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 !

Furness Vale

November 9, 2016.

FURNESS VALE, RINGSTONES CARAVAN PARK, HIGHER DISLEY, LYME PARK, LYME CAGE, THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY, THE PEAK FOREST CANAL, NEW MILLS, FURNESS VALE MARINA AND THE SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE

Distance: 8-9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Cold and misty but dry.

Walkers: Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tips and George Whaites.

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

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (foot injury), Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe (w*^king), George Dearsley (in Turkey) and Julian Ross.

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of The Soldier Dick at Furness Vale.

Starting time: 9.36am. Finishing time: 2.02pm.

Weather warnings of snow and rain the day before had been downgraded to fog and mist by the morning of this walk. In the event it was a dry day with no fog and very little mist so The Magnificent Seven and The Famous Five were rewarded for their attendance.

There were two late cry-offs. Tom (Mr Reliability) Cunliffe found he had a pub to run while Colin was obliged to look after Angela, who was suffering from chest pains. After various ribald and predictable offers to rub or kiss the affected area better, your diarist was instructed to pass on our best wishes.

Much of the talk this day revolved round the surprise choice of Donald Trump as next president of the USA. None of the polls had suggested this was likely so it is clear that many voters would not admit they were planning to vote for the brash Republican candidate. We had all seen the noisy trumpeting Trumpers at his rallies. The pollsters clearly had not realised there were so many silent Trumpers out there. No wonder it has caused such a stink.

For reasons beyond my comprehension, this walk starting and finishing at The Soldier Dick, calling at The Dandy Cock en route, has been nicknamed The Phallic Route. It involves a long stiff climb at the start, reaching its climax at Lyme Park, followed by a slow descent and a flaccid finish.

From the car park we turned right towards Buxton along the A6 and turned right just after The Imperial Palace Chinese restaurant into Yeardsley Lane. This was the start of a steady ascent, swinging right at the entrance to Ringstone Caravan Park (9mins). We entered a farmyard and went through a gate by the side of a stable (12mins) and carried straight ahead into a field.

We turned right keeping a drystone wall on our right (14mins) and trudged uphill to a road. Half a mile to the right is The Murder Stone, as previously documented, but we turned left (26mins) for 60 yards. At a gate marked “No Sledging” we went right over a stone step stile (29mins) and followed the path signed with a marker post. This led us to a wooden stile on our right (37mins).

A few yards further downhill are the “Dipping Stones,” where rocks had been chiselled out to provide two depressions in which money could be left in vinegar. During the Great Plague of 1665 villagers in contaminated areas such as nearby Eyam left cash in the disinfected bowls alongside shopping lists and later collected food and other essentials brought in exchange by sympathisers from unaffected villages.

We crossed the stile and then a stone step stile (45mins) followed by a ladder stile (52mins). The path led us across a farm track with a cattle-grid on the left (56mins). We went straight on to the right of the cattle-grid and followed the path across a wooden footbridge, through a metal kissing gate, across a road and up a flight of wooden steps (61mins).

Heading upwards through a boggy field we went over a ladder stile and crossed a lane (66mins) to follow the path through fields. This involved crossing three more wooden stiles until we reached the wall outside Lyme Park (79mins) which we entered via a stone step stile and a ladder stile leading into a wood. Here we paused for pies and port.

Resuming we went through and emerged from the wood over a ladder stile (90mins). We turned left and aimed towards Lyme Cage, a landmark on the top of a ridge which has served as a hunting lodge and a poachers’ cell over the centuries. After crossing a wooden stile (94mins) and nearing the Cage, we saw a stag party a few yards to our right. Six impressively-antlered males were presumably the losers during the rutting season as there were no signs of any females. After trying in vain to stare us out, they wandered away, perhaps in search of a lap-dancing club.

We reached the Cage (108mins) and turned right downhill with Horsecoppice Reservoir coming into view on our right. We took a path to the right of the entrance hut and emerged by the East Gate exit (120mins) to enter Red Lane. With St Mary’s Church, Disley, on our right, we left Red Lane (134mins) by the side of The Ram’s Head and crossed the A6. This brought us to The Dandy Cock on our left (138mins) where we enjoyed pints of Robbies’ Unicorn for £2-95.

Leaving the pub we turned right and right again to walk under the railway bridge before turning left into Sherbrooke Road (141mins). This brought us to the right bank of the Peak Forest Canal, where we turned right (144mins).

The construction of The Peak Forest Canal was promoted by Samuel Oldknow, authorised by Parliament in 1794, financed by Richard Arkwright and engineered by Thomas Brown and Benjamin Outram. It was completed just six years after it had been approved despite the fact that Britain was now involved in the Napoleonic Wars.

The seven-feet wide canal is 15 miles long and contains 16 locks which raise it 209 feet at Marple. It runs from the Ashton Canal at Dukenfield through Newton, Hyde, Woodley, Bredbury and Romiley before crossing the River Goyt via Marple Aqueduct. After Marple Locks it goes through Strines, Disley, New Mills, Furness Vale and Bridgemont, terminating at Bugsworth Basin, with a branch to the centre of Whaley Bridge, which once connected with the Cromford and High Peak Railway.

Trains brought about the decline of canal traffic. In the 1920s the Peak Forest Tramway and Buggy Basin closed. By the early 1960s Marple Locks fell into disuse and banks deteriorated to make many parts impassable. But the Peak Forest Canal Society and the Inland Waterways Association campaigned for restoration. The canal was dredged, restored and reopened, mainly for pleasure craft, in 1974. Buggy Basin was reopened in 2003.

When we reached Bridge 26 we crossed and swung round to the left bank, went under the bridge and stopped for lunch at a bench with the canal now on our right (148mins). Continuing we marched along the towpath for two miles, passing the Swizzels-Matlow sweet factory in New Mills (179mins)

The firm, which makes Love Hearts and Parma Violets, stated life as a market stall in Hackney in the 1920s run by the Matlow brothers. As a result of Hitler’s Blitz of London in 1940 it relocated to its present site, which was a disused wick factory. It now employs 500 people and has an annual turnover in excess of £50million.

We continued along the towpath, passing Peter Beal’s narrowboat, Hot Metal, at Furness Vale Marina before exiting at Bridge 31 (201mins). We turned left to reach the road and turned right across the bridge and the level crossing, emerging back on the A6 (204mins). We turned right and crossed the road to reach The Soldier Dick car park (206mins)

After de-booting we entered the pub to find the S.O.B. team, including debutant Wednesday Wanderer Phil Burslem, a friend of Geordie George and former neighbour of WW legend Ivor Jones,, already enjoying pints of Wainwrights’ cask bitter for £2-85. We are delighted to welcome Phil to the fold and hope to see him again.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the road outside The Cock at Whaley Bridge. We anticipate reaching the Old Hall at Whitehough for a livener around 12.15pm, returning to The Cock about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !

Barber Booth

November 2, 2016.

BARBER BOOTH, CHAPEL GATE, RUSHOP EDGE, LORD’S SEAT, MAM TOR, EDALE, RIVER NOE, THE NAG’S HEAD AT GRINDSBROOK BOOTH, COOPERS CAFE, THE OLD DAIRY AND THE ROEBUCK AT CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH

Distance: Eight miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Crisp with blue skies and sunshine.

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

S.O.B. walkers: George Fraser, Tony Job and Ken Sparrow.

Apologies: Micky Barrett (in Truro), Tom Cunliffe (sore back), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Terry Jowett and Chris Owen (w*^king).

 Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Parking area at Barber Booth, Edale.

Starting time: 9.58am. Finishing time: 2.24pm.

If it be true that the sun shines on the righteous, then Peter and George W must have already booked their places on the Stairway to Heaven. The birthday boys enjoyed an exceptionally sunny November day in one of the prettiest parts of the Hope Valley.

Walking conditions were perfect as the morning chill prevented us from overheating while we climbed steadily from Barber Booth to Rushop Edge. When we reached the cool high points, the sunshine kept us warm and gave us magnificent views in every direction (with the sole exception of that blot on the landscape: Hope cement works)

Owing to a miscalculation, Peter had chosen the most expensive pub outside London for his birthday round, and was obliged to shell out an eye-watering £3-75 a pint for his chums at The Old Nags Head. He confessed this was an oversight and fears he may lose his status as a Yorkshireman. George had the better of things in The Roebuck, where the Tetleys’ cask bitter was in excellent form at £3 a pint, but there were three B-teamers added to the cast list. We understand the celebrants shared the outlay and Steve kindly chipped in with a bountiful supply of crisps.

The day was not without its problems, however, with Peter delayed near his home at Birch Vale while he waited in vain for a promised lift from Tom. It transpired that Tom, suffering from a sore back, had sent a text the night before informing Peter he was hors de combat .Tom appears to be unlucky with his use of modern channels of communication, having once claimed to have received only part of an email from me, thus preventing him from placing an order correctly. As he seems to be cursed with ill luck, perhaps we can suggest Tom uses phone calls or telegrams in future.

We were 13 minutes late when our leader arrived which meant we were behind schedule at the first watering hole. This caused as much concern as the whereabouts of Tom, who remained impervious to all our efforts to contact him.

A plaque informed us at our starting point that Barber Booth was one of five booths in the Vale of Edale – Upper, Grindsbrook, Ollerbrook and Nether being the others – which had grown up around the temporary shelters (or “bothies”) used by shepherds.

From the car park we headed back under the viaduct (4mins) and turned right over a wooden stile (5mins) to enter a field. This brought us first through a wooden gate on the right and then three more wooden stiles in the space of three minutes. Another wooden gate (16mins) took us through thick mud before we headed towards Chapel Gate – a path over the shoulder of a distant hill.

After going through a wooden gate sandwiched between two more wooden stiles (21mins), we could see the ventilation shaft of Cowburn Tunnel on our right in the middle distance.

Cowburn Tunnel on the Hope Valley railway line is more than two miles long (3,702 yards) taking the line west out of the Edale Valley to Chinley. It was built in 1891 by the Midland Railway. On one occasion the headings filled with water to a depth of 90 feet and work carried on in a diving bell. Nevertheless when the headings met they were less than one inch out in the vertical and exact on the horizontal !

When we reached a drystone wall we turned left (52mins) and followed the path with the wall on our right until we reached a marker post and stopped for pietime (62mins). Continuing, we crossed two more wooden stiles to reach Lord’s Seat (64mins).This is the highest point on Rushop Edge at 1,804 feet and should not be confused with a fell and two hills of the same name in The Lake District.

From here we began our descent, crossing a wooden stile (71mins) and reached a road (83mins). We crossed it and took the path leading to Mam Tor, but after 20 yards went left along an alternative path which skirted the summit.

Mam Tor is 1,696 feet above sea level and its name means Mother Hill. It is also known as The Shivering Mountain because unstable layers of shale often cause landslides. The A625 linking Sheffield with Chapel-en-le-Frith was blocked many times and finally closed in 1979.

The path brought us to a gate (99mins) where we continued our descent along stone flags. The main party continued before taking a path on the left to head more steeply downhill. After going through a gate marked with a yellow arrow (118mins) we crossed a bridge over the River Noe. This brought us to a road (130mins) which we crossed and followed a wooden public footpath sign,

At a wooden gate we went diagonally left along the well-trodden path (133mins). At a gap stile (137mins) we repeated this manoeuvre and went through a wooden gate to follow a path made of flagstones (139mins). Another gap stile brought us to a bridge where we crossed the Noe again and turned right along a road with Edale Parish Church on our left (144mins).

The present church was consecrated in 1886 on the site of the first chapel built in 1633. We are indebted to our learned friend Mr Beal for the information that before this date the villagers were obliged to take the coffins of their dear departed over Hollins Cross to the nearest church in Hope. It thus became known as “The Corpse Road.”

This route brought us to The Old Nags Head (146mins). Pedants may have noticed, as I did, that there is a missing apostrophe in the pub’s name. Blame the sign-writer, not your diarist, for this outrageous grammatical error which also applied to the term Hikers Bar above the door. It was hard to fault The Farmers Blonde (no apostrophe: you have to admire their consistency) or The Black Sheep apart from the price of £3-75 a pint.

On leaving we turned left in the direction of Edale railway station and followed a road with Coopers Cafe on our right. The track was marked with a yellow arrow. We turned left at a wooden public footpath sign (150mins) and went through a wooden gate marked with a yellow arrow (152mins). After passing through another wooden gate we paused for lunch (157mins) and watched a group of paragliders riding the thermals off Rushop Edge.

Resuming we crossed a stream and headed diagonally left across a field. Two wooden gates either side of a footbridge led us into another field (161mins) and we followed a fingerpost for Barber Booth through a wooden gate (165mins). We crossed Bridge 58 (171mins) and passed The Old Dairy on our right (173mins).

After crossing a bridge we turned right at a fingerpost for Upper Booth (175mins) and this road took us under the railway viaduct and back to our cars (182mins). After de-booting we drove to The Roebuck at Chapel and joined the B-teamers.

Next week’s walk, known as The Phallic Route, begins at 9.30am from the car park of The Soldier Dick at Furness Vale. After a climb into Lyme Park we plan to descend to Disley for a stiffener at The Dandy Cock around 12.15pm. From there we will walk along The Peak Forest Canal back to The Soldier Dick, expecting to arrive at about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !