Poynton Pool

December 19, 2018.

POYNTON POOL, MIDDLEWOOD WAY, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, THE BOAR'S HEAD AT HIGHER POYNTON, DAVENPORT GOLF COURSE, PRINCES INCLINE AND THE KINGFISHER WETHERSPOONS AT POYNTON

Distance: 4-7 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry and mild.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Tony Job, John Jones, Terry Jowett, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip, Ken Sparrow, Geoff Spurrell, George Whaites and Barry Williams.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, George Dearsley and Hughie Hardiman.

Leaders: Various. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: 68, London Road North, Poynton.

Starting time: 10am onwards. Finishing time: 2pm onwards.

For the second week of traditional seasonal celebrations we were rewarded with fine weather and a large turn-out. This annual fixture, starting with bacon butties, mince pies and mulled wine from your diarist's house, has always been slightly chaotic and anarchic. This was no exception.

There was a welcome return to the fold by John Jones, who had not developed a noticeable sailor's roll since he opted for the life of a jolly jack tar on his narrowboat.

In contrast there was the end of an era at our first watering hole, The Boar's Head, where Gordon Yoxall had departed after two decades as landlord. Gordon will be sadly missed for the quality of his home-cooked food which saw the pub packed every lunchtime.

On this occasion the vault was packed with Wednesday Wanderers, but the lounge was sparsely populated. We were given a warm welcome but it was ironical, in this technicological age, that neither the barmaid, nor the chef, nor the landlord possessed sufficient expertise to be able to turn off the TV !

After our unusual breakfasts of butties, pies and wine, we formed into separate groups, heading off in different directions at different times with one firm purpose in mind – to reach The Boar's Head shortly after it opened at noon.

Nobody will be surprised to learn that despite setting off last after clearing up, your diarist was first through the pub door a nano-second after it opened. It is to the credit of the new incumbents that the Black Sheep bitter at £3-20 was in fine fettle from the first pint.

Once again we departed in various factions and directions as we headed for the Kingfisher Wetherspoons for our final pints of the afternoon. Nobody could complain about the price (from  £1-99 for Ruddles) or the variety of the cask bitters available.

But was it really necessary to inform Jock he must not leave his gentle collie Tip tied up outside the pub ? There may be good and widely-accepted reasons for barring dogs from inside pubs where the provision of meals is important. So at Wetherspoons in Poynton you cannot bring your pets inside or leave them outside. Your views on a postcard please.

As next Wednesday falls on Boxing Day there will be no organised walk for the Wednesday Wanderers, although individuals may of course make private arrangements with their chums.

There will, however, be the usual walk on Tuesday, New Year's Day, from Poynton Sports Club car park at 10.30am. This is the day when not only the gentle sex but other family members and friends are invited to join us for a return walk to The Miners Arms at Wood Lane Ends, Adlington, and where any spare mince pies, yule logs and tins of dates are shared around.

Happy wandering !

Torkington

December 12, 2018.

TORKINGTON PARK, HAZEL GROVE GOLF COURSE, OAKFIELD FARM, MIDDLEWOOD WAY, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, MARPLE RIDGE, CLOUGH BRIDGE, PEAK FOREST CANAL, BARLOW WOOD, GOYT VALLEY, ROMAN BRIDGE, ROMAN LAKES, MELLOR MILL, BEECHWOOD MANOR, RING O’ BELLS AT MARPLE, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, MARPLE GOLF COURSE, STOCKPORT GOLF COURSE, TORKINGTON MANOR AND THE THREE TUNNES AT HAZEL GROVE

Distance: Eight miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Dry with cloud and sunshine.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross, George Whaites.

B walkers: Phil Burslem, Tony Job, Ken Sparrow, Geoff Spurrell, Barry Williams, Terry Jowett.

Recovering invalids: Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Steve Kemp.

Non-walking drinkers: George Dearsley, Hughie Hardiman, Charlie Yates.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (hols), George Fraser (watching nativity play), Mark Kean (supervising resurfacing of driveway)

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free car park at Torkington Park, Hazel Grove.

Starting time: 9.48am. Finishing time: 2.15pm.

Unseasonably mild weather produced a record number of Wednesday Wanderers for our annual Christmas lunch outing. There were also a record number of categories as the fit, the lame, and the mentally retarded joined forces to celebrate Yuletide.

Only one absentee allowed religion to creep into the festivities as the rest entered into the true spirit of Christmas with excessive eating and drinking.

There was also a cameo performance from Jose, the Portuguese chef, who did a magnificent reprise of Manuel from Fawlty Towers. When he emerged from the kitchen to apologise for the delays experienced by some diners, he earned a round of applause which would have been even louder if he had concluded: “I know nothing.”

We were delighted to be joined at the final watering hole by George Dearsley, our blogsite founder, who has now made his home in Turkey and was paying a visit to Blighty. It was also great to see Steve Kemp again. He was looking remarkably chirpy after his recent medical problems.

Peter had devised a route to Marple which was basically flat because of the absence of hills between there and Hazel Grove. On these occasions timing is the first priority and we were able to arrive on time for the meal even if the meal was not on time for us. In defence of the catering department it has to be said that some of our group would make Basil Fawlty appear normal.

From the car park we left via a soccer pitch and a series of alleys which led us through suburban streets until we followed a footpath which went through a tunnel beneath the Hope Valley railway line (11mins). We turned left up a lane which led us into Hazel Grove golf course and past its clubhouse (17mins)

We left the grounds (27mins) and turned left towards Oakfield Farm. This path brought us to the Middlewood Way where we turned left (30mins) towards Marple before turning right up steps to cross a wooden stile (37mins). We crossed two wooden stiles (41mins), a main road (47mins) and the Macclesfield Canal (52mins)

After walking through two metal gates and crossing a wooden stile we reached Kitling Ridge, apartments which had until recently been a pub called The Romper at Marple Ridge. We passed the building on our left and as the road swung left we carried on into Hollinwood Lane (70mins). At a drystone wall we stopped for pies and port (74mins)

Resuming we crossed the Peak Forest Canal by Clough Bridge (78mins) and took a path to the right of the towpath which swung away from the waterway on our left. We crossed a main road (82mins) and headed downhill through Barlow Wood to cross Roman Bridge over the River Goyt (87mins)

On the far bank we turned left, passing Roman Lakes to reach the site of a once mighty mill at Bottoms Mill Road (102mins)

Mellor Mill was built between 1790 and 1793 by Samuel Oldknow, a Stockport-based businessman. Constructed in Palladian style it was six storeys high and 400 feet long. The Goyt was diverted to power its looms, providing employment for hundreds of local men, women and children. It was destroyed by fire in 1892. Oldknow (1756-1828) was a principal promoter of the Peak Forest Canal and Tramway which supplied limestone and coal to a battery of limekilns he built in Marple.

We passed the remains of the mill on our right as we carried on past Bottoms Mill Road, passing Beechwood Manor on our right (110mins) and crossing into Oldknow Road (112mins). This brought us to the towpath at the side of the Peak Forest Canal. We walked along it, with the canal on our left to Bridge 1 where it joins the Macclesfield Canal.

We left the canal at this bridge to reach the Ring O’ Bells pub (121mins) on schedule at 12.03pm. The Robbie’s Unicorn cask bitter went down well and, in Jock’s case, often.

Continuing we returned to the Macclesfield Canal, walking along the towpath to its right, and leaving after Bridge 4 to enter Marple Golf Course (134mins). After crossing The Middlewood Way (148mins) we entered Stockport Golf Course, emerging to pass Torkington Manor (183mins).

From there we walked along Torkington Road to reach Torkington Park and de-boot (206mins) before heading along the A6 towards Stockport and reaching The Three Tunnes on our left. Unhappily the late arrival of another group a few minutes ahead of us had the knock-on effect of delaying our meals and creating a measure of panic in the kitchen.

Next week’s walk will start from my house, 68, London Road North, Poynton, after the traditional breakfast of bacon sandwiches, mince pies and mulled wine. This will take place between 9 and 10am. Can I ask drivers to park in Poynton Pool car park at the end of my road to avoid congestion ?

We will be walking on a route aiming to reach The Boar’s Head at Higher Poynton shortly after noon, and finishing at The Kingfisher Wetherspoons around 2.15pm. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed so Tom, Alastair and Jock may wish to leave their bitches at home.

Happy wandering !

Lose Hill

December 5, 2018

LOSE HILL

OLD HALL HOTEL  AT HOPE, EDALE ROAD, LOSE HILL FARM, LOSE HILL, BACK TOR, HOLLINS CROSS, CHESHIRE CHEESE INN AT CASTLETON, PEAKSHOLE WATER, OLD HALL HOTEL

Distance: 7 miles​Ascent/descent: 1,227 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Persistent rain and thick mist

Walkers: Peter Beal, Chris Owen

Apologies: Alan Hart (weather forecast), Mark Gibby and Hughie Harriman (unspecified but probably same), Laurie Fairman and Steve Kemp (hors de combat), George Dearsley (Turkey)

Leader: Beal​Diarist: Beal

Starting point: Road junction at Old Hall Hotel, Hope

Starting time: 9.47am​Finishing time: 1.30pm

Often the most rewarding days in the hills are those on which the direst of weather forecasts are confounded and the cloud and mists clear to reveal scenic vistas. Sadly, this was not to be one of those.

The rain persisted for the duration and the thick mist refused to shift, leaving views non-existent.

Nevertheless, your dynamic duo - who were both rather surprised to find they were not the sole Wanderer to have turned out - enjoyed a convivial excursion.

We walked up the minor road to Edale with the Old Hall on our right and shortly after Hope School took a signed footpath on the left. This threaded its way through the fields via a succession of stiles and gates, across a railway line, and finally reached Lose Hill Farm.

We skirted the farm buildings on the right and began the stiffish climb to the 1,562ft summit of Lose Hill.

My trusty Peak District Companion tells me that local legend has it that Lose Hill and neighbouring Win Hill were named after a series of battles between rival kings Edwin of Northumbria and Penda of Mercia in 632. Another version puts Edwin in the ring with King Cuicholm of Wessex. Anyway the winning army (Penda beat Edwin but Edwin beat Cuicholm) camped on Win Hill and the losers camped across the way.

Historians think this is probably total rubbish and that Win means wind and Lose (pronounced loose) means either free land or pigsties.

Reaching the summit, we were able to inspect the stone-mounted viewfinder, indicating 73 features, that was the first of its kind in the Peak District when positioned in 1948.

Views being nil, we pressed on west along what is known as the Great Ridge, having Lose Hill at one end and Mam Tor at the other. We crossed the rocky promontory of Back Tor, followed by a short,sharp descent and reached the depression in the ridge at Hollins Cross.

This marks the point at which the ancient coffin trail crosses the ridge - used by villagers in Edale to take their dead to Castleton churchyard for burial until the time their own chapel was consecrated in 1634.

We decided against continuing along the ridge to the mist-shrouded Mam Tor and turned left to descend the steep trrack towards Castleton. Much of this has now been covered with flagstones to combat severe erosion.  

We reached Castleton village two hours and 13 minutes after starting, and gained the welcome shelter, and hot wood-burner, of the Cheshire Cheese, where Moonshine bitter, from Sheffield's Abbeydale Brewery, was £3-65.

Leaving the pub, we turned right and soon took a path on the right, taking us along the banks of Peakshole Water, the stream that emerges from Castleton's Peak Cavern, known locally and even in official Victorian guidebooks as the Devil's Arse. On the same theme, posters in the village were spotted advertising the headline act at a local fundraiser in the village hall as the marvellously-named The Fabulous Thunderbottom Brothers.

The path took us over a succession of fields, crossing the railway line leading to the Hope Valley cement works, and soon after to a minor road, where we turned left to reach Hope village. at an early 1.30pm - largely due to skipping pietime and a lunch stop in the continuing rain.

Chris had to depart for a medical appointment, leaving your diarist to enjoy a pint of Wainwright's (£3-60) in front of a roaring log fire in the Old Hall, where he partially dried out.

Next week's walk will incorporate our Christmas lunch at The Three Tunnes in Hazel Grove.The start will be at 9.45am at the (free) car park at Torkington Park, Hazel Grove, near the Rising Sun junction on the A6. We will aim to reach the Ring o' Bells at Marple at noon, returning to Torkington by 2pm. The pub is less than a ten-minute walk from the car park. Alan will be contacting us soon about menu preferences.

Happy wandering!