Cat and Fiddle

Words and pictures by John Jones

A wet day forecast or at least until noon, so I togged up and caught the Macc' bus to the "Cat". arriving about 09.50 hrs.  I crossed over the road and headed W, alongside until coming to a track bearing NW then soon N towards the top of Stake Side. The visibility was poor and I thought I could spot someone ahead ...who looked familiar. lo and behold it was Chris! We headed W at the next f.p. sign to Shining Tor trig point. As the low cloud was slow to move I decided to head N along the ridge to Pym Chair car park . On reaching the road from said car park we turned right heading SE, soon E down "The Street" towards the Errwood dam.just before we stopped for a lunch break and after we took a left on the top of the tracks through the forest heading N, towards Oldfield Farm where we turned sharp right and walked across Fernilee Dam wall. The weather now was good and clear. Turning right at the dam end we walked S along Fernilee along the disused railway track which used to go to Whaley Bridge canal basin. We crossed at the bottom of Errwood Dam wall and heading past the car parks, now uphill, walked over Shooter's Clough Bridge and along the tarmaced road S, heading to Goyt's clough. I passed Goyt's clough Quarry and a shapely pack horse bridge below, eventually coming to Derbyshire bridge with its old coal mining history. We took a right due W back to the "Cat" . A swift walk taking less than five hours but I judged  it as eleven miles..A good day.

Lunch on the "Street"

View South from Fernilee dam wall

Pack horse bridge at Goyt's Clough

Remains  Pillar and Stall mining  Derbyshire Bridge,

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Cat and Fiddle

Words and pictures by John Jones

Yesterday I decided to take a walk from the "Cat" as usual weekly.. Rain and dank mist low on hills.. Arriving there And having sheltered in car putting boots, gaiters , leggings etc on,, It was grim out there,, And lo and behold Chris turned up again,, Setting off due South with good separation, we followed the wide track which curved S.Easterly down to A54. The weather now had improved  and we crossed  the road into  Danebower with it's coal mine , (late 1800's ) then followed S. to three shire heads . Taking an ENE  from there along the  stream soon coming  to a narrow metaled road below Orchard Farm,, on which turning right ESE we took our lunch on the broken wall,, we had just passed three dead sheep due to the recent snow drifts, one being a Suffolk lamb with it's eyes removed by the crows,,  After a short distance we took a path sharp left NW up a bank to Orchard Farm itself, . And walked parallel to the front of it through three fields NE onto Orchard common with it's mine shafts and quarry.. We crossed  a minor road onto Axe moor passing yet more coal mines and over the A537  passing yet more onto the Old Macclesfield Road taking a left W. to Derbyshire Bridge and finishing in bright sunshine at the "Cat",, four hours and about 8 or 9 miles . a Good day

Eyeless Suffolk lamb

Danebower air shaft

Three Shires Head

Orchard Common

Cat and Fiddle

February 11

Such a stunning day I decided to brave the elements and take in some of that crisp, clean air.. On arriving at the Cat and Fiddle I set off along to the cafe nearby and crossing the road headed due South/

There was a lone walker in front who looked familiar. Lo and behold it was Chris who had decided to walk locally .. keeping a distance apart. Basically I just could not keep up with the bloody "Road runner ".

Torgate farm into valley  where we passed by a few rangy looking cows with huge horns, English Longhorn a rare breed,, Soon to a quick lunch then up the road westerly to summit and turned south by side of Macclesfield Forest looking down on reservoirs,, A kestrel silhouetted in the clear blue sky dropped like a stone on it's prey, two ravens passed ,we followed the track for a mile and walked skidding on the treacherous ice s. e passing the lower flank of Shutslingsloe.. Down onto a tarmaced road Shutlingsloe Farm, Crossing the stream easterly over a wood footbridge, past Clough House up the same named stream passing Cumberland Cottage which is owned by the scouts from Linnet Clough , mellor, soon onto a joining pf streams and we took the left north to a frozen cascade  soon  gaining a flatter ground keeping a north along a wall  met up with the signpost and main track which headed back to the Cat Seven miles in four hours. A good speed for the hard going under foot but well and truly worth it.

Pictures and text by John Jones

Cumberland cottage

frozen cascade

down into the valley

Rare breed English Longhorn  cow

Cirrus above Macc ' Forest.