Bowden Bridge

April 19, 2017.

BOWDEN BRIDGE, TUNSTEAD HOUSE, EDALE CROSS, BROWN KNOLL, SOUTH HEAD, THE LAMB AT CHINLEY, KINDER VALLEY, THE WHITE LADY, THE KINDER LODGE AT HAYFIELD

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Cloudy, dry, chilly on the hilltops.

A walkers: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns, Colin Davison, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp and Chris Owen.

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

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (Spanish hols),George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (cruise lecturing), Mark Gibby (sick relatives), Jock Rooney and George Whaites.

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road next to Bowden Bridge, Hayfield.

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2.13pm.

It was fitting that this walk from Bowden Bridge, Hayfield, coincided with the 85^th anniversary of the mass trespass of ramblers on Kinder Scout in April, 1932. This act of civil disobedience, involving hundreds of hikers, began at a quarry near the bridge and is credited with starting a media campaign which led to The Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000 – known as the right to roam.

Five young men aged 19 to 23 paid the price with prison sentences ranging from two to six months for riotous assembly after the trespassers, mainly from Manchester but augmented by other hikers from Sheffield who came via Jacob’s Ladder, were involved in violent scuffles with gamekeepers.

It was also fitting that our leader for this auspicious day was Peter Beal, who has interviewed Benny Rothman, the 20-year-old organiser of the protest, on several occasions.

The news that he was leading our walk came as some surprise to Peter, who showed an ability to think nimbly on his feet and guide us to our promised destinations with impeccable timing. Some people have greatness thrust upon them.

We also welcomed Colin back to the A team ranks as he continues his recovery from a fall while out on the piste. This brought our numbers to a magnificent seven who were equalled by the B teamers.

We crossed Bowden Bridge and turned left to follow the road with the River Kinder on our left. This brought us to a gate leading towards Tunstead House (8mins). We walked to the right of the house, crossed a wooden stile (15mins) and reached a kissing gate where we turned right keeping a drystone wall on our right (19mins)

We then crossed a series of three wooden stiles and a ladder stile before traversing another wooden stile to follow a sign for Edale (48mins). We reached an open gate with Edale Cross to its left.

An inscription informed us that this medieval cross is protected as a monument of national importance under the Ancient Monuments Act 1913-53 by order of the Minister of Public Buildings and Works. It does not explain where it came from or its significance because one suspects that nobody knows.

We turned right at a flagged path just before the start of The Pennine Way (67mins) and followed erosion diversions when we reached a blocked stile (75mins). We turned left at a new wooden stile (79mins) which brought us to a Trig Point called Brown Knoll (83mins)

This was a convenient spot and time to pause for pies, port and some delicious damson gin provided by Chris, who also produced a giant box of Maltesers. Predictably it was Colin who tucked in enthusiastically, coming back for second and third helpings before being warned of the dangers of grooming.

Peter informed us that on a clear day it was possible to see six other counties from this point in Derbyshire – Cheshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Clwyd. Sadly there was patchy mist in the distance which prevented extended views.

After a lengthy break we retraced our footsteps back to the new stile and turned left (87mins). We crossed another wooden stile (98mins) before passing the right shoulder of South Head (118mins). We went through a metal gate and immediately left over a stone step stile to head steeply downhill (123mins)

After crossing a wooden stile (128mins) we chose a path on the left before heading diagonally right (130mins) to reach a level grass path across a field (131mins). After a wooden kissing gate (133mins) we plunged steeply downhill again, crossed a wooden stile (138mins) and turned right to reach The Lamb Inn at Chinley on our right (139mins).

There have been inconsistencies with the quality of the beer in this cosy traditional pub, but on this occasion the Wainwrights’ cask bitter was in fine fettle at £3-40 a pint. There was a lively discussion about the snap election called for June and Chris predicted the coronation of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister. If Donald Trump can become president of the USA, all things are possible.

Our homeward journey began with us once again retracing our footsteps to the stile and uphill to avoid a tedious journey along the main road, which was the alternative route. A stiff climb brought us through a kissing gate (146mins) and we headed diagonally left to cut a corner and follow a path with a drystone wall on our right (150mins)

We swung left before a metal gate ((151mins) and went through a wooden gate on our right (154mins). We crossed a cattle-grid and carried straight on (163mins). When we reached a green footpath sign for Bridle Road via Kinder Valley one group continued ahead. Your diarist and a splinter group turned right (170mins) to head for the cars rather than directly to the pub.

This route took us through a wooden gate (174mins) and past a white standing stone known as The White Lady for reasons lost in the mists of time (188mins). We went through two more wooden gates, crossed a bridge and turned left (194mins) to reach the cars (203mins).

After de-booting we drove to The Kinder Lodge to rejoin our A team colleagues and the B team for pints of Two Hoots cask bitter at £3-30.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the car park at Bottoms Reservoir which is approached by the cul-de-sac of Holehouse Lane, Langley, near Macclesfield. It is anticipated the group will arrive at Leather’s Smithy pub in Langley around 12.15pm for a tincture before returning to the Bottoms Reservoir car park at about 2.10pm for a drive to Sutton Hall, Sutton, arriving ten minutes later to enjoy further refreshment.

Happy wandering !