Bollington

Attendees

Alistair, Graham, Mark, Jock+tip.

Apologies

Manyfold. 

We commenced at Bollington recreation ground, crossed Palmerston St and up the stone steps in the wall up to the canal. Turned right along the canal up to bridge 30 and turned left. We followed our nose and crossed Clarke Lane at an oblique angle and then uphill along......(I am uncertain) Lane. 

At a gable end we turned left up steep hazardous steps up to Kerridge Rd, turned left for 100m, then left and then up to the ridge, (Kerridge or Kerridge ridge?). 

Following the ridge to our right to Whaley Rd, a quick shimmy right and left

across the road into a paddock crossing a the field to the right. At the road we went right up to Buxton new road and crossed and again proceeded across a number of fields to Buxton old road and Teggs nose country park where pie time was taken.

We followed the bridal path downhill, crossed a scream on stepping stones and walked to the left of ridgegate reservoir. Passing through Langley village we turned right just past Langley Hall to passed over the hollins and through macclesfield golf course. We went downhill to 'stad de luz' aka, windmill St football pitch and crossed it. A further 2/3 hundred metres brought us to the jolly sailor where some of us enjoyed the draught bass.

We left the jolly and went uphill along brook St past the Silk trader and wharf Inn to macclesfield canal. We went east and stopped for lunch just before hurdsfield/Whaley Road. After passing astra zeneca we crossed the canal and joined the Middlewood way proceeding back to the cars at Bollington recreation ground. One of our number had a long hop at the Vale.

Weather reasonable, distance 10ish miles, terrain, uphill and down dale, catch you all soon.

Danebridge

September 18, 2019.

DANEBRIDGE, THE SHIP AT WINCLE, BAGSTONES FARM, HAWKSLEE FARM, BOSLEY MINN, SUTTON COMMON, SUTTON TOWER ON CROKER HILL, THE RYLES ARMS AT SUTTON, HIGH KINDERFIELDS FARM, WITHENSHAWE, PETHILLS, BENNETTSHILL FARM,  BROOM HILL, WINCLE GRANGE AND THE WINCLE BREWERY AT DANEBRIDGE

Distance: Ten miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry with early cloud giving way to sunny skies.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Julian Ross, Graham Stone, George Whaites.

Alternative walkers: Colin Davison and Laurie Fairman.

Apologies: Peter Beal  (touring Greek islands with wife), Alastair Cairns (walking in Little Longstone with wife),Tom Cunliffe (Algarve hols with wife), Hughie Hardiman (filial duties), Jock Rooney (seconded himself to B team)

Leader: Owen. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Danebridge, Wincle, Macclesfield.

Startingtime: 9.50am. Finishing time: 3.08pm.

With early cloud giving way to blue skies and sunshine this was a perfect way to end summer. We enjoyed drinks outside for possibly the last time in 2019 as colder weather starts to arrive on our shores. 

Chris led us to the summit of Croker Hill and the Sutton Tower radio mast which he once sat astride. This was an impressive feat although I venture to suggest on that occasion he did not walk to the tower from Wincle.

The undulating walk gave us a series of different views from various hilltops from where we overlooked Bosley Reservoir, Bosley Cloud, Macclesfield Forest and Shutlingsloe. Sadly three of our stalwarts had abandoned us to entertain their wives with holidays. Mark my words they will only come to expect it.

From Danebridge we headed uphill, passing The Ship at Wincle on our right and discovering it would be closed at lunchtime. Soon after the pub we turned left up steps by a public footpath sign and crossed a stile to enter a field (5mins). We exited the field by a stile and turned left, passing Bagstones Farm on our right (8mins)

The lane took us through a farmyard (23mins), which we left by a gate and carried on through a wooden gate (26mins) leading into a field. We kept to the right of a row of small trees and crossed a wooden stile into the next field (31mins). After going through a kissing gate we turned right (34mins) and went through a series of gates along the path leading to a T-junction (63mins) where examples of wooden owls for sale were on display.

We turned right passing Hawkslee Farm, where the owls had been carved and when we swung right uphill we could see the distinctive Sutton Tower on Croker Hill ahead of us. After pasing through a metal gate we stopped for pies and port (77mins)

Continuing we went through a six-barred gate (96mins) and reached a cattlegrid just before the A54 (98mins). We turned left along the main road and then right at a Gritstone Trail sign next to a metal kissing gate (100mins). We were now following the GT signs which led us to Sutton Tower (112mins).

This structure was built with reinforced concrete and stands 238 feet high. The radio tower was originally conceived as part of the 1950s “Backbone” chain to provide the UK and NATO with survivable communications in the event of nuclear war. It relays signals to Heaton Park in the north and Pye Green in the south.

With the tower on our left we began our descent forking right along the GT (117mins) through more gates until we reached a road and turned right (156mins). This brought us to The Ryles Arms on our left (161mins) where we found Colin and Laurie sitting outside at a trestle table looking suitably smug in the sunshine.

Leaving the pub we turned left uphill passing Kinderfields Farm on our right (164mins). At the sign for Little Pethills Farm we paused for lunch (178mins) while Chris plundered some overhanging plums from a nearby tree. We then continued along the road, through Withenshawe until we reached the junction with the A54 and turned left (191mins)

After a short steep climb we turned right along a road signed for Wincle (195mins) and then followed a green public footpath sign on our right (198mins). The path led us over stiles and through gates until we crossed a cattlegrid to reach a road to the left of Bennettshill Farm (209mins)

Turning right down the road we passed Wood Cottage Farm on our left (214mins) and Wincle Grange on our right (220mins)

This ancient building was once a grange of Combermere Abbey to whom the land was granted circa 1200. The present building may date from the 14th Century but the oldest visible features are probably late 15th Century. It is now privately-owned.

We walked downhill away from the building and after 100 yards turned right at a green public footpath sign across a stone step stile marked with a yellow arrow (221mins). The route was now downhill across a series of stiles which brought us back to the road outside The Ship Inn at Wincle (231mins)

We turned right to pass the pub and reach our cars (233mins). After de-booting we walked down to Danebridge and turned right to sit in the sunshine outside The Wincle Brewery. There were four of us by this stage and it is perhaps a sign of the times that we were drinking a can of coke, a cup of coffee and eating two tubs of ice-cream with not a pint of locally brewed real ale in sight.

Next week's walk will start at 9.30am from the free public car park overlooking Bollington Recreation Ground. It is intended to climb Kerridge and Teggs Nose before briefly visiting urban life at The Jolly Sailor in Macclesfield around 12.30pm. A final tincture will be enjoyed back at The Vale, Bollington, around 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !  

Wincle Brewery

Sutton Telecom Tower on Crocker Hill.

Wednesday Wanderers outside The Ryles 

Hope

September 11 2019

HOPE, CHESHIRE CHEESE, LOSE HILL LANE, LOSE HILL, BACK TOR, HOLLINS CROSS, MAM TOR, BLUE JOHN CAVERN, TREAK CLIFF CAVERN, SPEEDWELL CAVERN, PEAK CAVERN, YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE INN AT CASTLETON, PEAKHOLE WATER, HOPE PINFOLD, THE OLD HALL AT HOPE

Distance: 7-8miles.

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous.

Weather: Prolonged light shower initially; sunshine later; strong winds on summit.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip, Graham Stone, George Whaites.

Apologies: Peter Beal (Greek islands hols), Tom Cunliffe (Portugal hols)

Leaders: Hart and Rooney. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Edale Road, Hope, near Old Hall Hotel.

Starting time: 9.50am. Finishing time: 2.15pm

This is one of our tougher climbs and happily it includes an option to circumvent the most vertiginous ascents. What follows is the description of the route of George Whaites and I who took the “big girl's blouse” route avoiding the summits of Lose Hill and Back Tor.

Readers should understand that the others, whom we shall call The Magnificent Seven, conquered both peaks. Not only that but they did so when the weather was at its worst in heavy rain and gale force winds.

As we carried on to the top of Mam Tor the rain ceased, the sun came out and the 70mph winds acted like a giant hair dryer removing every drop of moisture from our waterproofs. As we descended into Castleton the warmer weather disguised all evidence of our earlier hardship and dogged determination. We completed the walk back to Hope in blue skies and sunshine.

George returned to our ranks after several weeks' absence and he chose a gruelling challenge for his comeback in the wildest weather.

We headed up Edale Road, Hope, away from The Old Hall on the corner of the main road through the village. After passing The Cheshire Cheese on our left (6mins) we turned left up Lose Hill Lane (12mins) before turning left again up Townhead (16mins). Shortly afterwards we turned right at a public footpath sign (18mins) and began a steady ascent. 

When we reached a cairn of stones, George and your diarist opted to turn left over a wooden stile (50mins) while The Magnificent Seven continued up the ever-steepening slope towards the top of Lose Hill. We went through a wood (62mins), exiting it (67mins) and continued to Hollins Cross (84mins) for Pietime.

Hollins Cross is the point between Edale and Castleton where in days of yore pallbearers carrying coffins for burial in the churchyard in Castleton would pause for rest and refreshment. At this time there were no churches in Edale.

Our colleagues had still not come into view as we set off again. By the time we reached the Trig Point at Mam Tor (114mins) we had just been overtaken by Chris and Hughie.

Mam Tor, at 1,696 feet, is also known as The Shivering Mountain because it stands on unstable lower layers of shale which slip in bad weather. The unequal struggle to keep the A625 Chapel-Sheffield road open was abandoned after it crumbled yet again in 1979.

Fighting against the wind in our faces we descended the hill, which was once a late Bronze Age and early Iron Age fort, to reach a road where we turned left (119mins). We then turned left before the road, descending a flight of steps through a wooden gate and turning left (121mins). This brought us to a road where we turned left (130mins)

We turned right at the entrance to The Blue John Cavern (132mins) and left again at the Cavern shop (135mins). The path took us past Treak Cliff Cavern (145mins) to reach a road (the former A625) where we turned right. This took us towards Castleton passing on our right the Speedwell Cavern (154mins), Goosehill Hall (164mins) and Peak Cavern (165mins) before reaching Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn on our right (171mins)

This 17th Century coaching inn had several alcohol-related messages on its walls. One stated: “Without question the greatest invention in history is beer. I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention but the wheel does not go nearly as well with Innkepper's Pie.”

Leaving the pub we turned right along the main road towards Hope. At a green public footpath sign we turned right following the sign for Hope (174mins), passing a ruined mill on our left before reaching the right bank of a brook called Peakhole Water (178mins). Ahead of us was the unmistakeable blot on the landscape of Hope Cement Works.

When we reached a railway line from the cement works we paused for lunch (193mins). Continuing we reached a road and turned left (201mins). This brought us to Hope Pinfold on our left (203mins). Here a plaque informed us that the circular walled enclosure had been used to keep stray cattle and sheep until they were claimed or sold at auction.

We turned left to pass the Woodroffe Arms on our left and dog-legged right and left across the main road to reach Edale Road and our cars (205mins). We de-booted and called at The Old Hall for further refreshment.

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am from Danebridge, Wincle, which lies some 200 yards after passing The Ship Inn on the left. Chris intends to lead us up Croker Hill to reach the Ryles Arms at Sutton around 12.30pm for a bracer, finishing at The Ship Inn at Wincle at about 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !

Adlıngton

September 4, 2019.

ADLINGTON, LYME MARINA, SKELHORN STUD FARM, COFFEE TAVERN, BIRCHENCLIFFE, SPOND HILL, BRINK HOUSE, GRITSTONE TRAIL, RAINOW, BOLLINGTON, THE VALE INN, CLARENCE MILL, THE MACCLESFIELD CANAL, THE MINERS ARMS AT WOOD LANE ENDS, ADLINGTON

Distance: 8-9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Mainly cloudy with some blue skies and sunshine.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip, Graham Stone.

Alternative walkers: Colin Davison and Laurie Fairman.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (hols), Tom Cunliffe (Portugal hols), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Mark Gibby (stomach upset), Hughie Hardiman (filial duties), Julian Ross (w*^king), George Whaites (domestic duties)

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road outside The Miners' Arms at Wood Lane Ends, Adlington.

Starting time: 9.49am. Finishing time: 2.25pm.

A road closure and major diversion in Higher Poynton delayed the arrival of three walkers, including our leader, Peter, who was making his farewell appearance before leaving us for a prolonged holiday in the Greek islands. His sure-footed leadership will be sorely missed in the coming weeks. On the positive side there won't be a dull moment as we try to find our way around the local countryside. What we lose in certainty we will gain in the spirit of adventure.

Early morning rain had stopped just before we started the walk and it started again just as we finished so we were able to enjoy the sights without getting wet. The views from Spond Hill of Windgather Rocks, Shutlingsloe and Bowstones were appreciated as we headed for Bollington.

Some of our members were disappointed that we did not take in Andrew's Nob during our descent, with Peter preferring to skirt around it.

After the early climbing and descending we were ready for the largely flat finish along the banks of the Macclesfield Canal.

Some of our group expressed surprise that a “posh” place like Adlington should have a Miners' Arms. The area around Poynton was exclusively rural but coal was mined informally there from the 16^th Century. This intensified during the Industrial Revolution and in 1832 Lord Vernon opened several collieries. He owned dozens of mines and in 1859 they produced 243,000 tons of coal.

In 1856 it was estimated there was a reserve of 15 million tons which could supply 245,000 tons annually for 61 years. By 1926 production had dropped to 80,000 tons and the last pits were closed in 1935 with the loss of 250 jobs.

We passed The Miners' Arms on our right and took the first road on our left which led us to Lyme Marina and Bridge 18 which took us to the far side of the Macclesfield Canal. This was designed by Thomas Telford and built between 1826 and 1831.

We crossed two wooden stiles to the left of Skelhorn Stud Farm (11mins) and turned right to go through a metal kissing gate marked with a yellow arrow. By heading diagonally right across a field we reached a wooden kissing gate through which a path led us to the road between Poynton  and Pott Shrigley (18mins).

Turning right we passed the Coffee Tavern on our left and turned left at Birchencliffe, heading uphill (21mins). This brought us to a wooden gate where we turned left (35mins). Just before we reached Keeper's Cottage we turned right uphill following a green sign for Bowstone Gate and Kettleshulme (39mins)

We crossed two wooden stiles to reach a lane on the ridge of Spond Hill where we turned right (67mins), passing the Trig Point on our right. Pietime was delayed until we had started to descend from the summit of the windswept hill (85mins). Refreshed with snacks, port and humbugs we went through two metal kissing gates to reach a road where we turned right (86mins) and immediately passed a sign for Pott Shrigley. After passing Brink House we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign (91mins) along the Gritstone Trail.

We followed a marker post to the left of the track (95mins). This route took us through two metal kissing gates. After the second of these we kept close to a drystone wall on our left (103mins) as we began our descent into Bollington with the distinctive folly called White Nancy on the far side of the valley.

After we had gone through a third metal kissing gate we found the footpath ahead was closed because of a dangerous footbridge and we were diverted to the right of a farmhouse (115mins). We reached a road (122mins) and turned left, passing a sign for Rainow (124mins) and The Poachers' Inn on our left (133mins)

Carrying on along this main road through Bollington we walked under the viaduct bridge and turned right into Bollington Recreation Ground (146mins). With the River Dean on our left we crossed the field diagonally right to reach the rear of The Vale Inn (151mins), where we were reunited with Colin and Laurie. Here a selection of cask bitters was available at £3-50 a pint, with the cost of pints of lime and soda varying inexplicably between £1-20 and £2-20.

Resuming  we turned left out of the pub and left again to retrace our steps through Bollington Recreation Ground, emerging back on the main road and turning left up a track just before the aqueduct bridge (157mins). This brought us to the left bank of the Macclesfield Canal opposite Clarence Mill (160mins)

This was a five-storey former cotton spinning mill built by the Swindells family of Bollington. It now accommodates flats, offices, a cafe, The Discovery Centre and the local Canalside radio station.

With the canal on our right we were on the last lap of our journey, pausing for lunch at a bench by Bridge 24 (175mins).  We left at Bridge 18  (217mins) and walked downhill to reach Wood Lane Ends with The Miners' Arms on our right (230mins)

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am from the side road next to The Old Hall at Hope, Derbyshire.

We intend to climb up Lose hill, Back Tor, The Great Ridge including Hollins Cross, Mam Nick and Mam Tor, before descending to The Cheshire Cheese at Castleton for a livener around 12.30pm We expect to be be back at The Old Hall for further refreshment at about 2.20pm.