Wednesday Wandering: Dane Bridge

11/03/2020

Dane Bridge

Present: Micky Barrett, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairnes, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, John Jones, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tips, Julian Ross, John (?)

Apologies: Alan Hart (jollies), Hughie Hardiman (Ireland), Mark Gibby (watching Cheltenham), Peter (aka Lord) Beale (jollies), George Whaites.

Weather: Cloudy with a short burst of rain before the Ryles Arms, mainly dry.

Difficulty: Undulating, wet underfoot.

Route: Dane Bridge, Minn End Lane, Croker Hill, Ryles Arms, Four Ways Diner, Wincle Manor, Dane Bridge, Wincle Brewery.

Leaving Dane bridge, uphill, passing the Ship Inn on our right, we turned left over a stile crossing a meadow diagonally crossing another stile and again turning left along a lane. We continued along the lane to the end where we passed through a farm yard and through a gate to progress along another lane. At a gateway with a yellow marker we progressed into a field on our right and commenced crossing the field diagonally.
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At this time your diarist became unnerved as we encountered a new fence line causing your diarist to doubt his leadership (himself). We about faced and went left at said gate only to become misplaced after a number of crossed meadows, copses, streams, bogs etc.

After hearing a bugle, I saw the cavalry, coming over the hill in the form of bearded Derek, who put us back on track via his home and threatening wife, to arrive back on the gritstone trail. (I must add at this point there had obviously been some shenanigans with signage of the trail and addition of new fencelines)

We continued through the deer enclosure and took pie time at a conveniently placed new carved bench. On exit of the enclosure we continued uphill to Minn End Lane and turned right along said lane, which continued up and down before reaching the base of Croker hill at the A54. We crossed the A54 and went uphill to the BT tower at its summit turning right.

We followed clearly marked Gritstone signs before reaching Hollin lane to turn right walking 400 metres to the Ryles Arms on our left.

It was Alastair’s birthday who kindly bought everyone a drink to celebrate another weekend less of the 4000.

After leaving the Ryles we went left out of the pub along Hollin Lane back to the A54 going uphill to the fourways diner and turning right towards Wincle. After 200m we crossed a stile on our right and walked diagonally across three meadows and a track to a lane which took us Via Wincle Manor back to our cars at Dane Bridge. After de booting we gave the Wincle brewery some trade (poor call), before departing.

Next weeks walk will commence in Castleton parking on the road at the bottom of Winnets pass at 09.40hrs, going via Cavedale, Mam Tor, the ridge to Hollins Cross then the low route to Hope and a livener at the Old Hall finishing back in Castleton at the Cheshire Cheese. Happy Wandering!