Monyash

May 24, 2017.

MONYASH, LATHKILLDALE, OVER HADDON, ALPORT, THE GEORGE AT YOULGRAVE, MOOR LANE, LOW MOOR WOOD, ONE ASH GRANGE, HIGH HEATH FARM, LATHKILLDALE AND THE BULL’S HEAD AT MONYASH

Distance: 10 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Cloudy start, sunny finish.

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Alan Hart and Jock Rooney with Tips.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (yachting in Turkey), Peter Beal (narrow-boating), George Dearsley (living in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (taking wife to hospital), Steve Kemp (memory loss), Chris Owen (visiting relatives),Julian Ross (w*^king), George Whaites (hip operation pending)

Leader: All bar Tom. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Lay-by in Monyash opposite public toilets at start of Lathkilldale.

Starting time: 10.02am. Finishing time: 2.46pm.

The exertions of the Polish trip appeared to have taken its toll on our numbers for this walk through one of the prettiest dales in the White Peak District on a glorious late spring day. Lawrie was a late cry-off because of illness to his wife Wendy and we all wish her a speedy recovery.

The B walkers outnumbered us yet again, although they suffered a double disappointment in Bollington, which is mentioned separately.

The route itself is amazingly straightforward so those familiar with it took turns to blaze a trail. Basically you follow the river through Lathkilldale which leads you into Youlgrave and our first watering hole, The George. Then you turn right along Church Street, right again at the water tower and climb up Moor Lane until you have passed the free public car park. Then you head right at a public footpath and follow the beaten track back to Lathkilldale and the path where you started.

The limestone valley is a stunning sylvan setting, much loved by dog walkers. It is also the summer home to dippers but none were spotted during our walk. We did however see and hear a peacock.

From the lay-by we crossed the road and went through a wooden gate to follow the path to the left of the public toilets which soon brought us into Lathkilldale (6mins). Soon the river appeared on our right and we followed the track to its left.

After pies and port at a convenient log (63mins) we reached a bridge at Over Haddon and crossed it before taking a path on the left with the Lathkill on our right (73mins). We went through a wooden gate (77mins) and reached a road (87mins) where we turned right over a road-bridge in the direction of Youlgrave and Alport.

This took us up a road designated as a Quiet Lane, where Jock and your diarist turned left at a wooden public footpath sign (91mins). Tom and Colin opted to stay with the road so they could reach the pub quicker – regardless of the trauma this caused to Tips, who is genetically programmed to keep her flock together.

We crossed a wooden stile (93mins) and a lane via a wooden gate (97mins) until we reached a road (108mins). Instead of heading straight on for Bradford Dale and extending the walk further, we turned right uphill, passing the sign for Youlgrave (112mins) and reaching The George on our right (119mins)

Colin and Tom were already well into their drinks as we ordered pints of Lightfoot at £3-60. They also tucked into two large home-made sausage rolls at £2-50 each. We sat outside at the trestle tables, enjoying the sunshine and remarking how the refuse collection lorry had caused a half-mile tailback in this quaint village.

Replete we turned right opposite All Saints Church along Church Street, passing The Bull’s Head on our left. At the water tower we turned right up Moor Lane at the start of a long climb (123mins). This continued until we passed Moor Lane Car Park on our left (151mins). It levelled out and when we crossed the road to follow a wooden public footpath sign on our right (153mins) we began our descent back to Lathkilldale.

A series of stone step stiles and wooden gates took us through Low Moor Wood (164mins) and a smaller one beyond it. We entered Lathkilldale by the steep descent of a flight of stone steps (179mins). At the foot of these steps we started our ascent immediately, taking the wooden public footpath sign pointing to One Ash Grange to our left (184mins).

At the top of the climb we headed through a wooden gate to the yard of High Heath Farm (197mins) where your diarist was greeted by the distinctive call of a peacock perched on a barn roof. We turned right following signs for the Limestone Way and Monyash (201mins)

However when we reached another sign indicating that Monyash lay directly ahead we turned right following a sign for Lathkilldale (206mins). The path led to a drystone wall where we swung left downhill with the wall on our right. We crossed a stone step stile (217mins) and returned to the path we had walked along some five hours earlier.

We turned left to go back to the cars (222mins), where we de-booted and drove to The Bull’s Head at Monyash for pints of excellent Chatsworth Gold cask bitter at £3-40. Colin was less than thrilled to be told that the round would have been ten pence a pint cheaper yesterday.

B Walkers' report

Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, George Fraser, Phil Burselm and Barry Williams.

 Apologies from Terry – upset stomach.

The first bit of bad news was that F.Smith, baker of orgasmic pies, was closed until further notice. We purchased 3 large meat-and-potato pies from a shop further down the road (£1.60 each – incredulous shouts of “How much?” fro the Yorkshiremen). After a short sit down in the park, we climbed up to the canal, and proceded towards Kerridge. Geoff introduced us to a variation in the established route, turning South(ish) towards Swanscoe Hall. Very flat and pleasant, but a bit longer than expected, with the result that we missed the 12.00 61 bus to Rainow. So we took an early lunch and got the 13.00 bus to the Robin Hood.

Second bit of bad news – new opening time for Wed and Thur now 4 pm. So we followed the virgin’s path back to Bollington, passed the defunct TRC bowling green, now yellow and unkempt, and at last found beer in the Crown pub opposite the mill dam. Excellent Sharps’ Atlantic at about £3.20, and nice ambience.

What with no pies at F.Smith, and the Robin Hood closed, is this the end of Bollington as a walking venue?

Tony Job

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30pm from the road outside Colin’s house at 11, Carr Brow, High Lane, calling at around 12 noon at The Swan in Kettleshulme, returning to The Soldier Dick at Furness Vale at about 2.15pm before catching the bus back to High Lane for the drive home.

Happy wandering !