Hayfield

February 24, 2016.

Hayfield, Birch Vale, Gibb Hey, Over Lea Farm, Cold Harbour Farm, Moor Lodge, Four Lane Ends, New Allotments, Big Stone, Monk’s Meadow, The Lamb Inn, Chinley Head, Peep o' Day, Far Phoside, Hayfield.

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Brilliant sunshine with clear visibility.

Walkers:  Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Graham Hadfield, John Jones, Jock Rooney with Tip and George Whaites

Apologies: Peter Beal (visiting Surrey), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Alan Hart (bicycling in the Algarve) and Tom Unreliability Cunliffe (subsequent engagement / a better offer).

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Davison.

Starting point: Carpark behind The George Inn, Hayfield

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2.20pm.

Once again, a local venue suggested by our publican pal was eschewed by the same in favour of a day boozing on a train. This strikes your diarist as something of a busman’s holiday but,hey ho, we were forced to manage without him.

Leaving the carpark in a Westerly direction, we used the subway beneath Chapel Road to reach the Sett Valley Trail. We followed this for approximately one mile to Station Road at Spinnerbottom. This we crossed and continued along the trail for half a mile to the cobbled track leading from Thornsett Mill(28mins).

Here we turned left and South to the Hayfield Rd where we doglegged right and left to take the track past the cricket groundto the five lanes meeting at Gibb Hey. A left turn followed immediately by a right turn lead us up a wooded valley with a stream to Over Lea Farm.

Through the gate onto the metaled road, we took the wooden stile immediately on the right diagonally across the field to a stone stile (40mins). At this point the leader sagely consulted the map to combined shouts of derision. Continuing diagonally to the corner of this field and a wooded stream we turned left through a gateway close to the cap of a disused coal mine.

Keeping close to the wall we passed two small dams which probably stored water for washing the coal. As we approached the gate to Cold Harbour Farm, we turned right across the field to a stile in the stone wall. In the far left corner we crossed another stone stile.

Here we turned diagonally left to the corner of the field and the inevitable stile into the lane leading to Moor Lodge.

Turning right we followed Over Hill Road to Four Lane Ends(65mins) where we turned left along an old walled tramway from the higher mines. Pie time was call at 11.05am at the first convenient spot. Some members voiced the view that theyparticularly missed absent friends at this time.

Continuing up the tramway, we crossed the New Allotments and the main bridleway across Ollerset Moor. At Big Stone we dropped straight down the hill to a sign post.

Crossing the main path (to Peep o’ Day), the path angled first to the right and then left to a gate in the corner of the field. Further consultation of the map was met with further derision. But as the former resulted in avoidance of a retreat up hill, the latter subsided into dark muttering.

Diagonally across the next field to a gate, we followed the wall down to Maynestone road.

Turning left along the road, we took the first stile and path on the right across the valley to Monk’s Meadow. A metaled track lead up to Hayfield Road opposite the Lamb Inn (140mins). Pints of Pedigree and coffee were consumed courtesy of JohnJones and your diarist who were celebrating their respective birthdays.

From The Lamb we walked up Hayfield Road to Maynestone Road where we turned left to the path on the right just past Peep o' Day. This we followed to the derelict water Mill at Far Phoside taking lunch 100yds before reaching it. 

The path continues beyond keeping to a level until it meetsRidge Top Lane where we turned right and descended intoHayfield. Continuing straight along Meadows Road and then Station Road we regained the underpass whence we started.

Next week’s walk will start from The Wanted Inn at Sparrowpit at 9.45am. Lunchtime refreshment will be taken at The Quarryman, Doveholes at approximately 12.15pm. We shall endeavour to return to The Wanted Inn at approximately 2.30pm.

Happy Wandering

Danebridge

February 10, 2016.

DANEBRIDGE, DANE VALLEY, THE HANGING STONE, THE ROACHES, GRADBACH, EAGLE AND CHILD, THE ROSE AND CROWN AT ALLGREAVE, ALLMEADOWS FARM, THE SHIP AT WINCLE

Distance: Nine miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry but chilly with mixture of blue skies, sunshine and cloud.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Graham Hadfield, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney with Tips, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

S.O.B. Walkers: Tony Job, Terry Jowett, Ken Sparrow and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Ron Buck (Caribbean cruise) , George Dearsley (in Turkey) George Fraser (half-term duties) and Malcolm Smith (poorly).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road near Danebridge, Wincle, Macclesfield.

Starting time: 9.45am. Finishing time: 2.40pm.

Despite torrential rain during the week preceding this walk, we once again enjoyed a dry day, with plenty of sunshine and good visibility. There was a double-figure turnout of A walkers for our hike along the Cheshire-Staffordshire border country, while the B walkers took their exercise (and beer) around the Fernilee Reservoir in Derbyshire.

There was no escaping the muddy conditions, but it was never more than ankle-deep as our route took us from dry hills to boggy valleys. On the wildlife front, we observed a herd of alpacas normally seen on the Andes mountains of South America rather than the plains of Cheshire.

The only sour note to our safari came at our half-time watering hole, The Rose and Crown, Allgreave. Here Mark kindly ordered two bowls of chips to be shared by his chums and was rewarded with a £10 bill by our Estonian friend Luda, the landlady and owner. I fear her greed has led to her urinating on her French fries with regard to future visits.

From our cars Lawrie led us across the bridge over the fast-flowing River Dane, thereby taking us out of Cheshire and into Staffordshire (2mins). We ignored the first footpath on our left taking the second marked with a green footpath sign for Back Forest and Gradbach (4mins). This was the start of a series of consecutive paths leading directly uphill.

After crossing a wooden stile (14mins) we continued through a field with the distinctive formation called The Hanging Stone in the distance above us. Another wooden stile enabled us to exit the field (17mins) and turn right along a track for a few yards before heading left up a path which led directly to Hanging Stone.

At the foot of the rocks a memorial plaque informed us that Burke, a bull mastiff pet of Squire Brocklehurst, of nearby Swythamley Hall, was buried here in 1874. The inscription read: “A noble mastiff, black and tan, faithful as a woman, braver than man. A gun and a ramble his heart’s desire with the friend of his life, the Swythamley squire.” 

Out of view was another plaque in memorial to Colonel Brocklehurst who was killed in Burma in 1942.

We reached the summit (30mins) where Colin sought a volunteer to animate a photo of the rock on the ridge. Your diarist stepped forward and climbed the rock to assist, but the slippery surface brought about my downfall. It is hard to maintain one’s dignity while sliding slowly down a rock face, especially when it is accompanied by hoots of derisive laughter.

After admiring the panoramic views of Bosley Cloud and Mow Cop behind us, we headed in the direction of Shutlingsloe, eventually spotting Tittesworth Reservoir below us on our right.

Tittesworth (no sniggering at the back) was opened in 1963 and is the second largest reservoir in Staffordhsire, fed by the River Churnet. It is run by Severn Trent Water.

The path along the ridge led us to a gate bearing on its far side a plaque in memory of Dr Barry McGeechan, who died aged 55. Here we stopped for pies and port (81mins). Although there was discussion about some of our group diverting to the summit of The Roaches nearby, in the end we all stayed together when the walk resumed.

The Roaches were named from the mispronunciation of the French for rocks – les roches – and are thus a legacy from the Norman Conquest. The rocky ridge forms a gritstone escarpment, part of The Peak District National Park. At the top is Doxey Pool, which, according to legend, is inhabited by a water spirit.

Instead of turning right after passing through Dr McGeehan’s gate towards The Roaches, Lawrie led us left down the road, passing a sign for Roach End Farm (83mins). After 80 yards we went left off the road through a gap stile and followed a path (84mins).

This led us all the way down to the River Dane (98mins), wher we turned left with the river on our right. The muddy path brought us to a footbridge on our right (116mins) where we turned right following a wooden public footpath sign for Gradbach.

On the far side of the bridge we turned right uphill until we reached a stone step stile on our left (117mins) and crossed it. We squeezed through a gap stile on our right and turned left (122mins). After going through a wooden gate 123mins) we reached a former mill which had until recently been Gradbach Youth Hostel. It is now an agricultural training college.

We turned left in front of the building and crossed a footbridge over the Dane (125mins). We headed uphill through a gap in the wall and turned left at the start of a steep climb. We went through a wooden gate to reach a farm track (132mins).

As we continued along it we noticed somebody had childishly written “Colin” in some wet cement which had been laid to fill a pothole. We reached a road (135mins) opposite a former pub once called The Eagle and Child. It is now a private dwelling.

There are a number of legends going back centuries over the origin of this pub name, which appears throughout the UK, including horror stories of an eagle sweeping down and snatching a baby to feed its eaglets. This particular pub was built in 1738 by Joseph Hadfield (any relation Graham ?) but it closed down in the 1960s when it could not meet new rules imposed when Britain joined the Common Market.

After posing for a group photo we turned left downhill in the direction of Croker Hill with its distinctive telecom mast on the distant skyline. On our right in a field (146mins) was a small herd of eight alpacas.

As every schoolboy knows, the alpaca is a member of the llama family but half its size. Whereas the llamas are used as beasts of burden in their South American homeland, alpacas are grown for their fine coats. They have been bred for 5,000 years on the flat heights of the Andes in southern Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and northern Chile between 11,500 and 16,000 feet above sea level. There are two different breeds, the Suri and the Huccaya, although Lawrie was unable to identify which on this occasion.

We arrived at The Rose and Crown at Allgreave on our left (155mins) and ordered pints of Nimrod or Champion for £3-50. When Luda (who had greeted Tom especially warmly), tried to tempt us with her special price of £5 for a bacon sandwich and chips, Mark was emboldened to ask for two extra bowls of chips on top of Tom’s bacon order.

There were cries of disbelief when the innocent waitress brought them and announced a price of £10 for the chips. One suspects that if Britain leaves the European Union, Luda might find herself heading back to Estonia along with her British collaborator husband.

From the pub’s front door we turned left and swung right round a sharp bend before crossing the Dane (162mins). We took the first road left after the river (163mins) and turned left again at Allmeadows Farm (166mins) at a green footpath sign. Where the path forked we followed the one marked with a yellow arrow (171mins) and stopped for lunch at a fallen tree (174mins).

Resuming, we went over a stile marked with a yellow arrow (175mins), through a gate into a farmyard (188mins) and crossed a footbridge (194mins). After going over another wooden stile we descended some steps leading down to a road where we turned left. We passed The Ship at Wincle on our left (198mins) and reached our cars (200mins).

After de-booting we went back to The Ship, which is now open all day.

Meanwhile the SOB walkers had caught the 199 bus from opposite The Rising Sun at Hazel Grove to Whaley Bridge, from where they caught the 61 bus up Long Hill to Goyt Lane, where they alighted. They walked down to Bunsall Cob and the top of Fernilee Reservoir, thence to The Shady Oak at Fernilee.

The Pedigree was still settling so they tried two alternative ales, which did not go down well. They returned to Whaley Bridge via the Shallcross Greenway Incline and enjoyed pints of Unicorn and Trooper in The Cock. All too soon, however, they had to catch the bus back to Hazel Grove.

Photos by Colin

These photos by Tom

Next week’s walk will start at 9.35am from the road near The Pack Horse at Hayfield. A route will be planned taking us to The Lamb at Chinley for a bracer around 12.15pm, finishing back at The Pack Horse around 2.15pm, although, as The Pack Horse is closed, we will be drinking nearby in The George.

Happy wandering !

Ridgegate

February 3, 2016.

RIDGEGATE RESERVOIR, BOTTOMS RESERVOIR, TEGG’S NOSE, WINDYWAY ANIMAL SANCTUARY, MACCLESFIELD FOREST, FOREST CHAPEL, THE STANLEY ARMS AT BOTTOM O’ TH’ OVEN, TRENTABANK RESERVOIR AND LEATHER’S SMITHY AT LANGLEY

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate after strenuous climb at start.

Weather: Dry with some cloud, blue skies and wintry sunshine.

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Graham Hadfield, and Julian Ross.

Apologies: Peter Beal (visiting Robin Hood’s Bay), George Dearsley (in Turkey), John Jones (recovering from man flu and hernia op) and George Whaites (chauffeuring duties).

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road beside Ridgegate Reservoir, Langley, Macclesfield.

Starting time: 10am. Finishing time: 2.32pm.

 

A closed road resulted in a minor last-minute change of venue for this walk. Our leader announced that plans to begin at Danebidge, Wincle, had been thwarted because of a traffic diversion and we were obliged to switch to a new starting point.

This also involved a change of pubs, but the Wednesday Wanderers (motto:firm of purpose but flexible in design) are both adaptable and resourceful. The amendment resulted in a delayed start because tardy Tom had been further diverted en route.

The moors on the rural outskirts of Macclesfield had received snowfall not present in suburbia so our journey to Ridgegate Reservoir involved negotiating our way through narrow lanes covered in snow and slush. However we were rewarded with another dry, bright day and some fine views which justified the effort expended in reaching the peaks of some of Cheshire’s highest hills.

Furthermore we visited a pub where Tom described the beer as “not bad.” By his critical standards, this is the equivalent of a Michelin five-star rating.

The Magnificent Seven began by walking towards our ultimate destination, Leather’s Smithy, with Ridgegate Reservoir – constructed in the late 19th Century to provide water for the good citizens of Macclesfield – on our left.

The traditional, stone-built country pub originated in the 18th Century as a blacksmith’s business. It was named after William Leather, a local farmer and farrier, who obtained a licence in 1821 to sell ale and porter. (Your diarist doubts whether the new trade would have survived if William had tried to sell his Leather’s Smithy cask bitter at £3-65 a pint, no matter how attractive the barmaid).

We turned left at the pub and then right (4mins) to walk down the road alongside Bottoms Reservoir on our right. I am indebted to our twitcher friend Lawrie for identifying a pair of goosanders on the lake. They are a rare sight in England, apparently.

By following a sign for Tegg’s Nose (14mins) on our right we reached another sign for The Gritstone Trail (19mins) which led us into Tegg’s Nose Country Park (20mins). We turned left up a flight of steps which was the start of a steep ascent ending in a wooden gate (38mins).

Here we turned right, passing a memorial on our left to Fiona McWilliam (1965-99). A stone epitaph read: “I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings.” (After that climb some of us feared we might be about to slip Earth’s surly bonds ourselves).

We followed the path but swung left rather than follow a yellow arrow pointing straight ahead (44mins). This took us to a wooden gate by the side of a wide five-barred gate. We turned right to go through it and came to a viewpoint with a plaque indicating various hilltops on the skyline above the Cheshire plains (47mins).

Continuing along the ridge we found a walled area with individual spyholes (50mins) where hikers could observe designated landmarks. The path became a road where we passed a milestone on our right indicating we were 168miles from London (62mins). Shortly afterwards we turned right, passing tea rooms on our left, stopping outside for pies and port (63mins).

Continuing, we walked back to the road and turned right, passing on our left the Windyway Animal Sanctuary (68mins), where Lawrie had once rescued Benji, our Wednesday walking companion for many years. We turned right at a green footpath sign through a gate (75mins) and headed towards a modern farm building.

This brought us to a lane where we turned right for 40 yards then headed left over a ladder stile into a field (77mins). Another ladder stile took us into another field (80mins). We then went over a stone step stile to the right of a farm (84mins) and descended a precipitous bank towards a stream (89mins). It was surprising nobody slipped and fell, although your diarist needed a pirouette followed by a triple salko to remain on his feet. Ironically Lawrie and Graham both tumbled as we ascended and walked along a deceptively flat section of path. Mercifully, only their pride was hurt. 

We crossed two wooden stiles to reach a lane (96mins), where we headed uphill for 40 yards before going right through a gate marked with a footpath sign. This took us on a path through the edge of Macclesfield Forest.

The forest, covering 991 acres, is the last substantial remnant of the Royal Forest of Macclesfield, a once extensive hunting reserve owned by the earls of Chester following the Norman Conquest. It is now owned by United Utilities and includes a 47-acre nature reserve managed by Cheshire Wildlife Trust. 

It contains a large heronry and a herd of 12 red deer. According to tradition poachers were executed at a nearby gallows, which could be the source of the name of The Hanging Gate pub, one of our watering holes.

We turned left at a wooden footpath sign indicating the way to Forest Chapel (98mins). After passing a derelict barn on our left, we headed left uphill through a gap stile (102mins) and exited the forest by a wooden gate (118mins). Turning right down a rocky path, we reached a road (124mins) where we turned left.

This brought us to The Forest Chapel, St Stephen’s Church, where the Rev Steve Rathbone holds services at 3pm on the first Sunday of every month. (This is the sort of job which appeals to some Wanderers)

St Stephen’s Church dates from 1613 but the nave and chancel were rebuilt in 1831.

Interest in this ancient seat of Christian worship was limited by the fact that the pub was now open, so we descended another rocky path and turned left (132mins). We followed a road-sign towards Macclesfield and Buxton (135mins) and came to The Stanley Arms, at Bottom o’ th Oven (137mins) opposite a T-junction.

Graham took advantage of a photo opportunity to sit in one of a row of four seats outside the pub which had once graced the ground of Manchester City’s stadium at Maine Road – since demolished to make way for a supermarket.

Inside we enjoyed pints of excellent pints of Marstons’ bitter for £3-20, albeit served by a taciturn landlord whose expressionless face would make him a formidable poker player.

Resuming, we retraced our footsteps but kept left towards the forest rather than the chapel, passing Chambers Farm on our left. This contained a flock of curly-horned sheep which Lawrie identified as Merinos (Is there anything this man does not know ?)

First we followed the sign for Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough (147mins) and then the Forest Bridleway sign marked for Shutlingsloe (152mins). After pausing for lunch at a convenient pile of logs (162mins) we continued, following a wooden public footpath sign marked Trentabank (172mins). We followed another sign for the reservoir (176mins) and reached the Trentabank Centre on our left (192mins).

Trentabank is a magnet for a variety of birds, including crossbills, siskins, goldcrests, pied flycatchers, garden warblers, blackcaps and woodcocks as well as waterfowl such as cormorants, coots, goldeneyes, pochards, mallards, tufted ducks, teals, great-crested grebes, little grebes and common sandpipers.

We left the forest when we reached a road and turned right (196mins). The road brought us back to Ridgegate Reservoir on our left and our cars on the right (199mins). After de-booting we drove to Leather’s Smithy to slake our thirsts before their 3pm closing time.

Next week’s walk will be the original walk planned for this week. We will start at 9.45am from Danebridge, Wincle, near Macclesfield, calling at The Rose and Crown, Allgreave, at about 12.15pm for a bracer and finishing at The Ship at Wincle around 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !