge of the golf course.
Having established approx where we were, Torkington Brook, and needing refreshment we stopped for a late pie break at 11.15pm. As we had covered about 1 mile in 45mins a rethink was needed.
Firm of purpose we decided that if we were to make the Ring of Bells around 12.15 pm drastic action was needed. Flexible as ever we reversed our course up the golf course for the Middlewood way. 

During this part of the walk being, scratched, sweaty and fed up the last thing we needed was some smart arse golfer questioning our walking rights. However they reckoned without our leader who told them in no uncertain terms that we were on the Queens Highway.
We crossed the Middlewood way walked across Marple golf course, obviously a friendlier club as they exchanged pleasantries. A pleasant grassy well marked path took us to the Macclesfeld canal at the spot immortalised by our leader’s JC impersonation a few winters ago.  Turning left we son reached the Ring of Bells at exactly 12.16 pmHere Colin was greeted by the bar lady with “I was having a bad day and now you come along to make it worse"(or words to that effect). Nevertheless she pulled an excellent pint of Robbies for £2.95. Expected to see a B walker or two but none arrived.

We left just after 1 pm, Colin decided not to take the easy way along the Macc Canal but follow the Peak Forest canal and climb over Marple Ridge. This we did and when the Romper was reached our leader decided that this was a better bet than pubs in High Lane (has he been banned?). 

Here the scribe parted company and made his own way back to his car and home( having been told in no uncertain terms to be early by the management).

Next week I will be  lecturing on the high seas( and the following Wednesday ) so my apologies. But I believe Tom is leading a reduced squad over the Ribblehead Viaduct.
Julian sends his apologies, they have finally caught up with him and he has got a job (don't get excited it's only 10 days a year!) Mick will be in Turkey, Colin may be sailing.








Some photographs follow courtesy of John Jones

Happy Wandering

L -  3rd scribe

Wildboarclough

CLOUGH HOUSE CAR PARK AT WILDBOARCLOUGH, THREE SHIRES HEAD, PANNIER POOL, BACK CLOUGH, DANE BOWER, CAT AND FIDDLE, CUMBERLAND BROOK AND STANLEY ARMS AT BOTTOM OF THE OVEN

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry, mostly warm with cloud, gentle breeze and some sunny spells.

A walkers: Mickey Barrett, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Phil Welsh and George Whaites.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), George Dearsley (prolonged Turkish hols), Geoff Spurrell (hols).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Clough House free car park at Wildboarclough.

Starting time: 9.45am. Finishing time: 1.58pm.

Phil Welsh made a welcome return to the fold after a long absence caused by that four-letter word beginning with w. He brought our numbers up to a magnificent seven as Lawrie led us through some spectacular scenery in three different counties.

Colin also returned with the full version of the dramatic fall which put him in hospital last week. He not only survived the tumble from a ladder but also a visit to Stepping Hill Hospital where he was treated for lacerations to tendons on the back of his left hand.

He bravely shrugged off the pain to drive us down a series of narrow lanes to our starting point, describing his injury as a mere flesh wound and assuring us that he didn’t blub in A and E as he awaited treatment.

Phil is the victim of downsizing at his new company, and we may benefit from his enforced idleness before teams of head-hunters vie for his talents.

Our target was the Cat and Fiddle, second highest inn or pub in England at 1,690 feet (the Tan Hill Inn in Yorkshire being the highest). It is thought the name comes from either “Le Chat Fidele” the faithful cat) or “Catherine la Fidele” (Catherine of Aragon, who stayed faithful to the Roman Catholic Church, despite the reformation led by her husband, Henry VIII). 

It is likely we will never know the answer.

From the car park we headed uphill to reach a green public footpath sign indicating the route to The Cat and Fiddle (1min). At a fork in the footpaths we turned right (17mins) to begin a steady climb. We reached the A54 Congleton-Buxton Road (32mins), crossed it to reach a crash barrier on the far side, and descended a flight of steps marked with a yellow arrow.

Now we were heading downhill, over a stone step stile. Circling above us were lapwings, or green plovers, easily identifiable by their distinctive “peewit” call, which gives them their other nickname. These waders are migrants from North Africa, the Indian sub-continent and China, breeding on cultivated land and laying 3-4 eggs on ground scrape.

They are crested, black and white with a green tint on their backs. They average 12 inches in length with a 30 inch wingspan.

Later on our journey we encountered a curlew, one of the largest British wading birds, with a long, slender down-curved bill and mottled brown plumage. Like the lapwings, curlews are migratory birds and can be found at different times of the year in Europe, Africa, south-east Asia, north and south America and Australasia.

Continuing our journey downhill we followed a yellow arrow to the right, went through a gate and crossed a footbridge over a stream (43mins). This brought us to Three Shire Head (50mins) where leaving Cheshire behind us we had Staffordshire to our right and Derbyshire to our left.

We paused at Pannier Pool, overlooking the River Dane, for pies and port. This was the place in centuries past where traders met to buy and exchange goods, often stolen, which they brought on mules and pack horses carrying panniers.

Continuing we went left into Derbyshire through a gate along a rocky path. We went through a metal  gate  (61mins) and left at a wooden public footpath sign (65mins). We reached a ridge below the skyline from where we could see Shutlingsloe to the left ahead in the distance. On our left on the skyline were The Roaches and below us was Orchard Farm.

As we swung right along the path, the distinctive telecom mast on Croker Hill came briefly into view. After going through a metal gate (73mins) we swung left and Grimshaw Rocks appeared on our left in the distance. We passed Back Clough below on our left (77mins) and went through a metal gate (87mins) to enter Dane Bower.

Piles of millstone grit lay around in abundance from the days many decades ago when this was a working quarry. We crossed a stream (94mins) on our left which was the Infant Dane and passed a grouse butt to climb a steep bank, following a wooden public footpath sign to go left.

We followed a path until we reached a narrower path on our right (101mins) which went steeply uphill to the left of a barbed wire fence. This took us over a wooden stile back to the A54, which we crossed, and went through a metal gate to follow a path across the moor. Another metal gate was passed (121mins) and we emerged opposite The Cat and Fiddle (131mins) for pints of in-form Golden Dragon bitter at £3-20.

The road outside is a magnet for motor-cyclists and an AA survey in 2003 named it as the most dangerous stretch of road in the UK. Fame indeed !

Inside the pub, a sign advised “cash only” which Tom interpreted for us as meaning a pub in financial difficulties. It has certainly changed hands many times in recent years.

On leaving the pub we retraced our footsteps across the moor before turning right at a green public footpath sign marked Cumberland Brook and Wildboarclough (148mins). We stopped for lunch on a broken drystone wall (153mins) and then carried on through a wooden gate next to a stile (165mins).

The path led us to a gated marked “Please close ye gate” (174mins) and we crossed a wooden footbridge (175mins) before retracing our earlier route back to the cars (181mins). From here it was a two-mile drive to The Stanley Arms at Bottom of the Oven for pints of Marstons’ bitter at £3.

Next week’s walk will start from Colin’s house at 11, Carr Brow, High Lane, calling at The Ring O’ Bells, Marple, around 12.30pm and finishing at The Horseshoe, High Lane, around 2.20pm.

Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY, GOYT VALLEY, TAXAL NICK, WINDGATHER ROCKS, PYM CHAIR, DUNGE VALLEY, SWAN INN AT KETTLESHULME, HARDY GREEN, KISHFIELD CROFT, TODD BROOK RESERVOIR, WHALEY BRIDGE MEMORIAL GARDENS AND THE COCK AT WHALEY BRIDGE

Distance: 9+ miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry with early cloud giving way to sunshine.

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B walkers: John Laverick and Peter Morrall.

Apologies: Colin Davison (fell off roof, injured hand), George Dearsley (Turkish hols), Geoff Spurrell (hols). Peter Beal (narrow boating)

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Outside The Cock at Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 2.15pm.

This was a day of drama and unexpected wildlife in England’s green and pleasant land. The former took place before the start when we learned that Colin would not be joining us because of an injury sustained to his hand when he fell off a roof !

May I say that the guffaws of laughter this news prompted only occurred after we had learned he was OK (although in hospital), that there were no bones broken and he was expected to make a swift and full recovery.

The report after a phone call from Colin to George W was a reminder of the only hit record made by legendary comic Tommy Cooper, “Don’t jump off the roof dad.” Fittingly for Colin, the song ends with the line: “If you must end it all, dad, why don’t you jump in the lake.” Colin, as readers of this diary will know, is no stranger to aqua accidents either.  We wish him well and look forward to his return.

The unexpected wildlife took the form of a mountain hare, two weasels (or the same one popping back and forth), and some giant hairy caterpillars, three of which we encountered on the path between Windgather Rocks and Pym Chair. They were black and tan in colour and about four inches long.

From photographs they appear to be Oak Eggar moth caterpillars which grow up to 75mms and are found throughout the UK on open heath and moorland. They are not only huge but quick. If you’ve never seen cantering caterpillars before, check these out. The moths they produce are likely to be the size of seagulls, so if they take over the world remember you read it here first, folks.

From outside The Cock we took the familiar route left and after 20 yards went left again over a stream to reach the disused Cromford and High Peak railway line. Here we turned right and just before reaching the Shallcross Greenway path ahead we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign, went to the right of a children’s playground and walked downhill to the main road (15mins).

After going through a gate we turned right at a footbridge over the Goyt and climbed the path uphill with St James Church, Taxal, on our right. At the road we turned left and immediately right over a stone step stile into a field (25mins). The route then took us uphill and over a stile to reach a lane where we turned left (35mins). 

After 300 yards we turned right, although a wooden public footpath sign which normally points the way had been removed. We climbed steadily until we reached Taxal Nick and a drystone wall in front of us (45mins). The route along a ridge brought us to Windgather Rocks (65mins) and we passed three  giant caterpillars on the path.

At Pym Chair (85mins) we paused for pies and port. Resuming we went right downhill in the direction of Saltersford. We turned right at a green footpath sign (95mins) and went over a ladder stile. We crossed a stream in front of a farm and then went to the right of the farm following a path marked with a yellow arrow (100mins).

We crossed a wooden stile in front of an empty barn (106mins) and then your diarist saw a tan-coloured mountain hare bounding away towards the skyline. By keeping to the right of the field and avoiding some tufted weeds, we were able to drop down to a new metal gate in the corner of the field. After passing through the gate(112mins) we turned right and went through another new metal gate into what was once the Dunge Valley Garden Centre.

It does not seem to be in business selling plants any more, and the lack of cultivation has given it a different kind of wild beauty. We exited the grounds by a wooden stile next to a cattlegrid (124mins). As we walked along a lane, a weasel was spotted rushing across the road. A few seconds later another weasel (or the same one) raced back in the opposite direction.

caterpillar

We carried straight on ahead at crossroads (129mins) and ignored the path to Blackmill Gate Farm on our right to swing left instead down the road. We passed Round Knoll Farm, a beautiful four-bedroomed detached farmhouse set in six acres of grazing land, for sale at £695,000. Continuing we reached a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow on our left and crossed it (137mins). 

A series of gates were then passed through on the way to Benthall Farm, which we skirted round to our right. At the end of the lane we turned right then left past Stocks Bank on our right (150mins). The lane went downhill to the back of The Swan, which we reached by a flight of steep stone steps (152mins).

The Marstons’ cask bitter here was in excellent form at £3 a pint as we sunbathed outside in their beer garden. It seemed rude not to have a second pint before we continued by crossing the road and walking through a garden nursery. We emerged by Kettleshulme Church and turned right along Paddock Lane before turning left into Kishfeld Lane (158mins).

We passed Hardy Green on our left (160mins) and reached Kishfield Croft on our right (168mins), following the road all the way to a bridge over Todd Brook where we stopped for lunch (172mins).  After a brief break, we retraced our footsteps away from the bridge and turned left at a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow.

Where the footpaths forked, we went left and soon saw Todd Brook below us on our left. The path then brought us to a ledge which we climbed and turned right to put ourselves between the brook on our right and a channel on our left (182mins).

This path led us with the reservoir on our right to the dam at the end. We turned right along the dam wall (196mins) and reached a skate park on our left. Different routes were taken to reach the war memorial  (202mins) and walk through Whaley Bridge Memorial Park. We exited via Wheatsheaf Road to the main road, where we turned left (206mins) and reached our cars (207mins).

Robbies’ cask bitter at The Cock was £2-80 a pint, which we drank as we watched Andy Murray being eliminated from Wimbledon. British-born Murray won the title last year, but the Scotsman went out in the quarter final on this occasion. 

Next week’s A walk will start at 9.45am from Clough House car park at Wildboarclough (on the left a mile before The Crag Inn). We expect to reach The Cat and Fiddle around 12.30pm, finishing with a drive to The Stanley Arms at Bottom of the Oven about 2.30pm for further refreshment.

Happy wandering.