Marple

March 11, 2015.

MARPLE, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, HIGHER POYNTON, LYME PARK, LYME CAGE, ST MARY’S CHURCH AT DISLEY, THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY, PEAK FOREST CANAL, THE RING O’ BELLS AT MARPLE

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry and Sunny at start with chill wind and rain later.

Walkers: Steve Courtney, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney with Tips, George Whaites.

Apology: Peter Beal (walking in Lake District), Tom Cunliffe (knee problem).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Roads outside Ring O’ Bells pub, Marple.

Starting time: 9.33am. Finishing times: 2.20-2.40pm.

What had seemed at first sight to be a straightforward walk became anything but for a variety of unrelated reasons. There was no sign of trouble ahead as we set off in tepid wintry sunshine with a cool breeze in our faces.

Things started to disintegrate when George received a message from Lesley that their daughter was ill and had been taken to hospital. He decided at Higher Poynton to make his way back to your diarist’s house where his car was parked and assist with babysitting duties back at his home. Happily the patient was later responding well to treatment and expected to return home in 24 hours.

After pausing for refreshment and receiving a round of drinks to celebrate Steve’s birthday, we made our way to the Peak Forest Canal for a simple walk along the right bank back to our final watering hole. But workmen strengthening the canal bank with girders had closed the towpath in several places with no indication of an alternative route.

To make matters worse, rain which had been forecast to start at 2pm arrived 45 minutes early, While your diarist was putting on his “magic” waterproofs, he and Jock became detached from the trio ahead. We sought guidance from Tips, but in such circumstances a bloodhound would have been more useful than a collie. Our efforts to find our way back to the canal were successful, only to discoveranother section of the towpath closed for repair work, obliging us to return to the road we had left and arrive at the pub some 20 minutes behind our advance party.

Once again we had proved the old adage: if anything can go wrong it will.

From the front of the Ring O’ Bells we crossed the road and descended the spiralling cobbles on our left to reach the right bank of the Macclesfield Canal at Bridge 2. This was the start of a flat walk for more than an hour as we passed under the A6 (40mins) at Hazel Grove and continued to Lord Vernon’s Wharf at Higher Poynton (67mins) where George departed on his errand of mercy.

We crossed Bridge 15 here to head uphill towards Lyme Park, reaching the entrance gate opposite the aptly-named “Windgather.” This five-bedroomed property is empty and on the market for £600,000. Despite protestations about the blustery conditions from one of our number, who was sporting a bouffant curly grey hairstyle, but who shall remain nameless, our leader declared we were stopping here for pies and ginger mac (86mins)

Continuing, we aimed towards the lake near the National Trust cafe in Lyme Park and then took the path uphill to Lyme Cage (114mins). From here, with its magnificent panoramic views, the only way was down and we descended towards the entrance hut before turning right to exit via the east gate (129mins)

This took us on to Red Lane, which we walked up and then down, bearing right to go through the churchyard of St Mary’s, Disley (142mins)

This Anglican church is Grade 2 listed by English Heritage. It was originally intended as a chantry chapel for the fifth Sir Piers Legh of Lyme in the early 16th Century, but he died before its completion. This is hardly surprising as it took 31 years to complete between 1527-58.

Parish registers begin in 1591. It was restored in the 19th Century, although the original 16th roof was retained. It is constructed of camber beam and richly moulded and decorated with bosses, angels and crows’ feet.

It contains memorials to the Legh family. There is also a floor memorial to Joseph Watson, a park keeper at Lyme for more than 64 years who died in 1753 at the astonishing age of 104 !

Exiting the churchyard we went down cobblestones to reach the A6, where we turned right and crossed the road where The Dandy Cock was on our left (147mins) Here we toasted the anniversary of Steve’s birth 57 years earlier and congratulated him for being in such good shape for a man approaching middle age.

After drinking to his health in Robbies’ Unicorn bitter at £2-90 a pint, we left the pub turning right and immediately right again downhill under the Manchester-Buxton line railway bridge and into Hagg Bank Lane (150mins)

Our route should have taken us to Higgins Clough Swing Bridge, but one of our group knew a quicker way.  (I wonder whether you can guess who this was). So Lawrie was persuaded to ignore the right turn and carry on towards Wood End Lift Bridge, which was closed for repairs. We were obliged to back-track to the swing bridge (164mins), cross it and turn left along the right bank of the Peak Forest Canal.

By now light drizzle had become light rain and we were stopped for lunch under the shelter of Bridge 23 (180mins) Resuming, we found our way ahead blocked at Bridge 22 for more repairs and were obliged to leave the towpath with no diversion signs to guide us. We went left over the bridge and headed uphill, turning right at a road marked for Hawk Green and Hazel Grove (190mins)

We turned right out of Turf Lea (195mins) and it was at this point your diarist and Jock became detached from the trio who knew the way. A phone call to Colin went unanswered because he had turned it on to mute mode for a bridge match the previous evening !

After taking a footpath down to the canal, only to find the towpath blocked by further repair work, the abandoned stragglers returned to the road and reached the Ring o’ Bells(235mins).

Next week’s walk will start from the rear car park of The Unicorn, at Dean Row, Handforth, at 9.30am. Our aim will be to reach The Admiral Rodney at Prestbury around noon for a bracer and then return to The Unicorn around 2pm and head for The Davenport Arms (known locally as the Thief’s Neck) at 2.10pm.

Happy wandering !