Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE (DISUSED), TAXAL NICK, WINDGATHER ROCKS, FERNILEE RESERVOIR, HOO MOOR, KNIPE FARM, GOYT VALLEY, THE SHADY OAK AT FERNILEE, ELNOR LANE FARM, SHALL CROSS, SHALLCROSS INCLINE GREENWAY AND THE COCK AT WHALEY BRIDGE

Distance: 8-9 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry and sunny.

A Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Jones, Jock Rooney with Tips, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B walkers: George Fraser, Tony Job and Ken Sparrow.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (hols), Tom Cunliffe (wounded knee), George Dearsley (back in Turkey), Geoff Spurrell (immobile left leg)

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road next to The Cock at Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.37am. Finishing time: 2.10pm.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and the opposite must apply. For on a bright sunny day, George Whaites had a large crowd for his birthday bash. A round for 11 people is stiff at the best of times, but at £3-40 a pint in The Shady Oak, George had also chosen an expensive venue for his celebration. We can only thank him for his largesse, wish him many happy returns and point out that the alternative to growing old is even less acceptable.

Although the morning began crisply enough, the initial climb towards Windgather Rocks was sufficiently steep to see many hats, scarves, gloves and sweaters discarded at an early stage. Visibility was clear and we enjoyed splendid views over the Goyt Valley.

This was a traditional walk along familiar paths, but a minor diversion led us to a new route from the edge of Fernilee Reservoir to The Shady Oak. Whether by good luck or good management we were able to admire a new perspective of some old and well-loved scenery.

After passing the front of The Cock on our left, we turned left across a stream and up a bank which led us to the disused track of the Cromford and High Peak Railway. Here we turned right and followed a route once used by trains bringing minerals down from the nearby hills.

Just before the start of the Shallcross Incline Greenway ahead, we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign (9mins) and went to the right of a playground to descend Mevril Road. At the end of this road we crossed the main road (14mins) and started to climb a gravel track. This led us across a footbridge over the River Goyt  (19mins) and a steep ascent took us past a graveyard to St James’ Church, Taxal on our right.

Although the building is mainly Victorian, Christian worship has taken place in the Taxal area for 800 years. There are strong historical links with the Jodrell  family, wealthy merchants from Goostrey.  John William Jodrell, of Yeardsley Hall, sold 2,064 acres of land at Taxal Valley to businessman Samuel Grimshawe in 1835. This included The Cat and Fiddle.

There was a boundary dispute, however, when the neighbouring Earl of Derby claimed the pub was on his land. A hearing before The Master Extraordinary in Chancery decided in the Grimshawes favour. Samuel went on to supervise the building or Errwood Hall.

At the T-junction to the left of the church (23mins) we turned left for 40 yards and then went right over a stone step stile by a sign pointing to Kettleshulme and Taxal Edge. After a steady climb we reached a lane and turned left (33mins). After 100 yards we turned right at a sign for Windgather Rocks (35mins). Another steady climb brought us to the drystone wall at Taxal Nick (43mins).

We turned left before reaching the ladder stile and took a dog-leg left and right to follow the path to the right of a wood (53mins). Another steady climb brought us to Windgather Rocks (59mins), where we gazed over the unmistakable sight of Bowstones atop the hillside over the valley.

Turning left along the ridge, we reached the sheltered sheep fold (66mins) where we paused for pies and port. Ere long three buzzards were circling overhead and your diarist observed that they had spotted Lawrie. He then regaled us with a story of mystery and suspense involving the discovery in an Exeter valley of the corpses of 17 buzzards.

Ornithologists were baffled by this scene of massacre. But before former Superintendent Ross could even metaphorically tape off the crime scene let alone interview any suspects, Lawrie delivered his denouement.

In a manner that would have had Agatha Christie spinning in her grave and without any red herrings, he revealed that a pair of peregrine falcons with a nest nearby had gone on a killing spree. In a series of pre-emptive strikes, they had carried out air raids on the unsuspecting buzzards who scarcely knew what hit them as they were dive-bombed by a merciless set of stoops.

The falcons, recognising a perceived threat to their nestlings, were captured on film as they continued their carnage without so much as an ASBO from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The laws of nature, ruthless in tooth and claw, apply.

We continued our journey in the direction of Pym Chair, but a minor diversion to the left took us on a modest short cut to the road leading down to Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs (81mins). With the road across the dam almost in sight we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign marked Hoo Moor and Fernilee (103mins)

 After going through a gate we entered a restricted byway on our right (125mins), turning right at a wooden public footpath sign (130mins) and left over a wooden stile (134mins). A track carpeted with pine needles led us down a copse which brought us to a lane where we turned right.

By descending left we were able to cross a stile marked with a yellow arrow and turn left to go round Knipe Farm, following a path between an electrified fence. This brought us to a wooden footbridge over a stream and then a stone footbridge over the Goyt (144mins). From the bridge on the other side of the river we headed for a large tree. On reaching it we carried on to a wooden stile (151mins). We crossed this and went uphill to another wooden stile.

After crossing this we continued uphill to a gate leading into a farmyard with stables on our left. Opposite the entrance to the farm (155mins) was The Shady Oak at Fernilee, where the three B walkers were already enjoying their pints of Hobgoblin on the eve of Halloween. This dark, smooth cask bitter went down a treat – especially the first free pint courtesy of George.

On leaving the pub we turned right out of the front door and immediately right uphill. We crossed a road (157mins) and headed up a gravel track until we reached a lane (161mins) , where we turned left downhill. This took us past Elnor Lane Farm before we stopped for lunch (164mins) near Lee Head View at a plinth surrounded by a stone wall. 

There were various guesses as to whether it might have once been a birdbath or a sundial before we discovered it was “The Shall Cross”, origins unknown.

Continuing, we turned left into Shallcross Road (168mins) and right at the end of the houses on to Shallcross Incline Greenway (170mins). At its end we reached Cromford Court flats (177mins)  and retraced our footsteps back to the cars (182mins). In The Cock we enjoyed pints of Robbies’ cask bitter for £2-80.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30pm from Brabyns Park car park, Marple Bridge. It is anticipated that walkers will reach The Hare and Hounds at Werneth Low around 12.30pm, returning to Marple Bridge and drinks at The Norfolk Arms about 2.30pm.

This year’s Christmas walk, starting with mince pies and mulled wine at Colin’s house at 11, Carr Brow, High Lane, will be held on December 17, ending with lunch at the nearby Dog and Partridge.