Furness Vale

 August 18, 2021.

THE SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE, RINGSTONES CARAVAN PARK, WHALEY MOOR, HIGH PEAK SCHOOL, LYME PARK, LANTERN WOOD, LYME CAGE, RED LANE, ST MARY'S CHURCH, DISLEY, THE DANDY COCK, PEAK FOREST CANAL, NEW MILLS, FURNESS VALE MARINA

Distance: 9+ miles.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate.

Weather: Early drizzle; fine later but cloudy.

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, John Jones, Jock Rooney, Dean Taylor, Dave Willetts.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Julian Ross (walking in the western Lake District), Peter Beal (entertaining guests), Andy Blease (York races), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Mark Gibby (hospital appointment), Chris Owen (busy)

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Outside The Soldier Dick at Furness Vale.

Starting time: 9.33am. Finishing time: 2.12pm.

Apologists outnumbered attendees 8-7 for a journey that has become known as The Phallic Walk. The clue to this description lies in the names of the pubs where we traditionally seek refreshment en route – The Dandy Cock and The Soldier Dick.

On this occasion we had quality if not quantity as The Magnificent Seven set off in light drizzle which became steadily heavier as we crossed Whaley Moor and then the rain disappeared.

The walk is tried and tested but on this occasion we made a minor diversion to examine the folly which gave Lantern Wood its name. This gave us an opportunity to approach Lyme Cage from a different direction and to examine the graveyard at St Mary's in Disley as we tried to avoid arriving at our first watering hole before it opened at noon.

The rain and mist obscured the views from Whaley Moor but by the time we reached Lyme Park all precipitation had ceased and the mist had lifted.

From our assembly point outside The Soldier Dick we walked alongside the A6 towards Buxton for 80 yards before turning right into Yeardsley Lane. At its end we turned right just before the entrance to Ringstones Caravan Park (7mins) and followed a track which later swung left towards a farm.

Proceeding through a metal gate with the farmhouse on our left and stables on our right (13mins) we followed the track to another metal gate which we went through and turned right, walking through a field with a drystone wall on our right. We crossed a wooden stile (22mins) and then a second stile brought us to a road (26mins)

Turning left we walked along the road for 100 yards before turning right to follow a green footpath sign for Bowstonegate. The path brought us to a wooden stile which we crossed (35mins) and followed the path across Whaley Moor. After climbing a ladder stile (46mins) we reached a gravel track and turned right (51mins). This took us past High Peak School on our right.

Until ten years ago this was The Moorside Hotel, a popular venue for weddings and anniversaries, and where legendary soap actress Pat Phoenix held her farewell party for Coronation Street colleagues when she gave up her role as Elsie Tanner in 1984. It was also the hotel where Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty had extra-marital trysts with club physiotherapist's wife Mary Brown. The affair cost him his job.

Ten years ago it was converted into a school for children with behavioural difficulties.

The track reached a road which we crossed (55mins) and headed uphill passing Hill View Farm on our right (58mins). Beyond this substantial house in a stunning setting we reached a green public footpath sign (62mins) and turned right.

The footpath led us over two wooden stiles to a stone step stile (70mins). We crossed this and immediately on our right crossed a ladder stile which took us into Lantern Wood in Lyme Park. In the trees we stopped for pies and port (72mins).

By now the rain had stopped and it remained dry for the rest of our walk. We followed the path out of the wood via a ladder stile (78mins) and turned left downhill but used a stone step stile to re-enter the trees (83mins) and follow the path until we saw The Lantern on our right (85mins)

This is a belvedere (structure built to take in a view) comprising three storeys, the top of which is a spire which dates from 1580. The folly resembled a lantern in shape and is a Grade 11 listed building.

After posing for a team photo we followed a path downhill, passing the former stables on our left before heading uphill towards Lyme Cage.

By the time we reached the building at the summit (111mins) most of the mist had disappeared and we had a clear view of Manchester and beyond in the distance.

We continued now heading downhill towards the park's green entrance hut (122mins) and turning right to exit the park (124mins) and start climbing Red Lane. This brought us to St Mary's, parish church of Disley, (136mins) where we examined the separate graves of the Legh family, who once owned Lyme Hall and Park until it was handed over to the National Trust to avoid punitive death duties.

From the churchyard we descended a treacherous cobbled path which emerged on the right side of The Ram's Head Hotel at Disley traffic lights (142mins). Here we turned right, crossed the A6 and arrived at The Dandy Cock on our left for pints of Robinsons' or Cumbrian cask bitter (144mins)

Resuming we turned right out of the pub and then sharp right downhill along a road which took us under a railway line before we turned left into Sherbrooke Road (149mins). At the end of this we reached The Peak Forest Canal where we turned right along a path between the waterway and the gardens of houses (150mins)

As we walked along the canal we saw a heron which allowed us to approach it much closer than usual before it took flight.

O
n reaching steps we climbed up to a bridge over the canal which we crossed and turned left to reach the far bank. We turned left again to go under the bridge with the canal now on our right. Beyond it was a form where we stopped for lunch (156mins)

When we continued our route was a direct one, keeping the canal on our right as we passed the aromatic Swizzels' sweet factory in New Mills on our left and reached Furness Vale Marina. Here we exited at Bridge 31 (198mins) before turning right to cross the bridge This took us over the level crossing to the A6 with The Soldier Dick diagonally on our right (203mins).

Here six of us enjoyed pints of The Rev James' cask bitter. The only exception was the wanderer who had used the pub car park for the duration of the walk. As any pub landlord will tell you, this is unacceptable behaviour and should not be repeated.

Next week's walk will start at 10am from outside the parish church at Baslow, on the A623 heading south-east just before it joins the A619. After going through the village of Calver the church at Baslow is on your right. Just before it is a narrow bridge which you should cross and turn left. Unrestricted parking is available on the road here. Walk back to the front of the church from where Jock will lead us through Chatsworth Park to The Devonshire Arms at Beeley for a livener around 12.45pm.

Happy wandering !