Whaley Bridge

July 24, 2019.

WHALEY BRIDGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY LINE (DISUSED), TAXAL, TAXAL NICK, WINDGATHER ROCKS, PYM CHAIR FARM, DUNGE VALLEY, CLOUGH FARM, THE SWAN INN AT KETTLESHULME, HARDY GREEN, TODD BROOK RESERVOIR, THE COCK AT WHALEY

Distance: 10 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Warm, dry and sunny.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Laurie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney with Tip, Graham Stone.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (holiday preparations), Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Alastair Cairns, Hughie Hardiman and Julian Ross (domestic duties), George Dearsley (lecturing in Liverpool)), Chris Owen (in hospital), George Whaites (medical appointment)

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road outside The Cock at Whaley Bridge.

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2.40pm.

It is perhaps a sign of the times that at our assembly point the first items on the agenda were a series of medical bulletins. Most disturbing was the news that Chris Owen had been rushed to hospital with a racing heartbeat, been diagnosed with pneumonia and was being treated in the coronary care unit. We also heard that George Whaites would not be joining us this week or next because of medical appointments. Furthermore Colin Davison had spent a night in hospital after an angina attack. We wish them all well,

On a cheerier note we learned that Mickey Barrett, who had endured a complication after the removal of a growth on his head, had recovered sufficiently to go on holiday. Meanwhile Steve Kemp continues to receive outpatient treatment for his blood problems.

Laurie appears to have now completed his convalescence following knee replacement surgery and led us on this scenic walk made more challenging by the hot weather. It involved a steady climb soon after the start and there is a photograph to accompany this report which is not suitable for those of a nervous disposition. It was also good to see that Colin had recovered from his recent health scare to join us at The Swan Inn at Kettleshulme on his electric-powered bicycle looking like an extra from Brideshead Revisited.

With The Cock on our left we walked 20 yards past it towards Buxton and turned left up a path which brought us to the disused Cromford and High Peak Railway Line and turned right.

Designed by Josias Jessop this tramway and railway line was opened in sections between 1830-32, covering 33 miles between the Peak Forest Canal basin at Whaley Bridge and the village of Cromford. It was quite a feat of engineering so soon after the first locomotives had been successfully trialled by George Stephenson with his Rocket. Powered by horses and static steam engines it climbed 1,266 feet to Ladmanlow hauling limestone from local quarries.

The final cost of the enterprise was £25,000 higher than Jessop's estimate of £155,000 – an interesting comparison with estimates for modern projects and their eventual costs.

The first section of the track was closed in 1963 and the rest in 1967. In 1971 it was bought by Derbyshire County Council and became part of the High Peak Trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

Just before it reached the start of the Shallcross Greenway we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign (10mins) which led up to a children's playground. We crossed this and went down Mevril Road to cross the main road and head up a track opposite. This took us by a footbridge over the River Goyt to St James' Church at Taxal (25mins)

We turned left and almost immediately right over a stile opposite Glebe Farm. We went through two fields to reach a lane via a ladder stile (38mins). After turning left for 200 yards we followed a footpath sign leading right uphill (40mins). Passing a plaque for hillwalker Terry Lardner (45mins) we reached a drystone wall at Taxal Nick (50mins). We turned left with the wall on our right, going to the right of a wood to reach Windgather Rocks (70mins) where several groups of rock-climbers were acquiring or sharpening their skills.

We admired the view then turned left to reach our usual sheltered spot for pies and port (74mins). Such was the heat that some of us opted to sit above the shelter and enjoy the breeze. Continuing we reached the country road and passed the car park for Pym Chair (92mins)  

According to legend Pym was either a highwayman who used to lay in wait to ambush passing pack-horse trains or he was a preacher who used the rocks at Pym Chair as his al fresco pulpit.

We soon reached a T-junction where we turned right for Salterford (93mins), passing Pym Chair Farm on our right (99mins). We turned right at a green public footpath sign (100mins) and crossed a ladder stile to enter a field at the start of Dunge Valley. We headed to the right of a farm (107mins) and crossed two wooden stiles marked with yellow arrows to reach a derelict barn which we passed on our right.

By heading slightly right we crossed a large field and went through a metal kissing gate (114mins), soon followed on our right by another (115mins). The path then led us through a garden to a lane where a yellow arrow pointed us left (118mins). We exited the former garden centre (126mins) and reached a crossroads where we went directly ahead.

At the entrance to Clough Farm (142mins) we crossed a stile on our right and went left downhill, through a copse, then a field which we exited through a metal gate with a yellow arrow (149mins). After crossing a stone step stile (150mins) we reached a track and swung right to the left of a farmhouse, ignoring two wooden stiles marked with yellow arrows.

We reached a crossroads and went forward, passing Stocks Bank on our right (158mins) and turned left at a flight of stone steps (159mins) to arrive at The Swan Inn at Kettleshulme. Marstons' bitter at £3-25 was in excellent form and enjoyed at the tables outside the pub under their giant parasols.

While we were starting our second pints, Colin cycled up to join us, having inexplicably gone to meet us at The Shady Oak in Fernilee despite all the contrary information at his disposal. He may be improving physically but one has to worry about his failing mental capacity.

Suitably refreshed we sallied forth opposite the pub through a market garden to reach Kettleshulme Methodist Church and turn right (161mins). We exited Paddock Lane and swung left into Kishfield Lane (163mins), passing the cottages at Hardy Green on our left (167mins)

Lunch was taken on the wall of a bridge over Todd Brook (177mins). At this point Colin bade us farewell and cycled off into the distance. We retraced our steps for 30 yards and turned left to climb up a path, taking the left fork which brought us to Todd Brook (190mins) which had been swollen by overnight thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain.  We were obliged to paddle quickly across 10 yards of ankle-deep water to reach an iron ladder and climb out of the water.

Turning right we reached the start of the reservoir on our right with a sluice canal running on our left. When we reached the end of the reservoir (207mins) we headed right through Whaley Bridge Memorial Park and emerged on the main road diagonally opposite The Cock (217mins). Here we once again sat outside to enjoy pints of Robbies' Dizzy Blonde at £3-30.

Next week's walk will start at 9.55am from the cobbled area outside The Grapes pub in the centre of Longnor. We aim to reach The Staffordshire Knot at Sheen around 12.15pm and back at The Cheshire Cheese, Longnor, by 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !