Ridgegate Reservoir

20^th November 2019

RIDGEGATE RESERVOIR, MACCLESFIELD FOREST, SHUTLINGSLOE, CRAG INN AT WILDBOARCLOUGH, PIGGFORD NATURE RESERVE, THE HANGING GATE INN AT HIGHER SUTTON, THE GRITSTONE TRAIL AND THE LEATHERS’ SMITHY AT LANGLEY

Distance: Ten miles.                     Difficulty: Moderate and difficult in parts

Weather: Breezy but dry with occasional sunshine.

Walkers: Jock Rooney with Tips, Chris Owen, Julian Ross, Mike Barrett, Mark Gibby, Andy Blease and Hugh Harriman

Alternative Walkers: Laurie Fairman and Colin Davison

Leader: Chris Owen

Diarist: Tom Cunliffe

Apologies: George Dearsley (living in Turkey), Alan hart (hols), Peter Beal (Hols) George Waites (hols), Dean Taylor (hols), others unknown to me

Starting point: Roadside next to Ridgegate Reservoir, Langley, Macclesfield.

Starting time: 9.36am. Finishing time: 2.30pm.

With Shutingsloe in our sights, we set off walking with Ridgegate Reservoir to our right and headed uphill in the direction of said peak.

After climbing for about a mile or so through the forest, along a gravel track, we levelled out at a viewing point which took in a magnificent vista of the valley below. (see Pic1). Leaving the forest path behind in favour of open moorland, we eventually passed through a gate. Still climbing we made our way along the paved path eventually reaching a metal kissing gate where decisions had to be made. Our younger members decided to take the high road up and over Shutingsloe where they were treated to magnificent views of the surrounding countryside (Pic2) whilst the young-at-heart members took the low road around the shoulder of the hill.

Shutingsloe is a distinctive hill which can be seen peeping above the skyline for miles in every direction. Its shape gives it the ironic title Cheshire’s Matterhorn. At 1,660 feet it is Cheshire’s third highest peak behind Shining Tor and Whetstone Ridge.

On the other side of the hill we teamed up once again and after crossing another style we continued down hill along a tarmac road reaching the junction of another road, at which we turned right. Upon reaching the car park of the Cragg Inn we stopped for pietime. The Cragg currently only opens at weekends.

After leaving the bench in the pub car park we crossed the style immediately on our right and headed uphill. There followed a series of wooden gates, through several fields. Eventually we came upon a stone step stile to a lane where we turned left.

Walking down the lane with Piggford Nature Reserve on our right, just before crossing a stream, we eventually reached a road on our left and a style on our right. We crossed the style and followed the stream to reach a metal gate and over a new footbridge (replacing an old rickety bridge). Proceeding uphill and levelling out we passed the former home of David Cameron’s right-hand man, George Osborne, whose Tatton constituency lies nearby.

Up and over a wooden stile we headed up hill once more, over another style we turned half right following the defined path across a couple more fields to reach another style. We crossed the style and headed downhill along a sunken gravel path emerging at the former pub, The Hanging Gate.

The pub is nearly 400 years old and has stunning views at the back from its modern decking area. Over many many years the WW have visited this watering hole to be entertained by the gobby and slightly dotty landlady Luda, sadly this pub is no more. What a shame that Hydes, the owners of the pub cannot make it pay.

After tipping our hats in the direction of the bar and with a right-of-way through the property, we left by the back garden through a gate and followed the well-worn path downhill exiting by a metal gate on to a lane.  We turned immediately left along a lane, after 400 yards we took the track on our right. After negotiating a couple of fields akin to the Somme, we eventually began to descend and emerged at the rear of the Ryles Arms where we took our welcome alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments and met up with Messrs Davison and Fairman who had taken an alternative route.

Resuming, we retraced our steps back up the hill crossing a field with Passchendaele conditions. We meandered for the next 3 miles back to our starting point at Ridgegate at reservoir

Next week’s wander will start at 9.40am from the Little Mill at Rowarth calling at Royal pub in Hayfield around 12ish, returning to the Little Mill for 2:15ish. Our leader for the day will be Alastair Cairns.

Happy wandering !