Warslow

WARSLOW, SWAINSLEY BANK, WETTON MILL, CARR FARM, THE ROYAL OAK AT WETTON, OLD POLICE HOUSE, BACK OF ELTON, WETTON HILL, SUGAR LOAF, MANIFOLD VALLEY, MINTLYN HOUSE, THE GREYHOUND AT WARSLOW

Distance: 10-11 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate but strenuous climbs.

Weather: Hot and sunny.

Walkers: Alastair Cairns, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart and Chris Owen.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Tom Cunliffe (returning from caravan trip to France and Spain), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (cruise-lecturing), Steve Kemp and Jock Rooney (wounded), Julian Ross (w*^king), George Whaites (domestic duties)

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road outside The Greyhound Hotel at Warslow, south-east of Buxton.

Starting time: 10.05am. Finishing time: 3.23pm.

Where do I begin ? This was a walk which started ominously, had a disappointing middle and a prolonged, energy-sapping end. It speaks volumes for the fortitude and doughty spirit of the Wednesday Wanderers that we suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with good humour.

This was a new route, suggested by your diarist and led by Colin, so there was always going to be an element of uncertainty involved. However we were subjected to such a degree of hesitation and deviation in the early stages that nobody would have been surprised if Just A Minute host Nicholas Parsons had intervened.

Assembling in good time for our 10am start we set off at the appointed hour and had gone only 20 yards when Chris and Alastair drew up in the latter’s Masserati. If they had been a minute later we would have turned right and been out of their sight. It transpired they had arrived early and decided to make a seven-mile round trip to Longnor for cups of coffee. Though the danger of being left behind was averted, Chris discovered that his walking poles, left by the side of his car, had vanished.

After an enjoyable ramble through the rural scenery and an unscheduled but welcome stop for ice creams we arrived at the historic Royal Oak in Wetton looking forward to our first pints of the day. Sadly the Arbour Ale at £3-80 was in poor form and a suspicion that the first two pints supped by Alastair and Chris had spent the night between barrel and pump. This is becoming a peril to thirsty walkers, proving that sometimes the early bird gets the bad pint.

But just when you think things can’t possibly get any worse....read on.

Facing The Greyhound we turned right downhill and took the first road right by the side of The Old Post Office. At the end of Quarter Lane we crossed and followed a wooden public footpath sign to the right of Warslow Village Hall . We went through a metal gate and entered a farmyard which we exited through a gap stile and turned right.

As we passed Low Homestead on our left (10mins) we carried straight on along a gravel track. We went through a five-barred wooden gate marked Warslow STW (14mins), crossing a field diagonally right through a gap and left along a footpath across a wooden footbridge marked with a yellow arrow (18mins)

We reached a road at Swainsley Bank(25mins) which we crossed and went straight up a gravel track, soon forking right (26mins). When we reached a house called Kirksteads over a cattle-grid we reversed , turning left diagonally across a field  and through a gap in the trees before intersecting the path we should have been following . We turned left and went through a wooden gate and crossed a stream (38mins)

We were now following a public bridleway through metal gates and a stone step stile until we reached a stream where we paused for pies and port (55mins). We were also treated to slices of chocolate orange by Chris.

Resuming we turned left with the stream on our right and reached a lane through a wooden five-barred gate. We reached another lane and turned right before crossing a road bridge over the River Manifold to reach Wetton Mill on our right (71mins). The ice cream shop was too tempting for some of us to resist in the heat of late morning and Chris insisted on treating us again. (I hope we are not being groomed)

With the ice cream parlour on our left we headed left (76mins) uphill until we reached a wooden post displaying a blue arrow on a yellow background. We turned left (80mins), went through a wooden gate (81mins) and swung right along a valley. We crossed a wooden stile (89mins) and turned left to join a road with a dry riverbed on our right below.

When we reached a wooden stile next to a wooden public footpath sign marked with a yellow arrow, Colin persuaded us this was a short cut which would bring us out further up the road (95mins). Ten minutes later, after ducking and stumbling our way through what Colin described as a public bridleway – if midgets rode Shetland ponies – but resembled a jungle, we returned to the road some 100 yards further along it (105mins).

We reached a road and turned left uphill past the sign for Wetton  (111mins). After passing Carr Farm on our right we passed the church on our right and then turned right to reach The Royal Oak on our right (120mins)

The Royal Oak is a free house established circa 1760 and is the venue for an annual toe-wrestling competition. Toe-grappling fans will know this became a championship event in 1993. For many years this took place at The Bentley Brook Inn at Fenny Bentley, near Ashbourne, but it returned to its spiritual home at The Royal Oak in 2015.

The sport was invented in 1974 by four regulars there who bemoaned the UK’s lack of world champions. They decided if they could create a new challenge which nobody else knew about the country would have a world champ. Mick Dawson became the first titleholder and retained it the following year. Then a Canadian visitor literally wrestled the title from his grasp.

The sport took off worldwide and produced such personalities as Paul “Toeminator” Beech. It is played in bare feet on a best of three basis using alternate right and left feet. The winner must trap his opponents’ foot for three seconds.

Perhaps the excitement of the toe-wrestling distracted customers from the woeful state of the beer.

On leaving the pub we made a brief diversion to admire the bizarre statuary outside the Old Police Station, with a set of ancient stocks in its garden. Returning after a photo opportunity we walked back towards the pub and then headed right uphill at Hill Farm Cottage and then turned left towards the Back of Elton, as it was signed.

After passing an underground reservoir on our right (130mins) we went through an open gate and started to climb Wetton Hill (1,221 feet).  With Chris striding out ahead and the rest following gamely in his wake, we received a shout from Colin at the back who was consulting his map once again. He told us to carry on and he would meet us at the far side of the hill.

For a variety of reasons this never happened. Suffice to say we arrived back at The Greyhound after skirting Wetton Hill and climbing the vertiginous Sugar Loaf Hill, then following the right bank of the Manifold back to Warslow. Our leader, having arranged to meet us at a bridge, changed his mind and returned to the pub, proudly informing us that he had arrived 50 minutes before us having walked three fewer miles.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the free public car park overlooking Bollington Recreation Ground. The walk of between 8-9 miles will involve one steep climb up Kerridge with a livener in The Robin Hood at Rainow around 12.15pm, finishing at The Vale, Bollington (near the Recreation Ground car park) at about 2.20pm.

Happy wandering !

Topley Pike

July 18, 2018.

TOPLEY PIKE, MONSAL TRAIL, WYE VALLEY, CHEE DALE, CHEE TOR, BLACKWELL HALL FARM, FIVE WELLS FARM, BANK PIT SPRING, THE CHURCH AT CHELMORTON, BURRS FARM, TOPLEY PIKE QUARRY

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Mostly cloudy, warm and dry with cooling breeze.

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart and George Whaites.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Tom Cunliffe (caravaning abroad), Alastair Cairns (supervising building work), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (cruise-lecturing), Steve Kemp (poorly), Chris Owen (cycling hols).

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Lay-by at quarry entrance opposite Monsal Trail car park, Topley Pike, on A6 out of Buxton.

Starting time: 10am. Finishing time: 2.23pm.

Despite another warm summer’s day, our numbers were depleted due to holidays, incapacity and in some cases w^*king. Nonetheless it was good to welcome Micky back into our ranks after a prolonged absence.

Our route along the Wye Valley was not only picturesque but it afforded us opportunities to admire some of our feathered friends, including wagtails and dippers.

A personal highlight was a visit to one of our favourite pubs in the pretty village of Chelmorton where we enjoyed the sunshine and a gentle breeze in the beer garden – not to mention pints of Marstons’ Pedigree.

We also paused at Bank Pit Spring, known locally as Illy-Willy Water, but surprisingly none of our quintet could be persuaded to try a sample.

From a lay-by next to the entrance to a quarry, we crossed the A6 and turned right to enter the pay-and-display car park which marked the start of the Monsal Trail.

The trail is a traffic-free route for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users. It runs from the former Midland Railway line for 8.5 miles from Blackwell Mill in Chee Dale to Bakewell. The trail on the abandoned line opened in 1981 but four tunnels remained closed for safety reasons until 2011 when they were reopened after a £2.25 million refurbishment.

We walked with the River Wye on our left before reaching a cycle hire shop on our right and turning left to cross to the left bank of the Wye by a wooden footbridge (14mins). We crossed back to the right bank via a wooden footbridge (38mins) and switched back to the left bank again (40mins) where we walked along stepping stones under the sheer cliffs through a magnificent gorge.

There was a serious danger from falling rock-climbers who were out in force to practice their hazardous hobby. Emerging from the gorge we reached a concrete footbridge (66mins) to exit Chee Dale. On its far side we paused for pies and port.

Resuming we faced a long haul up Chee Tor (75mins) where we reached some uneven land which was the remains of a Romano-British settlement dating back nearly 2,000 years. We turned left at a drystone wall and then turned right through an open gate marked with a yellow arrow (79mins).  We turned right to quarter the field and exit by the right hand corner.

On reaching a drystone wall we turned right along a track and followed a yellow arrow on a gatepost (88mins) before swinging left and going to the left of the buildings at Blackwell Hall Farm (84mins). We exited the farm and turned left (88mins). The route took us across a main road and we followed a sign for Priestcliffe (90mins).

Heading along the road we went right (92mins) through a wooden gate marked with a wooden public footpath sign and crossed a field to another wooden gate which brought us out on to the main road  (99mins). Opposite was a stone step stile which took us into The A6 Spinney (101mins) and we crossed a stone step stile at the far side of the trees to enter a field leading to a rocky farm track by a wooden gate (109mins)

We turned right and left the track at a wooden public footpath sign with a yellow arrow on our right (112mins). We went through a gate marked with a yellow arrow (115mins) and reached the yard of Five Wells Farm (119mins). We went through the farm and along a lane which brought us to a T-junction where we dog-legged left and right to follow a wooden public bridleway sign for Chelmorton (124mins). The path led us to Bank Pit Spring on our right (132mins)

Here a plaque informed us this had provided some of Chelmorton’s water supply. It was at the end of Grove Rake, a lead-mining site, and was known locally as Illy-Willy Water. (Presumably it didn’t put lead in pencils: rather the opposite)

After seeking a volunteer to try it without success, we continued into the village of Chelmorton and its pub, The Church Inn on our right, with St John the Baptist’s Church on our left (133mins)

The church, which dates back to the 13^th Century, is 1200 feet above sea level and said to be the highest in Derbyshire. Its 15^th Century spire has a weathervane in the shape of a locust, which is the symbol of John The Baptist. The Elizabethan porch is made from coffin lids.

After enjoying pints of Marstons’ Pedigree for £3-40 in the sunny beer garden we continued our perambulations by turning right out of the pub and then right at a wooden public footpath sign (134mins). We went to the left of a farmhouse (139mins) and reached a road next to Burrs Farm (146mins)

We crossed the road and followed a wooden public footpath sign which ultimately led us all the way back to our cars, over stone steps stiles, wooden stiles and a gap stile, through gates and down a steep slope where George took a tumble. Happily only his pride was hurt.

Before the start of the descent we paused for lunch at a stile (173mins). The path then led us to the right of a quarry and back to de-boot at the lay-by (188mins)

Next week’s walk will start at 10am from the road outside The Greyhound Inn at Warslow. This is accessed via the A515 Ashbourne Road out of Buxton and the B5053. Our route will take us on an 8-mile walk along the Manifold Valley and a livener will be embibed around 12.30pm at the historic Royal Oak in Wetton. If our return is too early for The Greyhound, which opens at 3pm on Wednesdays, there is the option of calling at The Devonshire Arms at Hartington on our way home.

Happy wandering !  

Disley

July 11, 2018.

DISLEY, BOLLINHURST RESERVOIR, MILLENIUM WOOD, BOLDER HALL FARM, BLACK ROCKS, OWLS’ NEST, BYRON HOUSE, GREENSHALL LANE, PEAK FOREST CANAL, GOYT VALLEY, HAGUE BAR, HAGUE FOLD FARM, THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, STRINES STATION, BRUCE CLOCK, PEAK FOREST CANAL, HAYCROFT AND THE WHITE HORSE AT DISLEY

Distance: 9+ miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Hot and sunny.

Walkers: Alastair Cairns, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

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

Apologies: Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe and Chris Owen (hols), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman and Steve Kemp (poorly).

Starting point: Car park of The White Horse in Disley.

Starting time: 9.30am. Finishing time: 2.04pm.

This walk was chosen last week when it was unclear whether any recognised leaders would be participating. It is one of the few routes your diarist is allowed to lead. How ironical, therefore, when I appeared to be lost at the half-way stage.

Several walkers were clearly fooled by my feigned bewilderment, only to discover that I had taken a slight detour which had the advantage of enabling Colin to spot a kingfisher before  we arrived at our chosen destinations – The Fox and The White Horse – at the allotted times.

We enjoyed another lovely summer’s day and for once we reached the first watering hole ahead of our colleagues in the B team. This was a tactical error because I had to suffer one of the early pints which had clearly spent the previous night somewhere between the barrel and the pump.

The day started on a sombre note when I announced that Lawrie is to undergo a knee operation and will therefore be hors de combat for many weeks. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

From the car park of The White Horse at Disley we turned right up Ring o’ Bells Lane and turned right before the Quaker Meeting House to cross a footbridge.

The sign on the wall of church bells is the former sign for a pub called The Ring o’ Bells which closed down many decades ago and became the new home for The Society of Friends.

Beyond the footbridge we swung left and headed uphill with a graveyard on either side before going diagonally left along a path across a field which cut a corner and brought us out opposite a metal kissing gate.

We went through it to enter a field and aim in the direction of Lyme Cage in the middle distance. After exiting the field we went along a lane with Lyme Cage now to our right. Shortly before we reached a farm we turned left (12mins) at a green footpath sign. This route took us to a wall on our right beyond which was Bollinhurst Reservoir.

Turning right over a wooden stile (22mins) we entered a wood at the end of the reservoir. The path took us through a metal gate to a lane (30mins) which we crossed and headed towards Drake Carr. Just before this picturesque building we turned left up a flight of stone steps (31mins) and followed the path through Millenium Wood to a road (34mins) where we turned right.

After passing Bolder Hall Farm Cottage on our left we turned left at a public footpath sign marked Black Rocks (39mins). There were various routes to the summit. Five of us took one route and I’ll leave you to guess who took the other. When we had reassembled at the ridge (60mins) we paused to catch our collective breath and admire the panoramic views.

Continuing (65mins) we turned left along the ridge and started our descent by crossing a ladder stile (67mins). We went through a metal gate (72mins) and crossed a wooden stile next to a drystone wall on our left (80mins).

Beyond the wall was a long barn-shaped building known as The Owls’ Nest. A grey owl appears on Manchester Grammar School caps and blazers, and it was in this building that pupils indulged in “extra-curricular activities” involving fresh air and fun during school holidays.

We continued our descent through a cottage garden, crossed the road (82mins) and went through the garden of Byron House before turning left at a public footpath sign. At the end of the path was a lane where we turned right and passed Pear Tree Cottage on our left (87mins). We went downhill along a rocky path or a concessionary footpath to reach the A6 (97mins). We crossed it and entered Lower Greenshall Lane.

After walking under a railway tunnel  we reached Bridge 27 of the Peak Forest Canal, where we paused for pies and port on its right bank (102mins). Resuming we went under Bridge 26 (108mins) and past Bridge 25, a lift bridge, by 10 yards before turning right through a gap stile (114mins) marked with a green public footpath sign.

The path took us down a flight of steps to a stream which we crossed by a wooden footbridge to ascend a flight of steps on the other side (118mins). The path brought us to a public bridleway (124mins) where we turned right and soon joined a footpath on the right bank of the River Goyt where Colin spotted the unmistakable iridescent blue feathers of a kingfisher.

The bridleway led to a road where we turned left (129mins) for 200 yards before following a public footpath sign which took us back to the right bank of the Goyt (134mins). This led us round a house with a large garden before returning us to the road (136mins). We turned left and crossed a road bridge which took us to the left bank of the Goyt (139mins).

After passing a playground on our right we crossed the main road and entered Hague Fold Road (144mins) to start a steep climb, passing Hague Fold Farm on our right and then swinging left past Upper Hague Fold Farm, then swinging right to a T-junction (153mins). We turned left, passing Eric Burdekin’s bench and soon reached The Fox at Brook Bottom (154mins)

Unhappily the first of Robbies’ Unicorn at £3-40 tasted as if it had been in the pipes overnight. A second pint was a huge improvement, and the six-strong B team were able to reap the benefit when they arrived.

Resuming we went down a stony track which adjoins the car park , passing under a railway bridge and Strines station on our left, a pond on our right and lunch at Bruce Clock (173mins).

The clock was made by Thomas Bruce, a works engineer at the calico mill which once stood here on land owned by the Egerton family of Tatton.

After lunch we continued our journey, crossing the Goyt and heading left over a wooden stile just before an aqueduct to reach the Peak Forest Canal via a gap stile (185mins). We turned left with the canal on our right and proceeded to the Lift Bridge 25, which we turned right and crossed (197mins) and headed uphill passing Haycroft on our right (199mins)

We walked under a railway bridge (207mins) and emerged at The Dandy Cock on the A6 (209mins). We turned right, crossed the road and headed left before The Ram’s Head to reach The White Horse (211mins) for more pints of Robbies’ Unicorn in fine fettle.

Next week’s walk of 8-9 miles will start at 9.50am at a lay-by near the cement works at Topley Pike, opposite the start of the Monsal Trail on the A6 out of Buxton. We anticipate reaching The Church Inn at Chelmorton for a livener around 12.15pm, finishing back at the cars at about 2pm from where there will be an optional stop at Wetherspoons, Buxton, on the way home.

Happy wandering !

Bosley

 July 4, 2018.

BOSLEY, TIMBERSBROOK, BOSLEY CLOUD, THE GRITSTONE TRAIL, HOOFRIDGE FARM, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, CONGLETON TOWN CENTRE, CONGLETON PARK, CHESHIRE BREWHOUSE, DANE VALLEY, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, THE HARRINGTON ARMS AT BOSLEY

Distance:  12 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate apart from one long climb.

Weather: Blue skies and hot sun.

Walkers: Alastair Cairns, Steve Courtney, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, Chris Owen and Julian Ross.

Apologies: Micky Barrett, Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Steve Kemp and George Whaites.

Leader: Owen. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Lay-by opposite The Harrington Arms at Bosley on the Macclesfield-Leek road.

Starting time: 10.15am. Finishing time: 3.20pm.

Chris’s search for a legendary leader’s badge took a serious setback on this walk before we had even come under starter’s orders.  When Colin learned the distance was likely to get into double figures, he made his excuses and left.

With the start delayed by Alastair getting caught in traffic on the M6 which even a Masserati could do nothing about, Chris compounded the acceptable loss of Colin by making a rushed start and shedding five more followers before we had travelled 400 yards.

Fortunately Chris is (comparatively) young and determined so we feel sure he will recover from the follies of youth and one day join the Wednesday Wanderers’ Hall of Fame alongside Lawrie. His fluorescent lime green shirt makes him a natural leader – but not when he is round a bend and out of sight !

The ongoing heat-wave might have made lesser men wilt, but we soldiered on gamely and enjoyed some lovely scenery as we criss-crossed the Dane Valley and admired the picturesque public park in Congleton. We also passed the site of a recent mill tragedy when four people died and three were injured in an explosion.

From the lay-by we headed towards Leek, passing St Mary The Virgin Church on our right and crossing the road to follow a green public footpath sign on our right (2mins). As Chris marched boldly forward, your diarist went back to ensure the five other members of our reduced party were following us. They were not and were vainly trying to keep up with a leader who was no longer ahead of them.

This was soon remedied and they retraced their steps  to follow the path which went through a metal kissing gate and under a railway tunnel to cross a bridge over the River Dane (15mins). We turned sharp left off a lane (27mins) and after 70 yards went right over a wooden stile (28mins) to cross a field.

We continued over wooden stiles to head for the ridge of Bosley Cloud which towered in the distance, reaching a lane where we turned left (36mins). After passing a house called Duke’s Well on our right we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign, heading up a flight of stone steps and passing a sign for Cloud Summit (44mins)

On reaching the Trig Point (50mins) we paused to catch our breath and admire the panoramic views before starting our descent (52mins) by following the Gritstone Trail marker. This led us down a path to a broken bench (60mins) where we paused for pies and port, plus sweeties and damson gin provided by our leader. We know how to live.

Resuming our journey we passed a wooden barrier and turned right (65mins) still following the GT signs. We turned right (67mins) and exited The Cloud (68mins) before turning sharp left down a flight of steep steps (72mins) to reach a road where we turned left (73mins). This brought us to a GT sign on our right where we descended steps (75mins) to walk through Timbersbrook Picnic Area (77mins)

As we exited the picnic area we passed the cleared site of Wood Flour Mills, where in July 2015 a massive explosion claimed the lives of four workers. The land was owned by Wood Treatment Ltd and the mill produced wood flour for laminate flooring.

The mill was built in 1927 and there were fires at the site in 2010 and 2012. A year later Wood Treatment Ltd was served with five improvement notices by the Health and Safety Executive. Four of them said the firm had “failed to ensure the risk from fire or explosion from gas tanks had either been eliminated or reduced.” Following inspections a few months later they were given a clean bill of health. Hmmm.

We crossed a bridge over a stream and turned left at the GT sign (81mins) later following footpath signs left towards Pool Bank Mill. From here we followed GT signs through fields and through the yard at Hoofridge Farm house (95mins)

On the far side of the farm we headed diagonally right through a gate-sized gap in the hedge and made for the corner of the field where we crossed a wooden stile (100mins). Our group crossed a wooden stile marked with a white arrow (101mins), went through a metal gate with a yellow arrow, turning right and reaching Bridge 72 of the Macclesfield Canal (104mins)

The Macclesfield Canal was opened in 1831 and later acquired by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company. It was used to transport cargo, mainly coal, until the 1960s when commercial trade fizzled out. Now it is used by pleasure boat owners for recreation.

We walked along the right bank on the canal until Bridge 76 (117mins) where we switched to the left bank and crossed an aqueduct (122mins). We left the canal at Bridge 77 (125mins) and headed down a path directly opposite a plaque giving a brief history of the canal  (126mins). We left the footpath (133mins) to turn right at a yellow arrow and cross a field to reach the edge of a housing estate (137mins).  Walking along Moody Street we avoided a left turn into the main commercial district and continued past the bus station on our right (141mins).

 Beyond it was the Bear Grills Cafe. This was a subtle piece of wordplay. For the benefit of the uninitiated, Congleton was once dubbed Beartown because they used the money being saved to buy a Bible to buy a new bear. Apparently on market days the old bear couldn’t be bothered to rise to the bait during the bear-baiting proceedings and needed to be replaced. The name Beartown stuck through subsequent centuries and with the fame of adventurer Bear Grylls spreading through his TV appearances, the temptation of the cafe owners must have been too great to resist.

Moody Street became Market Street and across the main road beyond traffic lights was Worrall Street (144mins). We turned left out of Worrall Street (146mins) and headed for Congleton Park. We passed an open air swimming pool filled with parents and children on our left before entering this pristine park (149mins) full of floral displays, neatly maintained lawns, a rugby pitch and a bandstand.

After passing this on our right (154mins) we exited the park left through woods with the Dane on our right. By crossing a barrier on our left we had a short cut left through a small industrial estate to reach the Cheshire Brewhouse (161mins) to enjoy pints of Barnaby Fair at £3-20 at the shaded trestle tables outside.

Having slaked our thirsts we proceeded with the river on our right. We crossed the river by a bridge and headed left through a housing estate (167mins). When we reached a T-junction we headed diagonally left to go through a blue and yellow barrier with gates to restrict vehicle access (169mins). Crossing a soccer pitch we turned right at a children’s playground (174mins) and entered another housing estate.

The roads we walked along were called Malhamdale and Wharfedale  - but sadly  the 1970s houses were in sharp contrast to the open spaces of the beautiful Yorkshire dales after which they were named. Just after Wharfedale Road on our right we turned left at a green bridleway sign (180mins). Where the path divided we forked left and headed up steps to reach Bridge 65 (182mins) of the Macclesfield Canal for our homeward journey.

With the canal on our right we continued to a shady spot and stopped for lunch (186mins) before proceeding to Bridge 57 (220mins). Here we left the canal and crossed a wooden footbridge (224mins) marked with a blue arrow. After crossing a road bridge over the Dane we turned left (231mins) and retraced our earlier footsteps back to the main Macclesfield-Leek road (242mins). We turned left and reached our cars to de-boot (244mins). Chris was seen entering The Harrington Arms but the remainder of the party headed home.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the car park of The White Horse pub in Disley, where we have the permission of landlady Annie to park. The walk is a little over 8 miles passing Bollinhurst Reservoir and going through Millenium Wood up to Black Rock, returning across the A6, along the Peak Forest Canal, up to Hague Bar and The Fox at Brook Bottom for a bracer shortly after noon. We will return passing Strines Station back to Disley for a final pint at The White Horse at 2pm.

Please share cars where possible and save room for a pint at our final destination as a courtesy for the parking permission.

Happy wandering !