Disley

December 28, 2016.

DISLEY STATION, RING O’ BELLS, BOLLINGHURST RESERVOIR, MILLENIUM WOOD, BOLKER HALL FARM, BLACK ROCKS, BYRON HOUSE, GREENSHALL LANE, LOWER GREENSHALL LANE, PEAK FOREST CANAL, GOYT VALLEY, HAGUE BAR, HAGUE FOLD ROAD, THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, STRINES STATION, BRUCE’S CLOCK, PEAK FOREST CANAL, HOLLINS CLOUGH SWING BRIDGE, THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY

Distance: 10 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Early mist clearing to produce a bright sunny day.

Walkers: Mark Gibby, Alan Hart and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Terry Jowett and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, George Dearsley and Lawrie Fairman .

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free car parking places at Disley Railway Station.

Starting time: 9.30am. Finishing time: 2.24pm.

Yuletide social duties depleted the numbers for this walk. What was lost in quantity was gained in quality and the trio of A-teamers were rewarded with a glorious sunny day. There was clear visibility from the summit of Black Rocks where we enjoyed a 360 degrees panorama. Sadly, in the absence of any experienced leaders, we did not know all the names of the landmarks in our spectacular surroundings.

For the second successive week your diarist was obliged to wear the mantle of navigator – a responsibility which has never rested lightly on his shoulders. After the early mist disappeared, leading was made even more difficult by a bright low sun which seemed to follow us around and always be shining in our eyes.

It would be churlish to complain about the nuisance of a bright sun in north-west England on December 28, however, and we did manage to negotiate the route with only one minor diversion. We also had the pleasure of meeting the B-teamers at our first watering hole and being re-joined by them at the final pub.

From the station car park we turned right, passing The Ram’s Head on our right and then turning right again just before The White Horse to enter Ring O’ Bells Lane. This took us up to a building with a set of golden bells on its wall. This was once a pub called the Ring O’ Bells and is now a Quaker meeting house.

We turned right in front of the building, crossed a wooden footbridge and followed a path between the graveyard of Disley parish church, St Mary The Virgin. Beyond the graves we took a path diagonally left to cut off a corner (7mins), turned left for 20 yards along a lane and then crossed a wooden stile on our right (9mins) to cross a field diagonally right in the direction of Lyme Cage in the distance.

We exited the field via another wooden stile and took the lane straight ahead. Just before it reached a farm we turned left (17mins) through a wooden kissing gate and walked through a field. Bollinghurst Reservoir soon became visible on our right and we followed the path by a drystone wall which protected the lake.

After passing through a wooden gate and two wooden stiles we turned right at a wooden stile which led into a wood at the end of the reservoir (28mins). After crossing a wooden stile we reached a metal gate at a four-way junction of paths. We went through the gate and carried straight across the junction (32mins) then swung left as we reached a cottage on our right (34mins).

This brought us into Millennium Wood where we followed the beaten path as it headed diagonally right to emerge on a road. We turned right (38mins) and passed Bolker Hall Farm on our left before crossing the road and heading left over a wooden stile by the side of a wooden public footpath sign pointing to Black Rocks.

We walked through a muddy field containing two horses and exited by a wooden stile, aiming for a wooden public footpath sign. We took a path left (47mins) and aimed for the ridge. With the sun glaring directly into our eyes and with hoar frost everywhere, it was difficult to pick out the path but we kept heading upwards for the ridge which we finally reached (65mins).

After admiring the views we started our descent, crossing a ladder stile (71mins). We passed a green building on our left which was known as The Owls’ Nest, being used as an outward bound base for the pupils of Manchester Grammar School, whose caps and blazers bear a badge in which a grey owl is prominent.

Shortly after this landmark, your diarist failed to spot a wooden stile in the hidden corner of a field and we wrongly headed through a broken gate into a field which proved to be a cul de sac. Your diarist retraced his footsteps and found the missing stile while his followers climbed over a gate to reach the right field. We were reunited in the garden of a cottage where a right of way led to a minor road.

We crossed this and followed a public footpath sign at the left side of Byron House (92mins). Beyond the house we turned left down a public footpath which brought us on to Greenshall Lane by the side of Pear Tree Cottage (94mins). We turned right and walked downhill along a rocky road until we emerged on the A6 (107mins).

We crossed this into Lower Greenshall Lane, walking under a railway bridge to reach the Peak Forest Canal (112mins). We turned left to access the towpath and sat on a bench by the side of Bridge 27 for pies and port, bathed in warm sunshine. With the canal on our left we continued to Bridge 25 (126mins)   and turned right through a gap stile.

A muddy path led us over a footbridge (136mins). We crossed a wooden stile and headed right up a flight of steps (137mins) and crossed another wooden stile (138mins). By turning left at a tree marked with a yellow arrow (139mins) we were able to skirt to the left of a pond and enter a car park.

We followed the car park exit to reach a road, where we turned right for ten yards before turning left at a wooden public footpath sign marked with a yellow arrow. We kept initially to the higher path with the River Goyt on our left below. The path went down to the river and then turned right to avoid a large house before it led us back on to the main road.

We turned left (147mins) and crossed a road bridge over the Goyt. On our right was The Torrs Riverside Park , the entrance to Mousely Bottom Wood and a recently refurbished children’s playground. At a road junction (155mins) we crossed into Hague Fold Road for a steep climb which led us ultimately to a narrow road by the side of a memorial bench to Eric Burdekin (164mins).

We turned left and reached The Fox at Brook Bottom (166mins), where we found the trio of B-teamers starting their second pints. The Robbies’ Unicorn cask bitter at £3-15 a pint was in good form again after recent disappointments.

Leaving the pub we turned right in front of a red phone box and descended a rocky path which led us under a railway bridge with Strines Station on our left (179mins).

Literary researchers have claimed a connection between Strines Station and Edith Nesbit, whose book, The Railway Children, was published in 1906 and made into a movie in 1970 starring Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins, Jenny Agutter and Sally Thomsett. They believe that Edith, who lived in Kent, was inspired by visits to her step-sister.

 Saretta Deakin lived in Mellor next to a real cottage called The Three Chimneys – the name of the fictional cottage described in the book and film. References in Edith’s writing can also be attributed to New Mills, Birch Vale, Thornsett and Strines.

After passing the lake on the right we caught up with the B-team and joined them for lunch on the stones beneath Bruce’s Clock (182mins). Resuming, we crossed the roadbridge over the Goyt and went straight across Strines Road (186mins), passing the house built by “Peeres Swindels” in 1694 (191mins).

We turned left just before the aqueduct carrying the Peak Forest Canal across our path (194mins) and went left over a wooden stile to head diagonally left to a gap stile, which we squeezed through to join the towpath. We turned left with the canal on our right. We went under Bridge 23 (200mins)and Wood End Lift Bridge 24 (207mins) before leaving the canal by crossing Hollins Clough Swing Bridge 25 (213mins).

The road took us under a railway bridge to reach the Dandy Cock (223mins) for more excellent Robbies’ Unicorn, this time at £2-95 a pint. We were later joined by the B team.

On Sunday, January 1, we will be having our traditional New Year’s Day walk starting at 10.30am from Poynton Sports Club car park. We will head for the Macclesfield Canal at Higher Poynton and, by way of a change, turn left to reach The Bull’s Head at High Lane, aiming to arrive at noon. We will return to Poynton for further refreshment. I need to find out which pub is open around 2pm when we expect to return. Please bear in mind that January 1 is “Ladies day” and that friends and family of any gender or transgender are most welcome.

The first Wednesday walk of the year will start at 9.30am on January 4 from the car park of The Boar’s Head at Higher Poynton, with Mark offering to make his debut as leader. It is his intention to take us into Lyme Park and then to head towards Pott Shrigley before pausing for a livener at The Miners Arms, Wood Lane Ends, Adlington, around 12.15pm. We expect to finish back in The Boar’s Head at about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !

Poynton Pool

December 21, 2016.

POYNTON POOL, PRINCES INCLINE, TOWERS YARD FARM, SYD GOODWILL MEMORIAL BENCH, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, MIDDLECALE COTTAGE, LORD VERNON’S WHARF, THE BOAR’S HEAD AT HIGHER POYNTON, ANSON ROAD, DAVENPORT GOLF COURSE, LADY’S INCLINE AND THE BULL’S HEAD AT POYNTON

Distance: Seven miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Mild and dry while walking.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney with Tips, and George Whaites.

B Walkers: Phil Burslem, George Fraser, Tony Job, Terry Jowett  and Ken Sparrow.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (foot injury), Tom Cunliffe (pub duties), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Steve Kemp (convalescing)Chris Owen (domestic duties) and Geoff Spurrell (heavy cold).

Leader and Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Poynton Pool car park, off Anglesey Drive, Poynton.

Starting time: 10.19 am. Finishing time: 1.58pm.

Never has an instruction been so joyfully received. “It’s raining outside. We’d better have another pint” was the order. No vote was necessary. The Remainers were unanimous. Furthermore we were rewarded for our patience because 20 minutes (one pint) later, the rain had ceased.

So, on the shortest day of the year, we had our shortest walk. This is often the case on the Wednesday before Christmas when, traditionally, your diarist has hosted a bacon butty breakfast accompanied by mulled wine and followed by mince pies. 

Despite my best efforts the target of a 10am departure time is rarely reached as Wanderers are urged to finish off the last bacon sandwich or mince pie. The wine disappeared as usual without any encouragement being necessary.

After breakfast we assembled in the car park next to Poynton Pool and proceeded along the path with the lake on our left, containing its usual assortment of wading birds – mallards, coots, moorhens, swans, Canada geese, an Egyptian goose and a flock of inshore seagulls. We emerged on South Park Drive, turned right for ten yards and then left along the main road. After some 50 yards we turned left into Woodside Close (13mins).

With Lady’s Incline to the right of the houses we chose the path on the left which is Princes Incline. In the days of mining in Poynton, these were rail tracks which relied on gravity to bring down tubs laden with coal, the weight of which carried empty tubs back uphill for loading. At the end we crossed Towers Road (23mins), passing Towers Yard Farm on our left (25mins). On the right was a plot of land on which an application had been made to build a new detached house.

Our path crossed another and we followed a yellow arrow to cross a road (41mins). This took us past the former home of late Wanderer and local artist Ian Price on our left just before we crossed Hilton Road (44mins) and a bridge over the Middlewood Way. The path continued past a memorial bench to a local ancient called Syd Goodwill on the left (47mins) until we reached the Macclesfield Canal (51mins).

The Macclesfield Canal is one of six which makes up The Cheshire Ring system. It was built between 1826 and 1831 by Thomas Telford. It runs for 26 miles from Marple, where it joins the Upper Peak Forest Canal, south for 16 miles toBosley, where it descends 12 locks, and continues through Congleton to Hall Green, which is a branch connecting it to the Trent and Mersey Canal.

We turned left to reach Bridge 13, by the side of an increasingly decorated pill-box. We left the canal here by turning left and swinging over the bridge to the far side of the canal. We passed Middlecale Cottage on our right (61mins). Beyond it, in a field on our right, two friendly deer came over to the fence to greet us in a second seasonal display of goodwill.

At the entrance to a farm on our right, we turned left and then turned right at a path marked with a yellow arrow (68mins). We turned right again over a wooden stile (73mins). Another wooden stile on our left was crossed and we then turned right to cross Bridge 14 (81mins). This took us back to the far bank of the Macclesfield Canal where we turned left.

The towpath, with the waterway on our left, soon brought us to Lord Vernon’s Wharf (90mins). Here, among the geese and mallards, Lawrie spotted a goosander. We paused at benches for snacks and were joined almost immediately by the B team. Continuing, we walked slowly down away from the canal, anxious not to reach The Boar’s Head before noon. In fact we arrived at 11.59am (93mins) to find it already open and busy.

After sampling the Black Sheep (£3-20) or Landlord (£3-25) cask bitter, the rain started to fall and we were obliged to stay for further refreshment. There were no dissenters rushing for The Boar’s Head exit – or Brexiteers, you might say.

By the time another pint had been sunk, the rain has passed by and we left the pub, tuning left immediately into Anson Road. We walked downhill to the end of the road, crossed it, and then headed uphill on to the grounds of Davenport Golf Club (105mins). We turned left through a gate and crossed the fairway to exit the course via a kissing gate. The path crossed Towers Road and led to Lady’s Incline (115mins).

We walked down the path into Woodside Close and at its end turned right along the main road (128mins). This brought us, after crossing, to The Bull’s Head at Poynton. Here we enjoyed pints of Original at £3-30 or Christmas Cracker at £3-40.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the section of free parking spaces at Disley Railway Station. We will be heading towards Millenium Wood and Black Rocks before dropping down across the A6, up Hague Bar to The Fox at Brook Bottom, hoping to reach it at noon. From there we will return via Strines to Disley for drinks in The Dandy Cock at about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !

High Lane

December 14, 2016.

HIGH LANE, JACKSONS EDGE, DISLEY GOLF COURSE, STANLEY HALL, STRINES, GOYT WAY, GREENCLOUGH FARM, ROMAN LAKES, SITE OF MELLOR MILL, MANCHESTER-SHEFFIELD RAILWAY LINE, RING O’ BELLS AT MARPLE, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, GOYT MILL AND DOG AND PARTRIDGE AT HIGH LANE

Distance: Eight miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry, warm and sunny.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B walkers: Phil Burslem, George Fraser, Tony Job, Terry Jowett and Geoff Spurrell.

Non-walking drinker: Pete Morrall.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (foot injury), George Dearsley (in Turkey) and Mark Gibby (caring for relative in Ripon),

Leaders:  Davison and Fairman.

Starting point: 11, Carr Brow, High Lane, Disley.

Startring time: 10.10am. Finishing time: 2.04pm.

This walk marked the start of the Wednesday Wanderers’ festive activities and we celebrated Yuletide in style. Colin demonstrated his multi-tasking skills as host, maitre d’, chef and wine waiter as he produced bacon balm cakes and mulled wine for his guests. As we were let down by the non-appearance of Angela in her promised role as pole-dancer last year, we were grateful that Colin did not attempt to add that feat to his accomplishments.

The free food and wine swelled our ranks to 14 walkers and the former category of non-walking drinker returned with the arrival at our final watering hole of Pete Morrall. His emigration to Spain ended prior to the Brexit vote in the Referendum so we have every reason to hope he will not be deported when the terms are negotiated.

In our continued efforts to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, there will be more free food and drinks to look forward to next week, the details of which can be found at the end of this report.

From Colin’s home we turned left uphill and entered Jacksons Edge Road (5mins) before turning left at a green public footpath sign marked Stanley Hall (7mins). This path took us on to Disley Golf Course, where we kept right and passed the sign for Disley Golf Club, founded in 1889.

Scotland claims to have invented the game of golf in the 15^th Century and the old course at St Andrews is regarded as the “home” of golf. Interestingly (I hope), the game was banned in 1457 by Scottish King James ll, who thought young men were neglecting their archery skills. The ban was upheld by subsequent kings until it was lifted in 1502 by James lV, a keen golfer.

After passing this sign on our right (14mins) we passed the rebuilt Stanley Hall on our left. The former Grade 2 listed building was a derelict ruin a year ago, but has been given a thoroughly modern makeover. We followed a public footpath sign with a yellow arrow down a flight of steps and another yellow arrow pointing diagonally left to reach a path which exited the course.

We crossed a wooden stile and a bridge over the Peak Forest Canal, turning right to swing under Bridge 23 with the waterway on our left (25mins). We turned right at a gap stile (31mins) to walk down to a wooden stile which we crossed and turned right (32mins). On our left we passed a house with an inscription reading “Peeres Swindels purchest this house in the yeares 1694.” Clearly dyslexia is not a 21^st Century phenomenon.

Crossing Strines Road we entered Station Road and crossed a bridge over the River Goyt (41mins). On our left was Bruce’s Clock. This turret clock was made by Thomas Bruce, a foreman mechanic at Strines Print Works, in 1809.

We passed a lake containing a dovecote on our left and Strines Hall to our right before turning left at a red sign for the Goyt Way (45mins). After crossing a bridge over the Manchester-Sheffield railway we paused for pies and port (49mins). This was to be the first of several criss-crossings of the line.

Continuing we passed Greenclough Farm on our left and headed left along the Goyt Way (52mins). Where the path forked we kept to the higher one marked with a yellow arrow and went through a tunnel under the railway line (63mins). The path joins the right bank of the Goyt and we passed Roman Bridge on our left (69mins).

After walking under a viaduct (72mins) we inspected the remains of Mellor Mill, a huge six-storey building once employing hundreds of people. The mill was established by Samuel Oldknow on his Bottoms Hall Estate in 1788 and destroyed by fire in 1892. Lottery funding to unearth the foundations of the mill and its ancillary buildings runs out in July next year, we were told by a guide.

We returned from our brief foray into Bottoms Mill Road on our right and crossed a bridge over the Goyt (90mins) before following a yellow arrow which led us up a flight of steps to Strines Road (91mins). Again we crossed the Manchester-Sheffield railway line, this time via a footbridge. A flight of steps brought us to a road where we turned left (97mins) and climbed a road to the left of Churchgate Lodge.

This took us past All Saints Primary School, Marple, on our left and the cheery sight of the Ring O’ Bells directly ahead. We reached it at precisely 12 noon (102mins) and it was no fault of our leaders that we had to wait a further two minutes, along with the B walkers, for the doors to open. The Robbies’ cask bitter, at £3-10 a pint was in excellent form.

Suitably refreshed, we turned left out of the pub and descended to the right bank of the Macclesfield Canal. This was a direct route back to High Lane, passing Goyt Mill on the left bank (112mins) before exiting at Bridge 11 (143mins). We turned left on the main A6 towards Buxton and soon reached The Dog and Partridge at High Lane on our right (146mins).

After several efforts to start a new barrel, the Wainwrights’ cask bitter was in good nick at a modest £2-95 a pint and the Christmas roast meal was a real bargain at £4-49.

Next week’s walk will start from your diarist’s home at 68, London Road North, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1BY, at about 10am. From 9am there will be bacon butties, mince pies and mulled wine. We intend to take a walk in the direction of Lyme Park and after some perambulations reach The Boar’s Head at Higher Poynton around 12.15pm. After a bracer there, we will finish our walk at The Bull’s Head, Poynton, at about 2.15pm.

It might be helpful if some of those driving used the car park at the end of my road next to Poynton Pool, where it is an eight-minute walk from the Bull’s Head finishing post.

Happy wandering !

 

Dean Row

December 7, 2016.

DEAN ROW, HANDFORTH, BOLLIN VALLEY WAY, MOTTRAM ST ANDREW GOLF COURSE, NORTH CHESHIRE WAY, THE BULLS HEAD AT MOTTRAM ST ANDREW, LEGH OLD HALL, LOWER GADHOLE FARM, THE ADMIRAL RODNEY AT PRESTBURY, PRESTBURY SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS, THE UNICORN AT DEAN ROW

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Cloudy start but sun and blue skies later.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen and George Whaites.

B Walkers: Phil Burslem, Tony Job, Ken Sparrow and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (sore foot), Tom Cunliffe (pub duties),George Dearsley (in Turkey) and  Julian Ross (domestic duties).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of The Unicorn at Dean Row, Handforth.

Starting time: 9.34am. Finishing time: 2.17pm.

The day got off to an exciting start when we found the support staff for a film crew ensconced in the car park, along with an unexpectedly large number of other vehicles. We briefly anticipated the imminent arrival of Keira Knightley or Kate Winslett. We would have even settled for Helen Mirren, but we never solved the mystery of why the film caterers and a double-decker bus were there. 

Our hopes that they might be reprising Last of the Summer Wine, giving us a chance of stardom, were dispelled when we were told they were shooting an advert. If true, which we doubt, the commercial would have featured a cast of hundreds.

Although the opportunity for fame and fortune once again disappeared, we enjoyed a largely flat walk, with only a few patches of mud and the cloud gave way to blue skies and sunshine in the afternoon.

There was also a chance for Chris to take a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane past the soccer pitch where he once played for Prestbury FC. One could imagine a footman calling out the names as the players stepped on to the pitch – Algernon Fortescue, Sebastian Cholmondley-Warner, Chris Owen...

From The Unicorn car park we turned right and right again at the roundabout into Lees Lane. We turned right once again at a public footpath sign (4mins), followed a track into a farmyard, swung right and crossed a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow (7mins). This was to be the first of a series of wooden stiles and kissing gates too numerous to mention.

We followed a sign for The Bollin Valley Way (13mins) and turned right at a renovated farmhouse, following a yellow arrow (23mins). We went up a flight of steps to reach a road (26mins) where we turned right, crossed a bridge over The Bollin and descended a flight of steps on the left. With the Bollin now on our left we followed a path which led us between two buildings and brought us on to the course of Mottram Hall Golf and County Club.

By following the path on the left of the course, we swung left and passed a soccer training pitch on our right (38mins). We turned right at a metal kissing gate to exit the course (44mins) and then crossed an unmarked wooden stile to rejoin it (53mins). After passing a sign marked NCW (North Cheshire Way) we went into trees but soon turned left to leave the copse and turned right to take a path which was the continuation of the North Cheshire Way.

We passed Healey Hill on our left (66mins) and crossed a main road into Priest Lane (69mins). On our left was The Bulls Head at Mottram St Andrew, which should hang it in shame for the want of an apostrophe. After 40 yards along Priest Lane we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign at the side of Rose Cottage (71mins). We turned left again at a similar sign (72mins) and then crossed a series of wooden stiles and a footbridge, passing a pink thatched cottage on our right before stopping for Pietime (84mins) on a flight of steps.

Continuing we turned left at a green footpath sign to reach a road and dog-legged left and right (86mins) to reach some expensive homes including Legh Old Hall on our left. This was built towards the end of the 16th Century , rebuilt in the 17th Century and altered in the 20th Century. It is constructed of coursed buff sandstone rubble with a Kerrdige slate roof. It is a Grade 2 listed building on the National Heritage list.

After passing the hall we turned left, went through a metal kissing gate and headed diagonally right downhill (90mins). After taking a wrong turn we were punished by encountering our first stretch of mud. We recovered our position by climbing over a metal gate and reaching Lower Gadhole Farm (106mins) where we turned right to follow a yellow arrow.

We followed yellow arrows to reach a wooden footbridge and headed up steps to a wooden kissing gate (114mins). We turned left through a field, went through a wooden gate on our left and turned right along a lane (116mins). This brought us to a concrete bridge over the Bollin, which we crossed and turned right (118mins).

The path on the left bank of the river merged into a road with a football pitch on the right. It was here where Chris was recruited as a young man “to stiffen up the back four.” No comment.

We carried on into Prestbury, passing The Village Club on our left (126mins) and immediately turning left to see the B-teamers entering the rear of The Admiral Rodney on the right. We followed suit (127mins) and joined them for excellent points of Robbies’ Unicorn bitter for £3-20.

The pub is named after Sir George Brydges Rodney, first baron and a knight of the Order of the Bath (1718-92). Born of humble origins, Rodney went to sea at 14 and rose through the ranks to become an admiral. He also represented five different constituencies in the House of Commons during a career in which he captured four enemy admirals – two Spanish, one French and one Dutch – during a two year spell at sea.

He was a controversial character, described by his enemies as vain, selfish and unscrupulous. At one stage he fled to France to avoid his creditors and had to be rescued from jail by a benefactor to enjoy his finest hour, defeating the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782 and saving Jamaica from falling into their hands.

With thirsts quenched we retraced our footsteps back to the concrete bridge across the Bollin, carrying straight on there and keeping the river on our left. The footpath took us past Prestbury  Treatment Works, which is easily the biggest sewage farm your diarist has seen. The people of Prestbury must be full of it.

We reached the start of the treatment works on our right (143mins) and left it 15 minutes later before stopping for lunch (159mins) at the far edge of a wood. Continuing we went through a metal kissing gate and turned left over a wooden footbridge across the Bollin (164mins) and turned right to follow apath with the river on our right. This brought us back to the Mottram Hall Golf Club course (169mins) where we were once again able to retrace our steps all the way back to our cars.

There was still no sign of thespians, famous or otherwise, using the facilities of the film crew’s support team. Inside the pub we were offered a selection of cask ales at £3-36 a pint, with a 10 per cent discount if you were a CAMRA member (or pretended to be so).

Next week’s walk will start at 11, Carr Brow, High Lane, Disley, where Colin has kindly offered to provide bacon butties and mulled wine from 9am onwards. We anticipate leaving around 10am and heading for The Ring O’ Bells at Marple, which we hope to reach at about 12.15pm. We will then head back to The Dog and Partridge at High Lane for our traditional Christmas lunch, hoping to arrive at 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !

Hayfield

Hayfield

November 30, 2016

HAYFIELD VILLAGE, SETT VALLEY TRAIL, BIRCH VALE, MORLANDS ROAD, OLLERSETT MOOR, BIG STONE, CRACKEN EDGE, MAYNESTONE ROAD, THE LAMB INN AT CHINLEY HEAD, VERPOSTEN FARM, HIGHGATE ROAD, PACK HORSE INN AT HAYFIELD

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Cloudy but dry. Cold breeze on high ground.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Laurie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney and Tip, George Whaites

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (pub duties), Alan Hart (Barbados), George Dearsley (in Turkey)

Leader: Beal                                    Diarist: Beal

Starting point: Outside the Pack Horse Inn, Hayfield

Starting time: 09.40am                              Finishing time: 2.31pm

Mixed fortunes accompanied the eight Wanderers on this walk. The weather was overcast, but it stayed dry. And one of our favourite pubs dispensed disappointing ale - but it was compensated for later on at our finishing watering hole.

Although the Wanderers visit Hayfield regularly on their walks it was relatively unusual to start and finish in the village. Once a quiet backwater, Hayfield - originally Hedfelt or Hedfeld - blossomed during the Industrial Revolution, when it became a centre for the cotton and calico industries.

The parish once boasted more than 17 pubs - now reduced to seven - and dozens of shops and businesses. It is probably now best known as the scene of the Mass Trespass of 1932 on to the moors of Kinder Scout, an event credited with doing much to bring access to open spaces for walkers, and which led indirectly to the formation of the country's first national park in the Peak District.

My Peak District Companion tells me that its ancient fair was supposedly the inspiration for the traditional air 'Come Lassies and Lads' (no, me neither).

We started down a track immediately opposite the Pack Horse, which took us down to the River Sett and under the relief road. We turned left across a wooden footbridge and up steps that brought us to a new housing development alongside the Information Centre car park.

We turned right here to join the start of the Sett Valley Trail, a two-and-a-half mile route along the former Hayfield branch railway line to New Mills. In the early 20th century the trains would bring thousands of Manchester factory workers each weekend to the village to enjoy their fill of rare fresh air. Apparently drunkeness and fighting often ensued.

We followed the trail to Birch Vale, where we turned left at a fingerpost reading 'Chinley 4 miles' up a narrow path through a gate to reach the Hayfield to New Mills road at the Grouse pub (20 minutes).

We crossed the road and took a partly-metalled lane, Morland Road, to the left of the pub. This was the start of a climb of nearly 900 feet up on to Ollersett Moor. Where the track turned sharply left (35 mins), we went straight on through a gate on to a track up the open moor, with Birch Vale TV mast over to our right.

We ascended steadily, with fine views of the Kinder Scout plateau over to our left, although the top was covered in cloud, until the slope eased and we reached another gate at a two-way bridleway fingerpost. We went through the gate and crossed an open pasture to the far right corner, where we rejoined the track at a small stream (55  mins).

Shortly after, at another fingerpost (59 mins), we bore left uphill again and after a short descent, climbed to a stile. Soon afterwards we reached a rocky outcrop known as Big Stone, with good views over towards Buxton and the Cheshire uplands (67 min).

We turned right here along the escarpment that marks the start of Cracken Edge with its extensive gritstone quarry workings. Little seems to have been documented about the workings of the quarries, which date back to the 19th century and probably earlier, but much evidence remains, including remnants of machinery. There are also shafts which were sunk when it became difficult to access the stone by tradition quarrying.

Pie time was declared near the ruins of some workings and an old quarrymen's shelter (70 min).

We resumed along the escarpment before dropping down to a slightly lower path continuing in the same direction. When we reached the highest point of the cliffs on our right we turned sharp left down a rocky rake (80 min) to reach a path below. We turned left here for a short distance beforre turning sharp right, steep at first, to joint a distinct track running alongside a wall.

We crossed a stile (85 mins) and continued along a grassy track with a fence on our right. This brought us to a fence across our path with a fingerpost on our right (96 min). We turned left here, steeply downhill at first, through patches of heather and gorse.

This brought us down in to a field, where we continued through a gate and over a stile between two houses to emerge on Maynestone Road near Chinley (103 min). We turned left here, climbing gently for about a mile. We passed a large house on our left that used to be the former Chinley station house. It was dismantled and rebuilt here in 1902.

Shortly after we reached two houses on our right called Upper Lodge and Lower Lodge, where we took a footpath on the right leading us alongside some gardens (124 min).

This brought us to a gate and over a small stream uphill; to a second gate, which we went through to reach a field.

A sign here was not content with warning us 'Electric Fence'. It also warned us 'Elektrozown; Elektrisk Hegn; Schrikdraad; Elstangsel; Cercado Electrico and Cloture Electrique' for good measure. I'm not even sure if all those languages are from the good old EU.

We continued up the field with a wall on our left to reach another gate, where we turned right, soon reaching a sheep pen and a large gate which brought us out on to a farm track.

We turned left up this and after a short, steep climb reached the main Hayfield to Chapel road almost opposite the Lamb Inn (136 min).

Despite the friendly and welcoming, and indeed attractive, bar staff there was a tart reminder from their superior about not wandering on to carpeted areas in our boots. But most disappointing was the beer - the Marston's Pedigree and Ringwood Razor Back, both at £3-20, might not have been actually off. But they were certainly not spot-on.

Uncharacteristically, none of the Wanderers complained, perhaps to spare the barmaids' feelings. But this pub might not be in line for a Wanderers' certificate in the near future. We sought solice in a Cheeky Ram (insert own rude joke here), which at the same price proved far more acceptable.

Resuming, we turned left outside the Lamb before almost immediately scaling a stile on the left. The path skirted a clump of gorse and climbed up a field to a wall. Here it slanted left through more clumps of grouse until levelling out and coming to a small gate (144 mins).

Our objective of a farm over to our left was seen, but to save the descent and ascent we continued round the path and carried on left round the head of the small valley to reach the track to the farm near a stream (150 mins), shortly after which we stopped for lunch.

Resuming, we soon reached Verposten Farm, recently renovated. It's name is a mystery. In German if means 'outpost' and there was apparently a local theory that sheep and cattle never thrived on its slopes. But why should a German name have been adopted to refer to this? Who knows.

The footpath skirted the farm. Laurie and George, who had missed the gate, insisted on their walkers' right by continuing on over a stile and through the farm yard, still marked with a footpath sign. We rejoined the farm track, where we turned right, across a cattle grid and through a gate.

This soon joined a track descending to our right from the direction of South Head. We turned left down it and descended to a junction of bridleways (166 mins).

We carried straight on here down the track and joined a minor road (181 min). We turned right here and continued downhill along Highgate Road in to Hayfield village, reaching our starting point (221 min). We found at the Pack Horse that unknown walkers sounding suspiciously like our SOBs had left around half an hour earlier.

The beer at the Pack Horse was great improvement on our previous stop, with Pure Gold and Barnsley Farmers Gold at £3-20 on good form, helped by a friendly welcome from new landlady Emma, who with husband and chef Luke took over the place only seven weeks ago. They have restored the all-day opening hours and we wish them every success.

Next week's walk will start at the Unicorn Inn, Adlington Road, Wilmslow, at 9.30am, with en route refreshments at The Admiral Rodney, Prestbury, where Prosecco and canapes could presumably be taken, before returning to the Unicorn at 2.15pm.

Happy Wandering!

High Lane

HIGH LANE

November 23,2016

11, CARR BROW, HIGH LANE, LOMBERHEY FARM, RIDGE END, PEAK FOREST CANAL, ROMAN BRIDGE, COWN EDGE WAY, MELLOR GOLF CLUB, FOX INN AT BROOKBOTTOM, STRINES, DISLEY GOLF COURSE, CARR BROW

Distance: 8 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Dry and bright, wet underfoot

Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison and Tip, Laurie Fairman, Steve Kemp, Julian Ross, George Whaites

Apologies: Alan Hart (Barbados), Micky Barrett (injured and away), Jock Rooney, Tom Cunliffe (bad back), George Dearsley (still in Turkey), Mark Gibby (La Palma)

Leaders: Davison and Fairman ​Diarist: Beal

Starting point: Colin's home at 11, Carr Brow, High Lane

Starting time; 9.29am​Finishing time: 2.02pm

Apres le deluge, as someone nearly said. Following the torrential downpours of little more than 24 hours earlier our six walkers enjoyed clear skies and pleasant views of the Cheshire and Derbyshire countrysides on a gentle ramble from Colin's home in High Lane.

There was evidence of the earlier heavy rain however in the very boggy ground and the piles of debris left, not least in front of our watering hole at the Fox Inn in Brookbottom.

Our journey began with a brief trip in to suburbia. We left Colin's house, turned right and immediately right again in to Beechway. A left turn took us in to Thornway, then a right in to South Meadway, which became Meadway (theme developing here), bringing us out briefly in to Andrew Lane.

We turned right (8 minutes) in to  a lane that took us past the Wybersley Water Treatment Works. We took a drive that led us past Lomberhey Farm, past a house and through a gate in to a track that turned into a path taking us to a second gate and down through a gap in a second large metal gate that proclaimed 'Stags in Field'. We failed to see any.

We passed a large house on the right and went through another gate in to a field (14 min). A kissing gate took us down in to a boggy field bottom, where we climbed up to a metal gate (25 min) and on to a metalled track that brought us out on a minor road at a house called Kitling Ridge. This was, as it said on its sign, the former Romper pub, closed a few years ago after a disastrous attempt to turn it in to some sort of bistro establishment.

We turned left on the road, then immediatley right down a track on the right that became a metalled footpath bringing us downhill to a bridge over the Peak Forest Canal (40 min).

We turned left along the canal and five minutes later reached a footbridge, where we took a footpath to the right, bringing us out on the Marple to New Mills road (46 min).

We turned right along the pavement, and very soon left, at a footpath sign taking us downhill on wooden steps through woods down to the River Goyt. At the river, still swollen from the rains, we turned left along the bank and almost immediately reached the Roman Bridge over the river.

This is a 17th century packhorse bridge and has no connection with the Romans. Until the 1860s it was known as Windy Bottom Bridge (please insert own schoolboy joke here).   

The nearby Roman Lakes - originally called Bottoms Reservoirs - were formed when canal pioneer Samuel Oldknow diverted water from the Goyt to serve his Mellor Mill. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1892 but the lakes then became a pleasure park with a dance hall, boating and penny slot machines.

We climbed from the canal in to Barlow Wood, a site of Special Biologlical Interest, up steps to a junction and turned left at a Roman Lakes sign. Here we saw a male and four female ducks that Laurie pointed out were goosanders, a fish-eating duck that is apparently quite rare in our neck of the woods, especially in winter months.

Before reaching the Roman Lakes we turned right (60 min) up a footpath with wooden steps, at a green sign reading: Mellor, Cobden Edge (Cown Edge Way). The footpath swung right up more steps, then left over a green-painted metal bridge over the New Mills- Manchester railway.

A path led us to the Mellor and Townscliffe golf course (66 min), where we carried on before swiinging left at a footpath sign, across three fairways, before crossing a small stone bridge to a scout camp.

We turned right here and at a stone-walled bank opposite the clubhouse declated pietime (85 min). 

After a leisurely 12-minute break we continued up the drive and turned right, tham straightaway left up another track which turned in to a footpath taking us along the top edge of the golf course. This emeraged on  a track (98 min) that brought us to a junction where we continued on the track immediately opposite.

This brought us in to a field that can only be described as a quagmire, despite Colin's assurance that 'it's not as bad as it looks'. It wasn't, it was worse.

There were however great views of Manchester and the Cheshire countryside from here. We crossed a stile and turned right down a path between a wall and fence, bearing left on to another path, and over a stile to bear diagonally right over a field. This brought us to a series of stiles skirting Shaw Farm.

After the farm we took a track (102 min) and then with New Mills golf course in front of us took a sharp right down a stony track that brought us out on a minor road (113 min). We turned right down the road and arrived with precision at the 18th century listed building of the Fox Inn seconds before it opened. The Robinson's Unicorn at £3-05 was pronounced acceptable.

We resumed 43 minutes later and turned right then right again down a bridleway that brought us to Strines station (117 min). This station on the New Mills to Manchester line is the subject of hotly-disputed claims that it was the inspiration behind Edith Nesbit's The Railway Children, beloved by all those who recall the film version with Jenny Agutter waving her red knickers in the air (it's OK, she was 17 at the time).

What is known is that Edith visited her sister-in-law in nearby Mellor regualrly and Jenny Agutter visited the house at Three Chimneys, Mellor, that is mentioned in the book. It was in fact next door to where Edith stayed at Paradise Farm.  

We followed the cobbled road from Strines station, past a beautifully restored clock and the dovecote at the former Strines printworks and had lunch at a picnic area on the left (123 min).

Strines was once famous for its annual bullshit competition. A local farmer would divide his field in to 100 squares and excited locals would buy tickets and enjoy picnics and brassbands while waiting to see which square the bull would decide to dump on. But let's face it, not much else happens in Strines.

We crossed the main road and carried on up a track to take us under the canal (133 min). This brought us to a junction opposite a footpath where not long ago some of the walkers had a confrontation with a man forever known as Mr Angry. Happily, Mr Angry's footpath - the subject of the heated debate - has now been cleared and we were able to carry on unmolested.

We strujck off left across a field with a mill chimney on our left and up a slope on the other side, which brought us to a path through Disley golf course (146 min). This emerged on Jackson's Edge Road (155 min), where we turned right to reach Colin's house shortly after (164 min).

Next week's walk will start outside the Pack Horse in Hayfield (parking on road) at 9.45am, with enroute refreshments at the Lamb Inn, returning to the Pack Horse at 2.15pm.

Happy wandering!

Whaley Bridge

November 16, 2016.

WHALEY BRIDGE, SHALLCROSS TRAIL, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE (DISUSED), SHALLCROSS INCLINE GREENWAY, MANCHESTER-BUXTON RAILWAY LINE, TUNSTEAD MILTON FARM, SPARK FARM, CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH GOLF CLUB, BRADSHAW HALL, ECCLES PIKE, OLD HALL AT WHITEHOUGH, PEAK FOREST TRAMWAY, NAVIGATION INN AT BUXWORTH BASIN, WHALEY BRIDGE BASIN AND THE COCK AT WHALEY BRIDGE

Distance: 7-8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Cloudy start, followed by drizzle, followed by showers.

Walkers: Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Chris Owen and the late Peter Beal.

B walkers: Phil Burslem, George Fraser, Tony Job, Terry Jowett and Ken Sparrow.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (foot injury), Tom Cunliffe (unspecified), Steve Kemp (hols), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Jock Rooney (Cyprus hols), Julian Ross and George Whaites (domestic duties).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road outside The Cock at Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 1.50pm.

Only the belated arrival of Peter Beal after a medical appointment saved the A team from being outnumbered by the B team on a walk which fell victim to the weather in progressively worsening conditions. The forecast had been for light showers at 11am and it started to fall promptly on cue. By the time we left the first pub the rain was supposed to be over for the day but this did not prove to be the case.

It began again when we were some two miles from journey’s end. By the time the B team joined us at The Cock, they looked like survivors from the Titanic. We are happy to report that this had done little to dampen their spirits as they reached their third pub of the day.

There had been several cry-offs the week before. Tom’s non-arrival caused Colin to make a phone call to ascertain his intentions. Instead he received a volley of abuse directed at your diarist and was left none the wiser as to the reason for his absence. Peter, who was having an early blood test in Sheffield, had intimated he would be playing catch-up and reached us at The Old Hall. They can rarely have seen so many thirsty customers at 12.30pm on a wet Wednesday.

As has become customary, we observed a quirky piece of British history, saw some unusual wildlife and persuaded Chris to go on a Mission Improbable, of which more later.

We passed The Cock on our left and 20 yards beyond it turned left up a path across a stream which is now marked as the start of The Shallcross Trail. The path leads to the former Cromford and High Peak Railway Line, which we soon reached and turned right. This brought us to the Shallcross Incline Greenway (10mins) which we climbed to its end (19mins) and turned left. This led us to Elnor Lane, which we crossed and went over the first of a series of wooden stiles (21mins)

The fifth of these brought us on to a track (40mins) leading to a farm which used to keep Houdini goats. Living up to their names, they had vanished. Instead of going on and through the farm we took a short cut through a gate into a field and headed towards a tunnel underneath the Manchester-Buxton railway line. As we descended a hill towards it we could see Coombs Reservoir on our right.

We went through the tunnel (44mins) and headed diagonally left across a field to reach a wooden stile and a steep flight of steps (50mins). The path took us across two wooden footbridges and a main road at Tunstead Milton. We turned right, passing Tunstead Milton Farm on our left, and soon turned left at a green public footpath sign (56mins)

A series of stiles took us past Spark Farm on our left and another two wooden stiles brought us on to Chapel-en-le-Frith Golf Course (63mins). We carried straight on, skirting the left of the course and crossing the 16th tee before exiting the course on the left at a gate by a wooden public footpath sign (69mins)

A wooden five-bar gate (75mins) then took us to the left of Bradshaw Hall, the former home of John Bradshaw, president of the court which tried Charles 1 for treason and sentenced him to death in 1649. Bradshaw was one of 59 commissioners who signed the death warrant and his name is top of that list.

Bradshaw had been dead and buried for many years when Charles 11 returned from exile to restore the monarchy in 1660. Amnesty was granted to many of Cromwell’s supporters under the Indemnity and Oblivion Act of 1660, although 104 of the Parliamentarians were specifically excluded from reprieve.

Many of these survivors were executed by being hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn. Bradshaw’s body was exhumed, hanged, beheaded and his remains cast into a pit below the gallows. His head was placed on a spike at the end of Westminster Hall facing the spot where Charles 1 had been executed.

On reaching a stone step stile beyond the hall (77mins), we stopped for pies and medicinal spirits on either side of the stile. By the time we had finished, the rain had started to fall. We continued and crossed a wooden stile on our left (79mins). When we reached another wooden stile the rain had begun to fall more heavily and there was an eight-minute delay while Lawrie endeavoured to put on his waterproofs. We then headed diagonally right through a field, crossed a stone step stile and turned left (89mins)

We crossed a makeshift stile constructed from a concrete post and went through the edge of a garden to reach a lane (95mins). We turned left, passing Croft Farm on our right and then turned right at a green public footpath sign (97mins)

This was the start of the path up Eccles Pike but we turned right down a steep hill to go through a gate on the right. This was the start of a gradual descent over stiles and gates towards Chinley. As we emerged from woods, a public footpath sign showed an overgrown way ahead and a stile leading through a garden.

Unknown to Chris, the road we were on swung right and was joined by the footpath ten yards round the corner. But he was persuaded to hack his way through brambles and nettles to reach the stile and make his way through the garden while we waited for him round the corner. Happily Chris was bigand ugly enough to see the funny side of this cruel jape.

By following the road we soon came to The Papermill Inn on our right and The Old Hall straight ahead. We reached this welcome shelter from the rain at 11.45am (115mins). To our surprise the B team were already there enjoying their first pints of excellent Marstons’ cask bitter at £2-90.

Suitably refreshed we headed downhill away from The Old Hall and turned left at the Peak Forest Tramway Greenway (120mins). On our right was a large pond containing several mallards and a pair of black swans.

These attractive birds, with black plumes and red beaks, breed mainly in southern Australia. They are monogamous and share the duties of incubation and cygnet-rearing. There is a small population of them on the Thames in Marlow and on the River Itchen in Hampshire.

When we reached a bridge across Black Brook on our right we crossed it to pause for lunch (132mins). Continuing, we re-crossed the bridge and turned right to pass The Navigation Inn at Bugsworth Basin (137mins). With the rain beating down again we walked along the right side of the canal branch leading to Whaley Bridge until Bridge 37 (148mins) where we went over the footbridge and headed along the left bank.

This brought us to Whaley Bridge Basin (156mins), a railed bridge over the Goyt and the disused Cromford and High Peak railway line. After passing the back of the Shepherd’s Arms on our right we turned right to reach the main road (164mins). We turned left under the bridge to reach our cars outside The Cock (166mins). The weather worsened further while we were inside because half an hour later the B-teamers arrived having endured a thorough soaking both inside and out.

SOB walk

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from outside Colin’s home at 11, Carr Brow, High Lane.  It is anticipated the walkers will reach The Fox at Brook Bottom around 12.15 pm and finish at a pub to be decided en route.

Happy wandering !