Brabyns Park

October 10, 2018.

BRABYNS PARK, MARPLE BRIDGE, COMPSTALL, REDBROW WOOD, ETHEROW VALLEY,PEAK FOREST CANAL, HYDE BANK TUNNEL, ST CHAD’S WELL, CHADKIRK CHAPEL, OTTERSPOOL WEIR, HIGHER DANBANK, THE RING O’BELLS AT MARPLE, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, PEAK FOREST CANAL AND THE NORFOLK ARMS AT MARPLE BRIDGE

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Warm with blue skies and sunshine all the way.

Walkers: Peter Beal *, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip, and George Whaites.

Apologies: George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (awaiting knee op), Steve Kemp (recovering from op).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Upper car park at Brabyns Park, Marple Bridge.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 1.50pm.

Glorious sunny weather and warm temperatures attracted a bumper turnout of ten walkers and two dogs. We also welcomed back Hughie after a prolonged absence through holidays and filial duties and Tom, who was injured in a playground accident but is now on the road to recovery. Colin also rejoined the main party after health problems and was soon revising the route in his customary style.

*Peter, who had overnight visitors, made a delayed start and ploughed a lonely furrow until he joined the rest of the group at the Ring O’ Bells. We also received a couple of toots on the horn from Julian and a cheery wave from his wife Dee as they passed us at traffic lights near Rose Hill, Marple.

The walk also provided an opportunity to test the theory that the diaries can be printed out and followed by future ramblers without the assistance of a map. I have to tell you, dear readers, that the experiment failed. 

 The purpose of this diary has been to inform, entertain and enable readers to follow in our footsteps. On this route, a copy of our walk led by Lawrie on March 16 this year, I attempted to follow a print-out of my diary from that date. As I twice led us astray, once briefly the other totally, it became clear that far more detailed information was necessary than I have the time to devote.

 So henceforth my diaries will contain the usual bullet points at the top of the page and a brief description of the journey and any amusing incidents. There will, however, no longer be any detailed information about fields entered and stiles crossed. They will still end with the vital information about the starting time and venue for the following week’s walk. Other diarists may continue as they wish.

As we left Brabyns Park in the direction of Compstall we paused to examine the iron bridge, once used for owner Nathaniel Wright’s carriage, built in 1813 by Salford Iron Works. There was speculation that Lawrie might have been an apprentice around this time.

We could only admire the pattern of diminishing circles in the spandrels which, as every schoolboy knows, is familiar in cast iron bridges of this era. At the crown of the bridge, we noted, the ribs are joined together by a bolted flange. Diagonal braces are fitted between the three arch ribs, which we all agreed was an unusual feature for such an early bridge.

Our journey continued into Compstall, over the River Etherow and then along its right bank on the Valley Way into Redbrow Wood. We went first under the railway viaduct immediately followed by the aqueduct supporting the Peak Forest Canal. Climbing up steps to reach the canal we headed towards Hyde Bank Tunnel with the canal on our right.

We left it to head past St Chad’s Well to stop at benches in the garden of Chadkirk Chapel for pies, port and rhubarb gin kindly supplied by Chris. Continuing in the same direction we turned left along Otterspool Road, stopping briefly at the community-owned hydro-electric scheme at Otterspool Weir. Continuing again past The Hare and Hounds on our right we reached traffic lights at a T-junction. As we waited to cross the road two beeps drew our attention to a car being driven by Julian with Dee waving enthusiastically through the passenger window. 

Following Lawrie’s earlier route I turned right, followed by Chris and Alastair, later pursued by Hughie, who announced that the others were following Colin along an alternative path to Marple. We continued going left into Offerton Road and left again to Higher Danbank with the intention of heading for Stockport Golf Club.

However we must have exited a field by the wrong stile and were misdirected further by a dog-walker who pointed us towards the wrong footbridge. When we thus reached the wrong section of the Middlewood Way, a helpful cyclist directed us towards the Ring O’ Bells by a route along the main road.

When we arrived at 12.30pm the other walkers and Peter were already in situ in the beer garden drinking pints of Robbies’ Unicorn and Dizzy Blonde. We departed along a short stretch of the Macclefield Canal before a series of locks started the Peak Forest Canal. Once again Colin insisted on ignoring the normal route and racing off on another trail to reach his car and leave us in a cloud of dust.

The rest of us de-booted at 1.50pm, one of our earliest finishing times, and had a final drink before heading home.

Tom’s plans for next week’s walk left us all agog with excitement at the prospect of a new route and two new pubs. We will start at 10am at a lay-by north of the church in Butterton, Staffs, at Grid Ref SK075566. We will be aiming for the Jervis Arms at Onecote around 1pm before returning after   8.5miles  to  de-boot.  Then  we  will  drive  up  the  A53 to  the  Knights  Table  north  of  Flash. Happy wandering !