Poynton

Poynton

Dec 20, 2017

POYNTON POOL, PRINCES INCLINE, DAVENPORT GOLF COURSE, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, TRADING POST, GREEN HOUSE FARM, LYME PARK, WINDGATHER, HARESTEADS FARM, BOAR'S HEAD AT HIGHER POYNTON, POYNTON POOL

Distance: 8 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Dry and cloudy at first, persistent light drizzle later. Mild.

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Laurie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Hughie Harriman, John Jones, Julian Ross, George Whaites

S.O.B. walkers: George Fraser, Tony Job, Terry Jowett, Gareth Roberts, Ken Sparrow, Geoff Spurrell, Barry Williams

Non-walking drinker: Alan Hart

Apologies: George Dearsley (Turkey), Chris Owen (poorly sick)

Leader: Fairman                              Diarist: Beal

Starting point: Poynton Pool car park

Starting time: 9.53am         Finishing time: 2.01pm

For a second successive week the allure of free mulled wine, breakfast barmcakes (this time sausage) and mince pies ensured a fulsome turnout of walkers.

Our host Alan, sadly prevented from joining the walk by a combination of back and foot trouble, nevertheless was more than generous in his hospitality at his home before we wandered off in the direction of the nearby Poynton Pool car park to boot up.

An otherwise gentle walk had some drama introduced by a bloody injury to Laurie's hand, caused by a barbed wire fence, but our leader maintained a firm upper lip and continued with his duties.

We left the car park with Poynton Pool on our left and followed a good path which brought us to South Park Drive (10 minutes). We crossed this and turned left down the main road, a short distance later turning left in to Woodside Lane.

We followed this residential road with the grounds of Poynton Sports and Social Club on our right. We took a signed track on the right at a fork and continued up this, crossing a road and going through a gate which brought us in to fields (21 min).

This was the start of the Princes Incline - part of the Poynton Collieries railway system built to service the many small mines in the area. It was originally rope-worked, but converted to locomotives in 1889. The system carried coal from the pits to either Stockport or the nearby Macclesfield Canal, for onward transport to Macclesfield or Bollington.

We continued up the track, now with a ditch on our left, before slanting left and descending down a flight of wooden steps in to woods (29 min). Steps at the other side of a wooded dip brought us to a metal kissing gate, leading in to a field at the edge of Davenport golf course. After two further similar gates, and a false start in to another bit of the golf course, we turned left along a track which soon forked right 37 min) to take us along a path through woods.

We crossed a minor road (50 min) and carried on along an unmade lane which brought us to Hilton Road. We crossed this and entered Prince Road at a sign pointing to the Middlewood Way, which we soon crossed on a substantial bridge.

The Way, now an 11-mile route for walkers, horse-riders and cyclists, is the route of the former Marple to Macclesfield railway line, which closed in 1970. We carried on up a track with the entrance to Middlewood House Community Hall on our left, and past two bungalows, after which the track became a path (62 min).

It was here our leader, with his walking poles tucked under his arm, slipped on a greasy tree root, and trying to steady himself took a firm grip on a barbed wire fence, sustaining a nasty gash to his hand.

After much scrabbling about for tissues and plasters, the flow of blood was stemmed. Some of the Wanderers observed it might be helpful if we actually carried such a thing as a first-aid kit for such an eventuality. Your temporary diarist unhelpfully offered that he did possess such a thing - but it was in his other rucksack.

Veteran Wanderer Alan was to comment later that in all his years of Wednesday walking it was the first time he had known such an injury, or indeed of any of the Wanderers coming to harm.

This was apparently in contrast to the other, more organised rambling groups that he joins sometimes, when seemingly walkers are regularly being escorted away with exhaustion or falling and breaking and spraining things. We took this as a tribute to the Wanderers' fortitude and professionalism.

We continued uphill with Laurie bleeding not too profusely and soon reached the Macclesfield Canal (65 min). We turned right along the towpath to reach the canal supplies shop-cum-cafe known as Bailey's Trading Post, where in the absence of pie-time a tea stop was declared (76 min).

In rather balmy weather we sat outside and enjoyed tea and Bovril, generously purchased by Julian. His claim however that this would exempt him from birthday drinks for 2018 was met with widespread derision.

We left at 11.25, and as we were only 200 yards from our planned refreshment stop, a diversion was clearly needed. We continued along the canal in the direction of Bollington and at Bridge 16 crossed the waterway in to a field (89 min).

We followed a hedge on our right, under power lines, and soon came a a stile on our right. We crossed this and bore left up a footpath which brought us to a lane, which we followed uphill. This brought us to Green House Farm, which we skirted along a footpath on its right.

This brought us out on moorland on the fringe of Lyme Park. We carried on along a grassy track before slanting left down to a good track running alongside a high drystone wall (97 min).

We turned left downhill soon reaching the Park gate at a house called Windgather. From here a track and lane took us straight on, descending and then climbing from Haresteads Farm, to soon reach the canal again near the Trading Post. A short walk down the road brought us to the Boar's Head (150 min), where we found the eight B walkers already ensconced, having walked the two miles from Poynton.

Black Sheep (£3.30) and Ringwood Razorback Bitter (£3.45) was on offer and much enjoyed.

Our straightforward return route took us left out of the pub door and sharp left in to Anson Road, which we followed for its length down to a T-junction. Here we crossed over to take a track which brought us to rejoin our outward route at the kissing gates in the golf course. From here we followed the Princes Incline and retraced our steps alongside Poynton Pool to the car park (195 min).

We debooted and some of the party adjourned to The Fiveways for Holt's Bitter (£3.15).

Pictures by John Jones

Next week's walk will start outside The Cock in Whaley Bridge at 9.35am. We intend to call at the Old Hall Inn in Whitehough around 12.15pm, before returning to The Cock around 2.15pm.

Details of the traditional New Year's Day walk will be announced in the report of this.

Happy wandering!