Wednesday Wandering: Middle Moor

9TH September, 2015.

MIDDLE MOOR, WHITE BROW,FARLANDS BOOTH, BROAD CLOUGH, KINDER LOWE END, OAKEN CLOUGH, COLDWELL CLOUGH, MOUNT FAMINE, CHINLEY HEAD, THE LAMB INN, PEEP O DAY, FAR PHOSIDE, HAYFIELD, CALICO TRAIL, LITTLE HAYFIELD, THE LANTERN PIKE

Distance: 10 ½ miles.

Difficulty: Steepish in places.

Weather: Cloudy with occasional sunshine

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe, Mark Gibby, and new boy M.O.T. Ron

Apologies: too many apologies and absentees to mention

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Cunliffe. Photographer: Cunliffe

Starting point: the Lantern Pike Inn.

Starting time: 9.30am. Finishing time: 2.40pm.

This week our numbers were somewhat denuded with just two of our regular stalwarts but that didn’t detract from our enjoyment, some might say it added to it, though I couldn’t possible agree!

Notwithstanding this poor turnout, our numbers were swelled by 50% with the addition of a new WW member, affectionately known as M.O.T. Ron, a Little Hayfield local, he’s been retired for a considerable numbers of years and is a regular walker, usually in the Cheshire area, nevertheless, we may see him more often.

The three amigos left the Pike at 9:30am and headed up Park Hall towards Middle Moor dropping down to skirt around the reservoir crossing the road which joins Upper House with Hayfield villageand headed towards Broad Clough.

Upper House is a magnificent 14th Century dwelling standing quite isolated on the side of Kinder Scout at the convergence of ancient pack horse routes from Glossop, Hayfield and Edale.Neighbouring farms were compulsorily purchased and demolished when Sir James Watts, Mayor of Manchester, sold the land to Stockport Water Authority for the Reservoir in the late 1800’s. Sir James insisted that he retain Upper House as his shooting lodge, and set about improving it with the talented architects, masons and craftsmen that created the municipal works of the day. The estate was then used solely for recreation, with the two woodlands being created to enhance the available game stocks on the moors.

James Watts, as Lord Mayor of Manchester and very wealthy textile merchant, entertained many society figures at his shooting parties. His son, also James, became the brother-in-law of Agatha Christie who enjoyed many stays at the house. Today Upper House is used as an up market wedding venue and general place of gathering.

More interesting information can be found by clicking on linkhttp://www.upperhousehayfield.com/

We proceeded along our way towards Broad Clough where we stopped for a photo opportunity.

Continuing our journey, we skirted around Kinderlowe End entering Oaken Clough then Coldwell Clough. Climbing the steep track we reached a bridleway at the top and turned left, as we skirtedMount Famine we came up around the back of The Lamb reaching said destination at 12:20pm where Thwaite’s Wainwright and Jenning’s Cumberland were happily quaffed, and at just £3.00 per pint all was well with the men. Mr Gibby enquired about buying a couple of bowls of chips, sorry was the reply we don’t do bowls of chips by themselves ………. Enough said!

Checking my watch it was 1:30pm, we had dallied for 80 minutes. We quickly left the building and set off towards Peep O Day picking up the footpath which runs parallel with the main road eventually reaching Hayfield where M.O.T. Ron left the party leaving Mark and your diarist to complete the walk along Calico Trail arriving back at HQ at 2:40pm where chips were served to the hoarding masses (both of us) freely given by the very kind and considerate management. Round of applause please!

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the main car park in Bollington with half time refreshments at the Robin Hood arriving back at Bollington at 2:15pm.