Carr Brow

14 September 2016.

Carr Brow, Bollinhurst brook, Lyme Park, Black Hill, New Mills, Brook Bottom, Strines, Clear Spring Mill

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Brilliant sunshine with clear visibility.

Walkers:  Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Cris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip and George Whaites

S.O.B.s: Ken Sparrow and  Tony Job

Apologies: Peter Beal (holiday), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Alan Hart (bicycling in Poland), Laurie Fairman (visiting outlaws or fishing in Norn Ireland) and Tom Unreliability Cunliffe (subsequent engagement / a better offer / who knows?).

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Davison.

Starting point: Carr Brow, High Lane

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

Brilliant Indian Summer weather in the middle twenties centigrade. Much hilarity and witty banter per usual.

Route:

Across Buxton Road and right into Park Road; right onto Woodlands Road and take the footpath through to Coppice lane. Turn right along track over stream and left through gate. This path leads along Bollinhurst brook and through Lyme Park to Red Lane.

Passing through the Park gates turn right at the footpath sign. Turn left up the track when the old water treatment works comes in to view on the right. Follow the footpath over fields to Cockhead farm. The path on the opposite side of the road leads past Bollinhurst reservoir, woodland and fields to the East Gate Lane.

Turn left along the track to Mudhurst Lane. Left and then right up the track to Rocks farm. Left following the footpath sign just beyond the farm , over a stile then diagonally across the field to an isolated signpost. Bear right here to the nearby stile, through woodland and a field to stables. Diagonally left here brings you to a stile and Buxton Old Road.

The path continues on the opposite side of the road diagonally right to the corner of the field. Straight ahead brings you to Redmoor Farm. Turn left here and follow the footpath signs down Redmoor Lane, an old green lane which eventually brings you to New Mills.

Cross the Continue down Redmoor Lane over the cast iron railway footbridge to the canal. Turn left onto Hibert Street, right onto Albion Road, over the canal and left down Wirksmoor Road. Passing a playground on your left you come to an old Mill by the river Goyt. Cross the footbridge and turn left downstream.

Follow the track along the river to Station Road. Continue to the end by terrace houses. A footpath through woodland starts on the left at the end of the terrace. Take this path keeping right and uphill at two forks until you cross the Sheffield to Manchester railway line and reach Hague Bar Road.

Turn left for two hundred yards to a footpath sign on the right. A steep climb across a field brings you to Noon Sun farm. Further up, turn left along Brook Bottom Road to The Fox.

Here the Young Wanderers met the S.O.B.'s and being under little pressure timewise, drank copious amounts of Robinson's bitter. It is not your diarist's duty to note individual consumption. However, suffice to say regular Wanderers would be unsurprised.

Continuing:

Follow the green lane downhill through woodland to Strines station. Along Station Road over the Goyt to a park on the left. Here a picnic table makes a handy lunch venue.

At the end of Station Road cross Strines Road and follow the track uphill passing under the Macclesfield canal to a small hamlet (and the house of the angry man). Turn left to Clear Spring Mill past the chimney and the mill lodge to a stile and an old green lane through woodland to Disley Golf course.

Turn right at the track and follow this to Jackson's Edge Road. Turn right again. This becomes Carr Brow and your starting point.

Next week's walk will start at the square in Longnor at 9.50am. A magical mystery tour will ensue depending largely on the leadership pecking order. Laughter and acting daft are the only certainties. Until then, happy wandering.