Whaley Bridge

February 11, 2015.

WHALEY BRIDGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE (DISUSED), ST JAMES CHURCH, TAXAL, OVERTON HALL FARM, WINDGATHER ROCKS, PYM CHAIR, FERNILEE RESERVOIR, THE SHADY OAK AT FERNILEE, SHALL CROSS AND THE WHITE HART AT WHALEY BRIDGE

Distance: 10 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry, mostly cloudy with occasional sunshine.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Jones and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job and Ken Sparrow.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (sore ankle), Jock Rooney (sore back) and Julian Ross (now w*^king four days a month).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Canal Street Free Car Park, Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.38am. Finishing time: 2.37pm.

The Magnificent Seven set out in ideal conditions for this walk and there were signs when we reached higher ground that we might be seeing the last of the snow for 2015. Most of it had already thawed and the remainder could soon disappear if temperatures continue to rise.

Different walking paces, and a slightly different route, resulted in staggered arrivals at our first watering hole by the A team. But we finished in unison and joined the two-man B team at journey’s end.

En route we had seen a pair of llamas, heard the carpentry work of a woodpecker and the warbling of a songthrush, and been ambushed by a motley pack of dogs, of which more later.

From the car park we exited via a swing bridge over the River Goyt to follow the route of the former Cromford and High Peak railway line. In days of yore this had brought quarried stone from the hills down to Whaley Bridge Basin at the start of the Peak Forest Canal for further transportation  by barge.

Our path took us past a pair of curious llamas in a field on our left and a shrine to a young man called Steven O’Riordan, who went missing after being last seen at that point in 2011. After diverting briefly to the main road, passing The Cock and then returning to the path, we continued until just before the start of the Shallcross Incline Greenway to follow a wooden public footpath sign on our right.

This brought us to a children’s playground, which we crossed to enter a passageway leading to a road. We turned right and descended to the end of Mevril Road and crossed the main road (23mins) to follow the path indicated by a wooden public footpath sign.

This led to a footbridge over the Goyt (28mins) and a steep climb to reach St James Church at Taxal on our right. Here we turned left (32mins) and ignored our usual route over a stile immediately on our right, continuing along the lane. This took us past Overton Hall Farm on our right (51mins).

We crossed a lane (57mins) and followed a wooden public footpath sign which took us uphill to a four-way junction of footpaths. The route ahead led to Blackhillgate Farm, but we turned left and then right over a ladder stile to take a path on the right of a wood (64mins)

As we made our way through the wood with a drystone wall on our right, a pack of seven dogs came running towards us. There was some snarling and baring of teeth (by John) as the animals abandoned their two dog-walkers and rushed towards us. There was a massive Tibetan mastiff, a German Shepherd, a bulldog, two Labradors, a Jack Russell and a seventh dog of unknown parentage.

Our intrepid demeanour and stiff upper lips were enough to dissuade them from any violence on this occasion although John rightly informed the dog-walkers that animals on a public footpath should be kept under proper control.

When we exited the wood (70mins) we turned left uphill towards Windgather Rocks which we reached (77mins) and walked along the ridge until we came to a sheltered sheep fold where we stopped for Pietime (82mins)

Your diarist’s attempt to produce a flask of port was thwarted by the fact that he had failed to swap back the flask for a camera he had taken on holiday the week before. A sobering lack of thought !

Continuing afterwards, we left the path to walk along the road to the plaque for Pym Chair (102mins) This was the name given to a group of rocks where, according to legend, either a highwayman or a priest came to rob or preach to passers-by.

Our original plan had been to turn right towards Saltersford and thence through Dunge Valley to Kettleshulme for refreshment at The Swan. However the majority chose another option of turning left towards Buxton and having a livener in The Shady Oak at Fernilee. We all headed downhill in the direction of Buxton with John remarking how he had fond memories of walking in this area many years ago, knowing the terrain, as he put it, “like the back of my hand”.

This was the source of some amusement later when he took the wrong path, leading a gullible Tom on a short cut which enabled them to reach the pub ten minutes later than anyone else.

Your diarist and the other four had descended beyond the dam dividing Fernilee and Errwood reservoirs (134mins) and on the far side turning left at a wooden public footpath sign (137mins) This led down to a path with Fernilee Reservoir on its left. At the end of the lake (156mins) we swung right and then left to head uphill to a main road (162mins)

A left turn brought us to The Shady Oak on our right (171mins) Apart from bringing us amusement with his late arrival, John also brought another smile to our faces by buying a round of drinks to mark his birthday. Many happy returns.

The English Pale Ale was in excellent form and Tom declared it to be “a snip” at £3-40 a pint.

On leaving the pub we turned right and immediately right again to head uphill to Elnor Lane (173mins) We turned left downhill and reached Shall Cross (179mins) where we stopped for lunch.

Shall Cross is an 8th Century stone relic dedicated to St Paulius, Archbishop of York. When the Danes invaded the area they called it a shacklecross because of its resemblance to the shackle pin on a horse-drawn cart. It stood at this site for 1,000 years, although the cross stone on top of the square-chamfered end disappeared during the Danish invasion.

In the 19th Century it was moved to Fernilee Hall before being returned to its original site.

Continuing after lunch, we proceeded down Elnor Lane before turning left into Shallcross Road (181mins) On the right (182mins) was Shallcross Incline Greenway, the continuation of the disused Cromford and High Peak Railway line.

A plaque there informed us that this was once the site of Shallcross Hall, a three-storey Georgian house overlooking the Goyt Valley. It was built in 1691 and survived until 1967 when it was demolished after a fire. It had been the home of John Shallcross, who became High Sheriff of Derbyshire.

When we exited the Greenway we retraced our former footsteps along the disused railway line to reach the centre of Whaley Bridge and the White Hart (209mins) Pints of Blonde Witch at £3-30 were in good form.

Next week’s walk will start from Brabyns Park Car Park at Marple Bridge at 9.30am, from where we will attempt to go via Cown Edge to The Oddfellows at Mellor for about 12.20pm before finishing at The Norfolk Arms, Marple Bridge, at around 2.15pm.

Photos below by Tom Cunliffe

The following week (February 25) there will be a triple birthday celebration marked with pies, peas and pints at the Kinder Lodge, Hayfield, courtesy of Colin, Ken and Julian. Would those planning to attend please inform Colin (07889-998528) not less than the night beforehand so he can inform the caterers ?

Happy wandering !