Allgreave

June 28, 2014.

ALLGREAVE, EAGLE AND CHILD, QUARNOCK, GRADBACH HOTEL, BACK FOREST WOOD, LUD’S CHURCH, HANGING STONE, WINCLE BREWERY AT DANEBRIDGE, CLOUGH BROOK COTTAGE AND THE ROSE AND CROWN AT ALLGREAVE

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Continuous rain, light, medium and heavy at times

Walkers: Laurie Fairman, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney and Tips, Mikey Barrett and friend Dave Walmsley

B walkers: Not out due to rain

Apologies: Everybody else

Leaders: Fairman. Diarist: Fairman.

Starting point: Car park of The Rose and Crown at Allgreave, Wildboarclough.

Starting time: 9.36am. Finishing time: 1.30pm.

The attendance as can be seen was very thin – the forecast was perfectly correct unfortunately it rained all day. Perhaps the dull weather can account for the moaning that was apparent. (Come back Colin at least yours are genuine). Before we started Jock had a go, wondering why we going to the banned pub with a landlady that tries to sell him food! Later he even complained about the noise of my waterproofs.

I confess it was my idea mainly because it is the only pub open between Congleton and Buxton (apart from the Ship) on the A54. They welcomed us to use the car park and it opened up good walks otherwise inaccessible if you want a beer. I thought they deserved a second chance. How opinions change? Below is a quote from Alan’s report of the walk in Sept 10^th 2014

“They also missed out on a bit of history, a bit of poetry and a warm welcome from lovely Luda, the new landlady of The Rose and Crown.”

From the pub car park we turned left following a sign for Quarnock. The wind was blowing straight into our faces the temperature reminiscent of winter (10C) and the rain continuous. At this point it was Mickey’s turn for a moan asking if we had to walk on tarmac!

These were the only animals enjoying the day

This was the start of a long, gradual climb which took us past Midgeley Farm on our right (5mins), a herd of alpacas grazing in a field on our left, past Helmsley Farm on our right (19mins) and a cottage on our left which was once a pub called The Eagle and Child (24mins).

This was one of the first country pubs, built in 1738, to fall victim to the breathalyser laws which no doubt saved lives but also killed off many historic hostelries in the heart of the countryside – the law of unintended consequences.

Continuing gently uphill, on our right we passed Burn’t Cliff Top (28mins) and reached Midgeley Gate Barn, where we turned right at a green public footpath sign (31mins). This led us through a farmyard which we exited by a stone step stile marked with a yellow arrow (33mins). With a drystone wall on our right we carried on until we soon crossed it by another stone step stile marked with a yellow arrow.

After a few yards downhill we headed right to follow a path which plunged steeply through ferns, heading toward the former Gradbach Youth Hostel. We crossed a footbridge over the River Dane to reach it (42mins).

The hostel, which was once a silk mill, was converted into an outdoor education centre by Newcastle-under-Lyme College, Staffs.

However it now appears to have been taken over by a commercial company (Gradbach Investments ) with a view to being a hotel (of sorts). They don’t have a licence but have applied for one. They have also constructed a substantial outside eating area along the riverside (R.Dane) and are open Sat and Sunday at 10am. Room prices in July from £100

Outside the front of the building was a wooden signpost pointing to Lud’s Church, Danebridge and The Roaches. The route was straightforward until we reached a stone step stile leading ahead, while the path swept left. We crossed the stile and a footbridge (54mins) to head uphill into Back Forest Wood.

We did not take the footpath to Lud’s Church, wet and tricky at the best of times, but turned left to follow the sign for The Roaches. A fairly steep and occasionally slippery climb took up to a clearing above Black Brook. Here we followed the path up to Roache End.( 70 mins)

Even though it was only 10.45 am pie time was taken in the lee of a dry stone wall as shelter against a strong wet easterly wind. Chris providing a warming drink of damson gin under the view of Bearstone Rock

                                    

We crossed a stone step stile on our right to enter a field (99mins) and the well trodden path took us to Hanging Stone (106mins). This distinctive rock stands on Back Forest Ridge, overlooking Swythamley Hall, home of the Brocklehurst family who owned The Roaches estate until the death of the last in line in 1978.

Below it are two plaques. The earlier one reads:

Beneath this rock on August 1, 1874, was buried Burke, a noble mastiff black and tan.

Faithful as woman, braver than man

A gun and a ramble his heart’s desire

With the friend of his life

The Swythamley squire.

The later one is a memorial to Lt-Col Henry Courtney Brocklehurst, of the 10^th Royal Hussars, a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps from 1916-18 and Game Warden of The Sudan. Born 1888 Swythamley and killed on active service in Burma on commando in June, 1942.

From Hanging Stone we walked steeply downhill to a gravel path where we turned right (115mins). After 80 yards we turned left over a wooden stile (116mins) and followed a wooden public footpath sign for Danebridge. Another wooden stile took us downhill through a wood (121mins). We reached a path and turned left (126mins).

The path brought us out on a road where we turned right, crossed the Dane and entered The Wincle Brewery on our left (129mins). Locally-brewed cask bitter, The Wincle Waller, was bought for £3.00 a pint and enjoyed on picnic tables under an open marquee, where we were joined by two very wet Land’s End to John  O Groat’s walkers. They were doing it in 2 week stages. They left Mow Cap (all 3 pubs now closed) this morning and were heading for Buxton tonight.

                                          

Leaving with some reluctance, we turned right uphill, passing The Ship at Wincle and turning right at a public footpath sign just beyond its car park (133mins). We entered a field and left it by a wooden stile to head through a copse (138mins). We crossed a wooden footbridge and exited the copse by a wooden stile.

Our quintet kept to the left side of a field before crossing a stone step stile on our left to go through a farmyard (144mins) and turned right along a lane. We went through a gate, turned left and then left again at another wooden gate (145mins).

This brought us to a kissing gate, but no stopping for lunch which had been consumed in the shelter of the marquee). We passed Clough Brook Cottage on our right (155mins) and reached a road (156mins). We turned right, crossed the Dane and headed uphill (162mins).

One our left was a whitewashed cottage which had been built in 1746 and then the Allgreave Methodist Church. The steep climb ended when the road turned sharply left and The Rose and Crown was on our right (166mins).

We were given a warm welcome by Luda, the formidable Estonian busty blonde landlady who used to be mine hostess at the nearby Hanging Gate pub. As luck would have it the guest beer on sale for a whopping £3-60 a pint was what could only be described as a very dark mild from a Midland brewery  (Parkgate) .Bitter was 3.50 a pint

Next week’s walk will start at 9.35am from Dane bridge, park down by the bridge the upper spaces are now reserved for residents. We hope to be led to the Knot Inn at Rushton Spencer for a livener between noon and 12.30pm before returning to the Wincle brewery around 2.15pm.

Eyam

June 21, 2017.

EYAM, DIPPING STONES, STONEY MIDDLETON, COOMBDALE, BLACK HARRY GATE, CAVENDISH MILL, HOUSLEY, HOME FARM, THE BULLS HEAD AT FOOLOW, LINENDALE, THE MINERS ARMS AT EYAM

Distance: 7-8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Hot and dry with cloud and sunshine.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp with Bertie and Archie, Chris Owen, and Jock Rooney with Tip.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Alastair Cairns (drainage problems), Tom Cunliffe (builders’ visit), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Mark Gibby (in Kent)

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free main public car park in Eyam, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.56am. Finishing time: 2.01pm.

On the day of the Summer Solstice we had two more canine debutants and the return of our prodigal sailor. Mickey made it a return to remember with the purchase of a round of drinks to celebrate his 67^th birthday. We wish him many more.

We also welcomed Steve’s two Labradors, black Bertie, and the younger golden coloured Archie. Steve was assisted in their supervision by Lawrie, who is fresh from his Father’s Day “treat” of a walk to the top of Snowden. This was a considerable achievement for a man who turns 82 next month. A walk along Derbyshire’s pretty but modest hills must have seemed tame by comparison.

It came as no surprise to learn that Tom, who had recommended this walk, cried off as is his custom on such occasions. He missed some lovely scenery, two country pubs and a lively political debate between Chris (somewhat to the left of Lenin) and Jock (somewhat to the right of Genghis Khan)

It started from the historical village of Eyam, which famously isolated itself when bubonic plague broke out in 1665. The tragic deaths of entire families has been recorded in previous reports. There are so many sad signs showing visitors where the victims lived and where they were buried that your diarist thought “the plaque village” would be a more appropriate title.

We set off from a footpath at the back of the car park and carried straight on where the footpaths divided (3mins). This brought us through the outskirts of Eyam to Church Street, where we turned left (7mins) and then right into The Lydgate (8mins)

A steady climb took us past The Dipping Stones (19mins), where 352 years ago the villagers had left money in a cleft in the rock filled with antiseptic vinegar. Neighbouring villagers would later leave food in exchange for the sanitised coins.

We dropped downhill to the edge of Stoney Middleton (25mins) and reached the main road opposite The Moon Inn (30mins). We crossed and passed The Moon on our left to climb High Street before turning left into Eaton Fold (33mins)

After taking a path through a wooden gate marked with a yellow arrow we turned left at a wooden gate (38mins) and followed the beaten path through fields passing through a kissing gate (39mins) and a wooden stile on our left (43mins). This brought us across a stream, where the dogs cooled down, to a tarmac road where we turned right to climb up Coombdale.

We stopped at a pair of wooden stiles which marked a crossroads for pies and port (74mins). Chris not only added his own blend of sloe gin but provided slices of chocolate orange for the group. This prompted Lawrie to ask if this counted as two towards his “five a day.”

Resuming we went through a wooden gate (77mins) and turned right soon afterwards at a public bridleway known as Black Harry Gate (78mins).

Black Harry was an 18^th Century highwayman who preyed on merchants travelling between Stoney Middleton and Wardlow.  He was caught at Wardlow Cop by Castleton’s Bow Street Runners. He was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered and his remains were displayed in a gibbet at Wardlow Mires.

The bridleway emerged at a tarmac lane where we turned left (96mins) and passed a sign for Cavendish Mill (100mins) where purple orchids were growing at the roadside next to the industrial buildings. Soon after passing the mill we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign for Housley (105mins).

This took us through a copse and two wooden gates before we reached a main road (123mins). We turned left and then right after 30 yards to follow the sign for Foolow. At a T-junction we turned left again (127mins), passing Home Farm on our right (130mins) and reaching The Bulls Head in front of us (132mins).

We enjoyed £3-60 pints of Golden Eagle and Black Sheep provided by birthday boy Mickey at a bench where we could find shade outside. When your diarist bemoaned the lack of an apostrophe in The Bull’s Head, both on its sign and menus, he was told by the barman that if he had been properly educated he would know an apostrophe was not required !

Suitably refreshed we turned left downhill following a sign for Eyam and Grindleford. We turned right at a wooden public footpath sign (134mins) and attracted the attention of a herd of cattle whose menacing movements were soon put to rout.

We then went through a series of wooden gates and stone step stiles taking us along an easily-defined trodden path through Linendale, where we stopped for lunch on a grassy bank (142mins). Continuing we followed a wooden public footpath sign for Eyam (147mins) which took us through another series of gates, stiles and alleyways until we reached the end of New Close back in the village (168mins)

We turned left into Church Street, passing Eyam Post Office on our right and turned right up Hawkhill Road (169mins) and reached the car park on our right to de-boot (171mins) before driving to the Miners Arms – no apostrophe there either !  No wonder the country is on its knees.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.35am from the car park of The Rose and Crown at Algreave, near Macclesfield. We expect to reach The Wincle Brewery at Danebridge around 12.15pm, returning to The Rose and Crown for further refreshment at about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !    

Old Glossop

Old Glossop 14 June 2017

OLD GLOSSOP, GLOSSOP LOW, LONGDENDALE TRAIL, HADFIELD, PADFIELD

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Warm and sunny

Walkers: Colin Davison, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Tom Cunliffe, Mark Gibby, Hughie ?, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen

Apologies: Alan Hart (overslept), Peter Beal (cruising),

B Walkers: please see blog

Leader: Davison, Diarist: Davison

Starting Point: The Wheatsheaf, Old Glossop

Starting Time: 9.45am. Finishing Time: 2.30pm

I have found a new diarist to plagiarise. One worthy of my low cunning. Will he spot his own inimitable hand?

We welcomed a new member to our midst. Mark brought along his friend Hughie. Youth and a military fitness programme ensured he did not experience the difficulties our tyro members have faced on this particular walk. 

Another professional note taker, I see him as a potential diarist. Can you tell how much I hate this job when it falls to me?

The BBC’s weather forecast was spot on: sun, sun, sun, rather different from our last visit.

However, the Wanderers who braved these torrid conditions enjoyed a challenging walk, good company and fine ale.

The clement weather made note-taking easy. I hope you will forgive your diarist if this account is shorter than usual because he didn’t take any.

We went up Blackshaw Road and through some flats on the right to pick up a trail that led past some farm buildings.

There has been more work here since our last visit 3 years ago.The collection of fowl just beyond the mill lodge now includes a couple of emus.

We continued as far as possible along the road, up a slope and then climbed a stile on the left. Swineshaw reservoir was below us to the left.

Through Blackshaw Farm we began a long ascent towards Glossop Low, with an area called Peaknaze Moor in the distance to our left. We paused at the second gate to regroup.

2014 Wet, wet, wet

The climb to the top was quite taxing, especially in the heat and windless conditions.

Pie Time was declared at 10.50am and taken in a rather decrepit stone built erection, which at one time was – we guessed – a shelter for grouse shooters or Shooting Box. The plastic chairs are no longer there, but the stone window ledges made fine seats. Chris handed out Toblerone and Sloe gin.

The party relaxed in the sunshine and bonhommie. Even though Tom was with us we didn’t finish Pie Time early, such was the conviviality of the moment. Immediately below is a picture taken the time before last that we visited this refuge….and immediately below that the scenario from our last visit.

                                        

                                                                 Pie Time 2013

It ain’t half cold, mum. 2014

In January 2013 the valleys were full of cloud and mist and we were unable to see anything. This time we could appreciate the wonderful vista, albeit with the wind blowing rain and sleet into our eyes.

Our descent took in part of the Pennine Way, a National Trail running 431 km (268 miles) from Edale, in the Derbyshire Peak District, through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park, ending at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border.

The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes described as the "backbone of England".

The track itself was easy enough though Tom complained that it hurt his​ knees.

But finally we reached the bottom and crossed a main road to join the Trans Pennine Trail turning left at a sign which read “Hadfield 3 miles”.

Walkers

Daisy the Dog

Longdendale Valley

"Bet he's got a bird brain," said the emu.

Emu....but no Rod Hull.

This, is also part of the Longdendale Trail. The trek into Hadfield is flat and without a great deal to observe. But we were just glad of the shade and  reach the Anchor pub by 12.41pm.

Tetley’s bitter was £2.95 per pint.

At 1.25pm we left the pub, turned right and proceeded down Railway Street to the railway station. We passed the station, crossed the road and took a ginnel on the left which brought us to Temple Street.

This took us past the Peels Arms pub. Climbing the hill, we turned left at the top where the main road turned to the right.

We took ​the second path on the right over fields. We negotiated a series of stiles, passed the graveyard where we have spent many happy hours playing Laurie Bingo (finding the grave of someone who died older than Laurie is now). It’s getting so difficult these days that it’s losing it’s popularity. Archive photo below from 2014.

                                          

The path then passed through the garden of a cottage with a big woodworking shop behind. We crossed the Woodhead road and through fields. We were soon walking along the opposite side of Swineshaw Reservoir to our outwards path, crossing fields that are normally muddy and wet but today were dry and fragrant with manure. This brought us to a descent through woodland and the road we had originally taken out of Old Glossop.

Next week’s walk will start from the main car park Eyam at 9.50am. The Bull at Foolow is our half way stop and we will visit the familiar Miners’ Arms at the end of our walk.

Happy Wandering.

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Furness Vale

June 7, 2017.

FURNESS VALE, GOW HOLE, HOPE VALLEY RAILWAY LINE, OLLERSETT MOOR, BIRCH VALE, SETT VALLEY TRAIL, HEXT FARM, ASPENSHAW HALL, BLAKE HALL, CARR NOOK FARM, THE PACK HORSE INN, NEW MILLS, THE TORRS, OLD MILL LEAT, GOYT VALLEY AND THE SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry with cloudy start giving way to sunshine.

A walkers: Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison*, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip, and George Whaites.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (yachting off Turkey), George Dearsley (living in Turkey), Mark Gibby (caring for sick parents) and Julian Ross (w*^king)

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

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

Starting time: 9.36am. Finishing time: 2.16pm.

To the old adage “The sun shines on the righteous” should be added the words “and the Wednesday Wanderers.” Once again the weather gods smiled down favourably upon us. After two days of lashing rain and gale force winds they relented and we enjoyed excellent walking conditions. Even the mud we had anticipated failed to materialise.

We welcomed a debutant into our midst. Daisy, an eight-year-old Jack Russell terrier with a fearsome reputation, made a ladylike appearance and contrary to expectations she struck up a respectful relationship with Tip. Daisy did let her peaceful mask slip on one occasion when a white Pomeranian had the temerity to yap half-heartedly at her as we passed its house. Daisy turned back and barked back menacingly in the style of Robert de Niro in Taxi Driver. Then, as if she had forgotten her manners, she rejoined us as if to say “Sorry, but I can’t let a challenge go unanswered.”

Peter led us on what proved to be a rollercoaster ride of a walk up and down hills as we explored some new territory and visited a pub which to the best of my knowledge had not enjoyed the privilege of our company before.

*Colin, who had been absent from our starting line-up because of a dental appointment, met us when we were just 15 minutes short of this first watering hole, thus taking our numbers into double figures, plus two dogs.

Leaving The Soldier Dick car park we crossed the A6, turned left for a few yards and then went right downhill along Old Road to join a track under the Manchester-Buxton railway line. We turned right and emerged on Station Road (4mins) where we turned left along the road bridge over the Peak Forest Canal.

We turned right at a green public bridleway sign (9mins) which took us through Gow Hole cottages to a T-junction where we turned left and immediately right at a green footpath sign ((10mins). After two wooden gates we walked through a tunnel under The Hope Valley railway line linking Stockport with Sheffield (13mins).

After crossing a stone step stile we turned left (16mins) then went right at a broken footpath sign (17mins) which led us through first a wood and then a farmyard (26mins). We carried straight ahead where footpaths crossed (34mins) and went over first a stone step stile, a gap stile and then a short ladder stile (37, 38 and 39mins)

Another stone step stile and a wooden stile brought us to a lane, where we turned left past Moor Lodge (45mins) and then right at a wooden public footpath sign (46mins). We crossed a ladder stile (48mins), went through a wooden gate (53mins) and entered Ollersett Moor. Our route involved heading for an electric pylon and then crossing a wooden stile beyond it (61mins)

After going through a wooden gate (67mins) we headed downhill towards The Grouse in Birch Vale. Just before we reached it Daisy had her brief confrontation with the Pomeranian, who ran away from its gate to yap its protests from a safe distance.

With The Grouse on our left (79mins), we crossed the road and followed a wooden public footpath sign next to the sign for Station Road. This path led us through a wooden gate to the Sett Valley Trail, which we crossed and took a path to the right of an electricity sub-station (81mins). We reached a footbridge over the River Sett where we paused for pies, port and damson gin (85mins)

Continuing we climbed uphill to a marker post and crossed a field, going through a wooden gate and over a stone step stile to reach a lane, where we turned left uphill (88mins). This brought us to another lane where we turned sharp left (95mins), passing Hext Farm on our right (97mins). We forked right at a sign for High Walls Farm (103mins) and turned right at a flight of steps leading to a gate into a field.

We headed uphill through a gap stile, a stone step stile, and two wooden stiles either side of a copse (110mins) After crossing another wooden stile we turned left (115mins) and passed Aspenshaw Hall on our right.

Aspenshaw Hall was originally built in 1727 and was the home of the Buckley family. It passed to George Bower, who married Elizabeth Buckley in 1710. The Buckley family had become wealthy through the building of a fuller mill (a stage in clothmaking), a paper mill and a tannery yard at The Torrs around 1700. George and Elizabeth named their son Buckley Bower and he became a Stockport lawyer. He acquired hundreds of acres of land locally and inherited the hall in 1830. But he got into financial difficulties and it was sold at auction in 1836. The building has now been converted into nine apartments.

Beyond the hall we took the right fork (117mins) into Briargrove Road, passing Ladygate Farm (124mins) and Blake Hall (128mins) on our right. When we reached Carr Nook Farm on our right (130mins) where Colin awaited us, we turned left over a stone step stile to enter a field. We crossed a stone step stile (135mins) and headed right uphill. We reached Mellor Road and turned left (140mins), arriving at The Pack Horse Inn on our right (144mins).

This impressive stone building caters more for diners than drinkers although the Tetleys’ cask bitter at £3-30 was in excellent form. We were obliged to drink it in the pleasant beer garden at the rear of the pub because dogs are not welcome inside.

When we left the pub we continued in the same direction passing the sign for New Mills (150mins) and entering Dye House Lane (157mins).

 On the right was the former town prison with an interesting inscription on its wall dedicated to Thomas Handford  dated 1854 and headed A Drunkard’s Reform. It read: “A working man, a teetotaller for ten years who was formerly a notorious drinker and poacher has recently invested his sober earnings in the purchase of the town prison, which he has converted into a comfortable dwelling house. Frequently an inmate of the prison whilst a drunkard and a poacher, he is now owner of the whole occupancy of the premises.”

As your diarist perused the story of this man who liked his prison so much that he bought it, I realised that once again I had been abandoned by my comrades. What follows, therefore, is an account of the route I took to try to make my way back.

After the road swung left I followed a public footpath sign on the left (164mins), heading uphill with a graveyard on my right. At a footpath junction I turned right and reached a road which I crossed to follow a sign for the Sett Valley Trail (168mins). Crossing another road I followed a sign for The Torrs (170mins), passing New Mills Leisure Centre on my right (172mins)

The path ahead was blocked for 50 yards due to a rock-fall but it was possible to climb round the fencing and continue toward The Torrs. Just before reaching the Millenium Walkway I turned left to follow a sign for The Peak Forest Canal. This took me under a tunnel called Old Mill Leat with the River Goyt on my right (181mins).

 I walked under a viaduct (186mins), passed a field on my right containing a llama and passed a farm on my right, ignoring a sign for the Goyt Way. Instead I pressed ahead along the path to emerge on Marsh Lane by Gow Hole (201mins) and turn right. After crossing the Goyt this became Station Road (204mins) which I followed over the level crossing to the A6. By this time I had rejoined my fellow Wanderers, emerging on to Station Road from the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal on my right.

We crossed the A6, turned right and came to The Soldier Dick on our left (211mins). After de-booting we enjoyed pints of Wainwrights’ cask bitter at £2-85.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.40am from the plot of land opposite The Wheatsheaf pub in Old Glossop. Colin has promised to find us a pub open in Padfield where we will pause for a livener at about 12.15pm. We expect to finish back in The Wheatsheaf around 2.15pm. If that is closed we will seek another venue.

Happy wandering !