May 5, 2021.
SUTTON HALL, BISHOP'S CLOUGH, SUTTON RESERVOIR, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, BOSLEY LOCKS, NORTH RODE LAKE, RODE GREEN, THE HARRINGTON ARMS AT GAWSWORTH, GAWSWORTH HALL, DANE MOSS NATURE RESERVE, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, SUTTON HALL
Distance: 10-11 miles.
Difficulty: Easy.
Weather: Mixture of sunny blue skies, cold wind, rain and hail.
Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Paul Sidebotham.
Non-walking drinkers: Colin Davison and Laurie Fairman.
Apologies: Alastair Cairns (in Devon), George Dearsley (in Turkey), John Jones (dental treatment), Jock Rooney (walking elsewhere), Hughie Hardiman, Dean Taylor and Dave Willetts,
Leader: Owen. Diarist: Hart.
Starting point: Car park of Sutton Hall, Gurnett, Macclesfield.
Starting time: 9.30am. Finishing time: 2.18pm.
Treacherous weather forecasts of a continuous supply of sunshine and little chance of rain proved to be woefully wrong. Fortunately, being cynical northerners, we were ready for anything the elements could throw at us. This included not only two prolonged showers and a cold wind but also hailstones.
These conditions were in sharp contrast to the blue skies and sunshine which we enjoyed for half of our journey. As we huddled around the heaters in the beer garden of the Harrington Arms it was a pleasure to meet our wounded comrade Laurie, who had been driven there by Colin. It was the first time many of us had seen him for more than a year as he battled against an impressive array of medical conditions which would have provided material for several episodes of “Casualty.” It was gratifying to see that not only did he look well but his period of convalescence did not proscribe beer.
From the car park we walked away from the entrance, passing Sutton Hall on our right as we left the grounds by a wooden gate. We turned left here along a road with the River Bollin flowing on our right.
The Bollin is a tributary of the River Mersey, rising in Macclesfield Forest and then descending for ten miles through Macclesfield to The Carrs Park at Wilmslow where it is in confluence with the River Dean near Styal Prison.
For the following ten miles it defines the south-west portion of the border between Greater Manchester and Cheshire before merging with the Mersey north of Lymm.
It used to power Quarry Bank Mill at Styal and is now culverted under the southern runway of Manchester Airport. Back in 1850 it was still common for the town of Macclesfield to dispose of its sewage in the Bollin.
After 50 yards we reached a main road and turned right, crossing the Bollin and turning right immediately after we had passed Sutton Servicemen's Club on our right (9mins). At the end of the cul de sac we followed a green public footpath sign for Bishop's Clough (12mins) along a path which took us through two metal kissing gates to reach a bridge across a stream.
Here we dog-legged left and right to take a path on the left of the stream and reached a metal kissing gate leading to a road. We crossed this and took a path on the left of Sutton Reservoir (26mins). At the end of the reservoir we turned right and then descended sharply downhill on our left to follow another path which brought us to a metal kissing gate leading to the A523 Macclesfield-Leek road.
Crossing this (35mins) we went over Bridge 48a to reach the far bank of the Macclesfield Canal and turned left with the waterway on our left. We proceeded along the canal until reaching Bosley Locks (78mins) where we exited and turned right along a road. This took us over a railway line and where the road then swung right we carried on straight ahead into Park Road (85mins)
When we reached North Rode Lake on our right with the hall on the opposite bank in the distance we paused for Pietime next to an impressive circular sluice feeding a stream below (93mins). Continuing we turned left through a gate just before a cattle-grid to follow a path through trees which took us around the perimeter of a field where cattle grazed.
As we reach a concrete farm lane (100mins) and turned right the first of the day's rain started to fall, becoming heavier as we donned our waterproofs. Where the lane forked we followed a yellow arrow left and went through a farmyard (110mins). Yellow arrows marked a succession of three stiles to enter fields until we reached a road and turned right (116mins), passing Rode Green Cottage on our left.
At a T-junction we crossed the main road and went through a metal gate (119mins). Our route then took us through gates and over stiles marked with yellow arrows until we reached a series of lakes (134mins). We turned left and proceeded uphill through a metal kissing gate. Ahead was the distinctive tower of Gawsworth's 15th Century parish church, St James's.
The path led us through fields, finally reaching a lane just to the left of the Grade 1 listed church. We turned left (144mins) and walked downhill for 200 yards to reach The Harrington Arms at Gawsworth on our right (146mins). After the covid signing-in ritual and purification process we were led to our reserved tables in the beer garden to greet Laurie and Colin.
Not only did we enjoy pints of Unicorn and Dizzy Blonde cask ales, but some of us were also tempted by the barmaid to try her pork or beef pies.
As we left we retraced our earlier footsteps uphill, passing the historic church on our right and passing a large lake in a clockwise direction. The road then swung left, passing Gawsworth Hall on the right and a statue of Sir Robert Peel.
Sir Robert (1788-1850) was born in Bury, Lancs, the son of a wealthy textile manufacturer. He earned a double first in classics and maths at Oxford University before becoming an MP at the tender age of 21. He was elected in the “rotten borough” of Cashel in Tipperary, Ireland, where there were only 24 electors who traditionally voted for the highest bidder.
Peel went on to become Prime Minster twice and created the forerunners of our modern police force, who were nicknamed “bobbies” or “peelers.” He died from his injuries four days after falling off his horse.
Sir Robert's statue was bought from Peel Park, Salford, by Raymond Richards, an antiquarian, who owned Gawsworth Hall.
We turned right at a green public footpath sign (153mins) and made our way through fields via two kissing gates until we reached a road. As we were crossing the fields the heavens opened once again and this time we were lashed by hailstones for 40 minutes.
Turning left at the road we arrived at a wooden public footpath sign on our right (175mins) pointing towards Danes Moss Nature Reserve. We followed the path through the conservation area and crossed a footbridge over the Manchester to London railway line (188mins) to reach the Macclesfield Canal (192mins)
From Bridge 47 we turned left with the canal on our right until we exited at Bridge 44 (208mins) by turning left. This brought us out opposite the entrance to Sutton Hall and we walked back to our cars to de-boot (213mins) before sampling pints of Lord Lucan cask ale in the beer garden.
Next week's walk will start at 9.30am from the higher car park in Brabyns Park, Marple Bridge (entrance opposite The Midland pub). We are hoping to visit The Devonshire Arms at Mellor for a stiffener around 12.20pm before returning to Brabyns Park to de-boot prior to a final tincture in The Norfolk Arms.
Happy wandering !
Map by Tom
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