Wednesday Wandering: New Mills

August 19, 2020
LOW LEIGHTON, NEW MILLS, BIG STONE, PEEP-A-DAY, COLDWELL CLOUGH, KINDERLOW END, TUNSTEAD HOUSE, BOWDEN BRIDGE, THE SPORTSMAN INN ON KINDER ROAD, HAYFIELD, THE SETT VALLEY TRAIL, OLLERSETT MOOR, LOW LEIGHTON
Distance: 10 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Weather: Bright start then intermittent light showers.
Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, George Dearsley, Laurie Fairman, Alan Hart, John Jones, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney and George Whaites.
Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby and Hughie Hardiman (self-isolating), Julian Ross, Dean Taylor and Keith Welsh (hols)
Leader: Jones. Diarist: Hart.
Starting point: Far end of Laneside Road, Low Leighton, New Mills.
Starting time: 9.37am. Finishing time: 2.55pm.

Our international blogspotter George Dearsley made a rare outing with the Wednesday Wanderers, whose exploits he has covered from his home in Turkey for the past six years. It was great to see him in the flesh again and to note that treatment for a knee problem had considerably improved his fitness since his last visit to Blighty.
Once again JJ, in training for his Coast-to-Coast walk, had plotted a new route for us to follow around some novel and some familiar territory in the foothills of the impressive Kinder Range. We were also joined by Laurie, whose alternative walking companion Colin, has been forced into isolation because his girlfriend's daughter has been diagnosed with Covid19.
Despite the poor weather forecast there was an encouraging turn-out of 10, although Laurie and George left us after an hour to tak' the low road into Hayfield and were never seen again. For the first 90 minutes we were blessed with dry sunny weather until the first of several light showers arrived on cue.
From our parking spots at the side of the road we headed uphill following a green public footpath sign, walking through a wooden gate until we reached a four-way junction of paths (22mins). We carried straight on across open moorland until we reached a drystone wall on our right.
Keeping this on our right we crossed a wooden stile (29mins) and reached Big Stone (31mins), which is a rocky outcrop on Cracken Edge with a splendid view across the valley below. After pausing for a photo opportunity we walked a few yards to the left of Big Stone before starting our descent which became easier the lower we progressed, bringing us out at Peep-A-Day, a farmstead with an interesting history (58mins)
Its name comes from a tiny window which offers a glimpse of the morning sun as it rises. The window has an inscription indicating that John and Mary Goddard lived here in 1844.
More recently the building featured in a seven-part TV series called GBH, written by Alan Bleasdale and transmitted in 1991. It was used as the home of Jim Nelson, headmaster of a special school, played by Monty Python favourite Michael Palin. His adversary in the series was Michael Murray, left-wing leader of a north of England council, played by Robert Lindsay of “Citizen Smith” fame. Critics speculated about whether Bleasdale had based the Murray character on Liverpool City Council radical Derek Hatton.
Passing Peep-A-Day on our left we reached the main A624 road linking Glossop with Chapel-en-le-Frith and turned left for 100 yards before crossing by the side of Hayfield View Camping Barn on our left and heading uphill (102mins). When we reached a junction and dog-legged right and left to carry on uphill, Laurie and George left us (107mins)
We went through a metal gate and a wooden gate before stopping for pies and port on a grassy bank (115mins). Resuming we reached a T junction in the paths and turned right (125mins), by which time the first of the showers had started in earnest.
On our left we passed Coldwell Clough Farm, built in 1804 but which had replaced a previous construction and been occupied by the Bradley family for more than 300 years. On the roof was a carved monkey, which, according to JJ, was put there to indicate the “monkey on the back” of the Bradley member who took out a mortgage on the then new building.
We continued in the direction of a sign for Edale and Jacob's Ladder (145mins). After passing through a gate (155mins) we turned immediately left over a wooden stile. This brought us to the foot of Kinderlow End on our right ahead (161mins) . Here we turned left and started our descent through a series of fields until we passed Tunstead House on our right (176mins)
At crossroads we carried straight on and with the River Kinder now on our right we swung left with the lane until we reached Bowden Bridge on our right (186mins). Turning left along Kinder Road we reached The Sportsman Inn (195mins) on our right for pints of excellent Thwaites' Original at £3-60. We were hoping to be reunited here with our chums but they were by now on their homeward leg from Hayfield. They missed out on a drink to celebrate JJ's birthday. Many happy returns to him.
The rain had ceased temporarily as we resumed our journey, crossing the road opposite the pub, heading down a flight of steps and crossing the erstwhile River Kinder which had now become The River Sett. We turned right on the far side of the bridge and walked into Hayfield, crossing the A624 (207mins), and briefly following the A6015 towards New Mills.
After 100 yards we turned right into Station Road which led to the Information Centre, car park, toilets and picnic area which were once Hayfield Station. We stopped at the trestle tables for lunch (209mins). We were now at the start of The Sett Valley Trail.
This is a 4-kilometre cycle and bridleway linking Hayfield with New Mills along the low valley of the River Sett following the former trackbed of the branch railway which opened in 1868 and closed in 1970. The line was bought from British Rail by Derbyshire County Council in 1973 and the station building demolished two years later.
We proceeded along the trail, passing Slack's Crossing (217mins) before exiting at Birch Vale by following a sign for Chinley (226mins). Here we bade farewell to Peter, who walked 20 yards to his home.
The seven remaining stalwarts crossed the A6015 and started a long climb up Morland Road (228mins) before going through a wooden gate and turning right (240mins). We passed an electricity pylon on our right and crossed a wooden stile (244mins), through a wooden gate (253mins) and over a ladder stile (257mins) and reaching a lane via a stone step stile (259mins). We turned left and reached our cars (269mins)
Next week's walk will start at 9.35am from the car park of Sutton Hall, Sutton, Macclesfield. We aim to stop for a livener in The Leathers' Smithy by Ridgegate Reservoir around 12.30pm and take a final drink at Sutton Hall at about 2.30pm.
Happy wandering !