Miller's Dale

MILLERS DALE, WYE VALLEY, LITTON MILL, CRAMSIDE WOOD NATURE RESERVE, CRESSBROOK MILL, CRESSBROOKDALE, LITTON, THE GEORGE INN AT TIDESWELL, LIMESTONE WAY, THE ANGLERS REST AT MILLERS DALE

Distance: 8-9 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry, Cloudy with Sunny Spells.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Hughie Harriman, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tips, and George Whaites.

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (prolonged Achilles heel injury), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (recovering from pneumonia) and Julian Ross (working in Bolton).

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Roadside between Anglers Rest pub and River Wye at Millers Dale, near Buxton.

Starting time: 9.57am. Finishing time: 2.31pm.


For devotees you can follow the exact route here

Click on the word "here" or cut and post the link below into your browser.

http://my.viewranger.com/track/details/NTk2OTQ0MQ==

An early start, traffic delays and mobile signal failure meant two of our 11 walkers had to make their own way to the first watering hole of the day. As they basked in the lunchtime sunshine, having bought fresh pies from the bakery, awaiting our arrival with pints in front of them, Alastair and Mickey seemed to have taken this setback in their strides.

It was a trip down memory lane for Mickey, whose father used to work at The George in Tideswell when it was an hotel, and who was taken on trips to The Anglers Rest at Millers Dale as a schoolboy. As was the custom in that era, commonly known as the black and white days, Mickey was allowed to sit outside with a bottle of pop, a packet of crisps and a crayoning book. On this occasion he regaled us with tales of his recent safari in South Africa while drinking pints of Farmers Blonde.

Who would have guessed that the little lad in short trousers would have become the seasoned jet-setting intercontinental traveller we know today ?

Or that he would have such sophisticated companions ?
(This supplied picture of Mickey bears a striking resemblance to one I spotted of Neanderthal Man. Ed)

Mickey Barrett

Neanderthal Man

Before setting off we learnt from a history board that the River Wye had powered many water wheels over the centuries. That particular site had been a mill for an estimated 900 years and was run by several generations of the Dakin family until brothers George and Thomas Dakin both died in the winter of 1912-13.

The mill closed in the 1920s and the building was removed in the 1970s. But a cast iron and wooden water wheel, 13 feet in diameter and 6 feet wide, made by Sheffield wheelwright Thomas Cavill around 1860, is still there.

We walked uphill with the Wye on our right and soon passed The Anglers Rest on our left. Once again we noticed there was no apostrophe on the inn sign, a distressing lapse in grammar and a blot on our cultural heritage.

We reached the hamlet of Litton Mill (25mins) with millworkers’ cottages on our left before reaching the mill itself via a concessionary path (27mins). The building has now been converted into apartments.

Litton Mill, set up in 1782 by two local farmers, became notorious during the Industrial Revolution because of its unsavoury employment practices. Because of the lack of local labour the owners scoured the country’s workhouses so they could turn paupers into apprentices. It was virtual slave labour and many children died as a result of mill accidents, illnesses and malnutrition.

The mill was destroyed by fire in 1874 but rebuilt. It closed in the 1970s and was converted into flats in 2003.

Continuing along the left bank of the Wye we entered Cramside Wood Nature Reserve (35mins), crossed a wooden footbridge and turned left along a pebbled track (50mins). We passed Cressbrook Mill on our right to reach a lane where we turned right uphill with the Wye on our right again (52mins)

We turned briefly right for Ravensdale (60mins) but after consultation with the map we returned to the original path and turned right (63mins). By a wall we stopped for pies, port and wine gums (65mins). Continuing, we crossed a wooden footbridge (75mins) and climbed away from the right bank of the river through trees. When we emerged we had splendid views across Cressbrookdale and beyond.

After going through a wooden gate we turned left downhill (88mins), went through two more wooden gates and followed a public footpath sign for Litton (110mins). After crossing a stone step stile marked with a yellow arrow we turned left along a farm track (113mins), passing Rope Makers Croft on our left. When we reached a road we carried straight ahead (117mins) along it, leaving Litton temporarily behind us (118mins)

We followed a wooden public footpath sign on our right, over a stone step stile, through two wooden gates marked with yellow arrows, turned left and crossed a lane (124mins). We crossed a wooden stile to emerge on a road opposite Dale House (127mins).

After a few paces left towards Tideswell we were called back to pass the sign for Litton, re-entering the village ten minutes after leaving it and turning left at Edgestones to the left of a cottage called Woodstock (131mins). We followed a path uphill until we reached a road and turned left uphill (136mins).

On our right was a field which appeared to contain cross-bred Highland and Friesian cattle. We reached the outskirts of Tideswell and turned left at a green public footpath sign (146mins). This brought us out opposite The George (147mins), where we joined Alastair and Mickey, and enjoyed pints of Hardy and Hartwell cask bitter, brewed by Kimberley, at £2-80 a pint.

We turned right out of the pub and passed the magnificent parish church of St John The Baptist, which is known because of its size and splendour as “The Cathedral of the Peaks.”  Outside a poster advertised a display by a troop of Maasai Warriors which was taking place inside the church on September 29.

The church had been embroiled in a 300-year-old dispute which began when, in the 11^th Century, William Peveril The Younger granted the parish of Tideswell to Lenton Priory. King Henry 11 later seized all the Peveril family lands in the Peak District and the parish of Tideswell was claimed by Lichfield Cathedral.

In 1250 the dispute spilled over into violence when armed monks from Lenton Priory fought their way into the church, where they tried to steal wool and sheep. In the ensuing skirmish they made off with 14 lambs. Another 18 lambs were killed.

Pope Innocent lV fined the monks but suits were still filed in the Vatican Court and the feud continued until Lenton and other monasteries were dissolved by Henry Vlll. The current church was built between 1320 and 1400 and its interior was restored in 1873.

After passing the church on our right we turned right at The Corner Chippy (150mins) to walk uphill along a road. At the top we turned left at a T-junction, and then turned right and left up a stony track (163mins). We paused for lunch (169mins) and then crossed two stone step stiles before turning left along a track (178mins)

By turning right at a public bridleway (180mins) we reached a metal gate (188mins) and emerged by a farmhouse. We turned right to follow a track marked Limsetone Way (195mins). The path led us through a five-barred wooden gate (197mins) and we then followed a wooden public footpath sign for Millers Dale.

We reached a road (199mins) where we turned right downhill, turning left at a church to reach our cars parked opposite (200mins). After de-booting we enjoyed pints of Farmers Blonde cask bitter at £3-50.

The day ended with further drama when your diarist realised he had placed his keys to car and house in a jacket slung over the back of his chair – a jacket belonging to George, who had just driven off with, unknown to him, my keys in its pocket. We alerted his passenger Colin and George made a swift return to save the day.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the road outside The Soldier Dick at Furness Vale, aiming to reach The Old Hall at Whitehough, Chinley, around 12.15pm for a bracer and then returning to The Soldier Dick at about 2.20pm.

Happy wandering !

Dean Row

September 20, 2017.

DEAN ROW, BOLLIN VALLEY TRAIL, MOTTRAM ST ANDREWS GOLF COURSE, THE BULLS HEAD AT MOTTRAM, LEGH OLD HALL, LOWER GADHOLE FARM, THE ADMIRAL RODNEY AT PRESTBURY, PRESTBURY WATER TREATMENT WORKS, TOP O’ TH’ HILL FARM, MILL LANE AND THE UNICORN AT DEAN ROW

Distance: 10-11 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Mainly cloudy, dry with some sunshine.

Walkers: Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Colin Davison, Alan Hart, Jonathan Hart, Steve Kemp, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

Apologies: Peter Beal (on Greek islands), Tom Cunliffe (Achilles heel problem), Lawrie Fairman (flu), Mark Gibby, Hughie Harriman and Chris Owen (hols), Jock Rooney (unhappy with route)

Leaders: Hart and Davison . Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of The Unicorn, Dean Row, Handforth.

Starting time: 9.34am. Finishing time: 3.05pm.


You can view the route by using this link

(click on the word link or if that does not work, copy and paste the URL below into your browser)

http://my.viewranger.com/track/details/NTkwODQwNg==

There is something about this apparently straightforward comfortable walk which has some kind of jinx upon it – particularly as far as your diarist is concerned. Twice in the past year he has overshot the turn-off and on this occasion he secured his hat-trick.

Two other victims were also led astray as we added a further 1,000 metres to the journey, but one of them, and I refuse to name the culprit in print here, played a crucial role in our missing the righteous path.

George Whaites made a welcome return to the A team after a successful hip operation, and I also introduced my son Jonathan, who knew instinctively (and with a little help from his GPS) that I was heading the wrong way.

From the car park of The Unicorn we turned right to reach a mini roundabout and turned right again along a busy minor road. At a wooden public footpath sign marked with a yellow arrow we turned right (5mins) to head up a track into a farmyard, passing free range hens, ducks, geese and a goat as we dog-legged right then left round the buildings and exiting via a wooden stile with a yellow arrow (9mins)

We crossed another wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow (13mins) and headed left after crossing another (15mins). It was at this point we could scent the distinctive musky odour of Himalayan Balsam.

Impatiens glandulifera is a large annual plant native to the Himalayas. Due to human introduction it is now common in the northern hemisphere and regarded as an invasive species. Because of the shape of its pink flowers, it has been nicknamed Policeman’s Helmet, Bobby Tops, Copper Tops and Gnome’s Hatstand.

It grows to between 1 and 2 metres high and spreads rapidly following its flowering between June and October when its pods explode scattering seeds up to 7 metres away. Himalayan Balsam was introduced to the UK in 1839 at the same time as Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed – not a great year for horticulture.

It is blamed for river bank erosion and experts believe that “balsam-bashing” parties trying to destroy the plant might do more harm than good. Its flowers can be turned into jam or parfait so perhaps it is time to seek the help of The Women’s Institute.

We reached a metal kissing gate (24mins) with an impressive mansion on our left. We went through a seven-barred metal gate and turned immediately right to pass through another followed by a metal kissing gate (25mins). The path took us through a field to a road where we turned right over a bridge across the Bollin (30mins) and left over a wooden stile taking us into a field on the right bank of the river.

The route took us up a flight of steps and to the right of a house following a yellow arrow and a Bollin Valley Way marker (34mins). The path led through two metal kissing gates to enter Mottram Hall Golf Course (36mins). We headed left round a football training pitch (42mins), leaving the course briefly through a metal kissing gate (48mins)

After ignoring the first wooden stile on our right (53mins) we took the second stile (56mins) to re-enter and cross the course following a series of yellow arrows. We bore left and right (64mins) before exiting the course by a wooden kissing gate (67mins) and turning right down a driveway (68mins). This brought us to a main road and The Bulls Head at Mottram St Andrew (which should be ashamed of its lack of an apostrophe)

We walked along a lane to the right of the pub (74mins) and turned left at Rose Cottage (77mins) and left again at a path marked with a yellow arrow (78mins). This path took us over five wooden stiles and a footbridge, passing a pink thatched cottage on our right. Here Daisy made friends with a fellow Jack Russell terrier (85mins).

We crossed another wooden stile to reach a flight of wooden steps where we paused for pies and port (88mins)

Continuing we turned left to reach a road which we crossed diagonally left and followed a wooden public footpath sign marked with a yellow arrow (89mins). We passed Legh Hall and Legh Old Hall on our left then turned left through a metal kissing gate into a field (94mins). We crossed a series of wooden stiles until we reached the drive to Woodend Farm House on our left (104mins)

We turned right then left along a gravel track which led to Lower Gadhole Farm (106mins). Our group turned right to go round the paddock, through a wooden kissing gate, turned left following a yellow arrow, crossing a wooden stile on our left and right along a drive (115mins)

This took us to a bridge over the Bollin which we crossed and turned right (118mins). With the river now on our right we went through a metal kissing gate and passed a soccer pitch on our right to enter the outskirts of Prestbury (123mins), passing The Village Club on our left (126mins). We turned left after the club and entered the rear of The Admiral Rodney on our right (no tittering at the back).

Our arrival (127mins) at 11.58am was not the first custom of the day as we joined earlier drinkers enjoying pints of Unicorn cask bitter in the sunshine of the beer garden. Suitably refreshed we retraced our footsteps out of the pub, turning right at the end of Pearl Street, passing The Village Club on our right and returning to the right bank of the Bollin.

Instead of crossing the bridge on our left (136mins) we continued through a metal kissing gate to walk with the river on our left. This brought us to Prestbury Water Treatment Works on our right, which is one of the largest sewage farms one might ever wish to see. We stopped for lunch at an overgrown bridge (150mins)

As we went through a metal kissing gate into a field (159mins) we reached another bridge on our left and turned right at a wooden public footpath sign (163mins). We headed uphill through a metal kissing gate (169mins), reached a road and turned left (171mins).

We turned left into Top o’ th’ Hill Farm (172mins) where Colin engaged in a lively debate with a builder about the poor signage for a diversion which had been foisted upon us. After some comical finger-wagging we resumed our journey (176mins) by turning right over a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow. Two similar stiles followed before we exited Willott Nursery (193mins) and turned left along a road.

Just before we reached a Ford dealership garage on our right, we turned left following a wooden public footpath sign for Mill Lane (195mins). We went through a metal kissing gate (200mins) and right at a wooden stile (202mins) which led us up to the road by the bridge over the Bollin. We crossed the road (208mins) and believed it to be a simple matter to follow our earlier footsteps back to The Unicorn.

By this time your diarist, Alastair and Julian had got well ahead of the others and made the mistake of taking an obvious path to the left when one of our number, acting as scout, had reported there was no path uphill straight ahead. Consequently the three leaders headed in the wrong direction and waited in vain for our comrades to follow.

When we realised the error of our ways we turned right through fields and made our way back to the free-range farm, from where we retraced our footsteps back to The Unicorn (248mins). Here Colin informed us that the four who had been behind us had arrived 15 minutes earlier, de-booted  and were on their way home.

Next week’s walk will start at 10am from the road near The Angler’s Rest, at Millers Dale. To reach it take the A6 out of Buxton and turn left along the B6049. Just after the sign for Millers Dale station on the left there is a minor road on the right which leads to The Angler’s Rest on the banks of the River Wye. We intend to stop for a livener at The George in Tideswell around 12.20pm, returning to The Angler’s Rest at 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !

Ashford in the Water

Awaiting copy






Pictures by Colin Davison

B Team walk by Tony Job

Storm Aileen threatened dire things, but the B team are not easily deterred, especially when all equipped with bus passes.

We began with the 09.44 394 bus to Marple Bridge, walked past the excavations of Samuel Oldknow’s mill, got well soaked passing Roman Lakes, and sheltered in the railway viaduct. When rain stopped, we paused for elevenses, crossed Roman Bridge, and reached Strines road, where the 383 bus runs from Marple to New Mills. Terry adopted the role of IT man, and rang GMT to find time of next bus, which was 12.06 from Strines, so we walked in the sun for few stops, passed The Sportsman, which claimed to be open all day (but wasn’t at 11.40), and got the promised bus to New Mills bus station, located almost outside the Peveril in the Peak. This was open, and we enjoyed pints of Jennings at £3.40 – dear but good. After another one, we crossed the road back to the bus station, to get the 13.25 61 bus to Furness Vale. Miles walked so far were only just ahead of pints supped, so we dropped down to the canal where we found a wall flat enough to sit on for lunch, still in the sun, and completed a Spurrell loop back to the Soldier Dick. Wainwright’s and Directors’ bitters were in good order. Something had run into a post by the bus stop, knocking it into the bus stop, and shattering 5 0f the 8 panes of glass. One of the advantages of the Soldier Dick is that the dedicated drinker can see the 199 bus to Hazel Grove passing, so enabling him to time his drinking and departure to get the following bus 25 minutes later. We completed the day’s exercise by getting the last 199 bus before the school bus, about 15.15.

Distance walked: under 4 miles.

Barber Booth

September 6, 2017.

BARBER BOOTH, RUSHOP EDGE, LORD’S SEAT, MAM NICK, MAM TOR, HOLLINS CROSS, THE OLD NAG’S HEAD AT EDALE, COOPERS’ FIELD, HOPE VALLEY RAILWAY LINE,  UPPER BOOTH, THE WANTED INN AT SPARROWPIT

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Strenuous climb at start: easy finish.

Weather: Cloudy, then rainy, then sunny.

Walkers: Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tips and Julian Ross.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (on safari), Peter Beal (Greece hols), Tom Cunliffe (Achilles problem), George Dearsley (in Turkey) and Lawrie Fairman (cruise lecturing)

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free car park on left of road to Upper Booth.

Starting time: 9.53am. Finishing time: 2.15pm.

This was one of those walks where we had to use our imaginations to envisage the splendid views we might have seen if it had not been for the early morning mist and late morning rain. Our Magnificent Seven, plus Tips, suffered the exertions of a lengthy climb from the valley of Barber Booth but were denied the reward of the panoramic vista normally provided at the 1,696 feet summit of Mam Tor.

This former Iron Age hill fort, known as Mother Hill because of the many landslips which have caused other hills to form themselves below it, has also been nicknamed Shivering Mountain. Its lower layers of shale have become unstable in harsh weather and the unequal struggle to keep open the A625 road between Sheffield and Chapel-en-le-Frith was finally abandoned in 1979.

Surrounding Mam Tor are a number of Booths – Upper, Barber, Grindsbrook, Ollerbrook and Nether – which are ancient hamlets built around the “bothies” created as temporary shelters for local shepherds.

The area is also famous for its caverns – Blue John, Speedwell, Peak and Treak Cliff – where Blue John fluorspar was mined.

From the car park at Barber Booth on the road to Upper Booth we walked back downhill under the railway viaduct (4mins) before turning right over a wooden stile (6mins) for the start of a relentless climb up to Rushop Edge. We crossed several wooden stiles and went through gates as we reached a road just before Mam Nick (87mins) where we paused for pies, port and damson gin.

Resuming, we crossed the road diagonally left and began the climb up Mam Tor, reaching its Trig Point (101mins). After a brief pause to glance at the restricted views, we began our descent , reaching the Tom Hyett Memorial plinth (114mins) and turning sharp left downhill. Where the path forked we went right (117mins) and went through a wooden gate before crossing the River Noe (132mins)

This led to a Kafkaesque conversation between your diarist and Jock. AH “Is this the River Noe ?”

JR: “Yes.” AH: “I’ll take that as a Yes for Noe.” JR: “Yes....It’s Noe.”

We turned left at a road (133mins) and after 30 yards turned right at a wooden public footpath sign. The route then led us through a series of gap stile protected by wooden gates, crossing the river again and walking through a tunnel before we emerged at a road opposite Edale Parish Church (149mins).

Here we turned right to reach The Old Nag’s Head (152mins) where pints of Black Sheep cask bitter were deemed sour and undrinkable by Steve and your diarist. Happily the barman concurred with our verdict and freely replaced them with pints of Celtic Gold at £3-50.

Continuing we retraced our footsteps for 20 yards back towards the church before turning right towards Coopers’ Chippy, then left at a wooden public footpaths sign ((157mins). The path then led us through a series of wooden gates until we passed a wooden public footpaths sign for Barber Booth and Upper Booth (165mins). In a dip between two gates we stopped for lunch (169mins)

We continued along the well-worn path across a bridge over the Hope Valley railway line (176mins). We reached a lane and turned right, passing Holly Cottage and The Old Dairy at Upper Booth (179mins). We were now in the home straight, turning right at the sign for Upper Booth (181mins) and walking back under the viaduct to reach our cars (187mins).

After de-booting we drove to The Wanted Inn at Sparrowpit for pints of Unicorn at £3-30. Some of our group also enjoyed the home-made cakes.

If you would like the full technical data on the walk, Steve has kindly supplied graphics.

Either click on the words "Track mapper" below....or, if the link does not work for you, copy and paste the URL below that into your browser.

If you don't know what a URL and a browser is....night school classes in using a computer are available from your local council.

Track mapper

 http://my.viewranger.com/track/details/NTgxMjUyOQ==

Next week’s walk will start at 10am from Ashford-on-the-Water. To reach the starting point drivers should take the A6 out of Buxton, ignoring the first sign on the left to Ashford, and the next road towards Chatsworth. Immediately beyond that road is a minor road crossing an old bridge with car parking spaces on the left. We will be taking a livener at The Pack Horse at Little Longstone around 12.30pm, finishing at The Ashford Arms, Ashford, around 2.20pm.

Happy wandering !