Danebridge

DANEBRIDGE, WINCLE GRANGE, HAWKSLEE, LOWER MINNEND, CHURNET VALLEY RAILWAY LINE (DISUSED), RUSHTON SPENCER, THE ROYAL OAK AT RYECROFT GATE, HEATON, HEATON LOW, DANE VALLEY, BEARDA  AND WINCLE BREWERY

Distance: 8miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Warm and sunny

Walkers: Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Graham Stone and George Whaites.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrow-boating), Alastair Cairns (celebrating his mother's 98th birthday), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Hughie Hardiman (Irish hols), Jock Rooney (Isle of Man), Julian Ross (Cornish hols)

Leader: Owen. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road next to Danebridge, Wincle, near Macclesfield.

Starting time: 9.50am. Finishing time: 2.12pm.

Shorts, shades and suntan lotion were the order of the day as we basked in warm summer sunshine on a beautiful walk through the area's most picturesque countryside. We were happy to welcome Colin and Lawrie back to the fold as they finished their enforced convalescence. Tom also returned after a lengthy absence due to an operation on his thumb which prevented him from walking (He couldn't manage a firm grip on his pole, since you ask).

We were also joined for a second walk by Graham, who had clearly recovered from the trauma of last week's plunge into the River Wye. We appointed Mark as his carer when we reached the River Dane for the last leg of our journey.

Chris curbed his natural speed to enable us to keep his fluorescent lime green jersey in view as he led us impeccably and on time. His leader's badge must soon be on its way.

From Danebridge we headed uphill passing The Ship Inn on our right before turning left over a wooden stile by a footpath sign (3mins). We walked diagonally right through a field before exiting by a wooden stile and heading left up a lane (6mins)

This took us through a farmyard (22mins), over a wooden stile (27mins) and through a tall gate (32mins) which made us wonder about the size of the sheep. We turned right along a path and left at a sign for The Gritstone Trail (35mins). Another high kissing gate (45mins) was followed by a metal kissing gate (56mins) before we paused for Pietime at Hawkslee Farm (65mins) by the side of a sign offering “owls for sale.” Before any RSPB members spring into action I should point out that these were of the carved wooden variety.

Continuing we left the Gritstone Trail and turned left and through a farmyard (66mins) before turning left at a green footpath sign (72mins). This took us through a field of knee-high grass to the main A523 Macclesfield-Leek road, which we crossed and turned left (78mins)

We passed Highbridge Farm on our left (80mins) and crossed a bridge to enter Staffordshire (83mins). It was at this stage that Colin decided he could no longer continue and took his own route back to Danebridge. Whether he was afraid to leave Cheshire is unclear.

The remaining eight continued to a wooden public footpath sign on our right (85mins) which we followed along a path under a railway bridge. On the farsiide of the bridge we turned left over a wooden stile and up a flight of steps to reach the disused Churnet Valley Railway Line (87mins)

This was opened in 1846 after the merging of The Staffordshire Potteries Railway, The Churnet Valley Railway and The Trent Valley Railway to form the North Staffordshire Railway a year earlier. It linked Macclesfield with Norton Bridge, near Stafford, and provided a vital rail link from The Potteries to Birmingham and London. It was known affectionately as “The Knotty.” The line closed in stages between 1964 and 1988, although the North Staffordshire Railway Society has reopened part of the line and four stations at Cheddleton, Corsall, Kingsly and Froghall to run steam trains for enthusiasts.

We turned right along the disused line, reaching The Knot Inn at 12 o'clock sharp (100mins) only to find the Knot Inn was not open. A sign informed us it was scheduled to reopen on July 12. Chris had anticipated this potential disappointment so we followed a path to the right of the pub along what was once the railway line to Rudyard Lake. After walking under a bridge (104mins) we turned left up the bank following a sign for The Royal Oak.

We crossed a wooden stile to rejoin the A523 and diagonally to the right was the pub (111mins) selling Black Sheep cask bitter. We drank in the sunny beer garden at the rear of The Royal Oak under the welcome shelter of giant parasols. 

Suitably refreshed we followed a lane to the right of the pub heading uphill through Heaton. We forked left (120mins) off the road downhill before pausing for lunch (129mins). Continuing we reached a footbridge overlooking a waterfall on the River Dane (131mins).

With Mark now keeping a careful watch on Graham we went through a metal kissing gate with the river on our right (167mins). We emerged at a trout farm (169mins) where Tom and Chris bought their dinner. Most of us continued to The Wincle Brewery, which had been holding a beer festival, and three of us enjoyed the last three pints of cask bitter available, Sir Philip, at £3-20.

Next week's walk will start at 9.30am from the car park of The White Horse at Disley, where we have been given permission to park. We will head towards, but not into, Lyme Park, heading through Millenium Wood to Black Rocks before descending to cross the A6 and reach the Peak Forest Canal. From there we plan to head up through Hague Bar to The Fox at Brook Bottom for a livener around 12.15pm before returning via Strines to The White Horse for further refreshment at about 2.15pm. We are hopeful that our colleagues from the B team will join us at some stage.

Happy wandering !