Dean Row

 October 6, 2021.

DEAN ROW, HANDFORTH, VICAR FARM, BOLLIN VALLEY TRAIL, MOTTRAM HALL GOLF COURSE, BULLS HEAD AT MOTTRAM ST ANDREW, LEGH OLD HALL, WOODEND FARMHOUSE, LOWER GADHOLE FARM, THE ADMIRAL RODNEY AT PRESTBURY, BOLLIN VALLEY TRAIL, PRESTBURY WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND THE UNICORN AT DEAN ROW

Distance: 10.56 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Sunny and dry.

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Chris Owen, Julian Ross, Keith Welsh, Cliff Worthington, Mark Gibby, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (having his flue cleared), Peter Beal (car in for service), George Dearsley (Turkey), Jock Rooney (Isle of Mann), John Jones (vacation),Dean Taylor (vacation), Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart (taxi duties)

Leader: Tom Cunliffe

Diarist: Cairns.

Starting point: Rear car park of The Unicorn at Dean Row, Handforth, Wilmslow. Starting time: 9.30. Finishing time: 2.35pm.

A blue sky and warm sunny stayed with us for the duration of this pleasant “ white stiletto” walk along the Bollin Valley, which despite its reputation for being a bit of a mud bath proved to be in reasonable condition for the time of year.

This week we were joined by Cliff Worthington yet another graduate of the Bramhall walking academy. Cliff was giving his latest knee joint replacement its first outing of any distance since it was fitted last December, hopefully he did not suffer any ill effects from his endeavours and will now be joining us on a regular basis. (Julian / Keith I don’t have Cliff’s email address so if possible please forward a copy of this report to him and provide his email address for future communications)

From The Unicorn car park, we turned right for 100 yards and then turned right again at the roundabout. After 200 yards we turned right yet again at a public footpath sign and followed the track to Vicar Farm where the farmer and his friends seemed amused by the sight of our number being led by a little black poodle Daisy aka Fang. Ducks and geese scattered as we walked through the farmyard and crossed a wooden stile before heading to the right and downhill.

On reaching a rebuilt farmhouse on our left, we turned right following yellow arrows and emerged through a metal kissing gate at a road next to a bridge over the River Bollin. We turned right over the bridge and immediately left at a sign marked Bollin Valley Way. This took us along the right bank of the river, up a flight of steps and across a farm track.

 

A wide path with hedges each side took us to the left of a mansion and towards Mottram Hall Golf Course. The public footpath kept us to the left edge of the course, passing a soccer training pitch and at one stage leaving the ground to walk by the side of a wood before we re-entered the grounds and crossed the course. We exited the grounds to the right of a substantial cottage and followed a lane down to a main road.

We crossed with The Bulls Head pub on our left and went down Priest Lane for 50 yards before turning left at a sign for Rose Cottage. After 20 yards we turned left again at a wooden public footpath sign and followed paths leading through bushes, over stiles and to the left of a pretty pink cottage before reaching a flight of steps where pie time was called.

From here we walked for 20 yards and turned left back to the main road. Diagonally opposite to the left we followed a driveway which took us past Legh Old Hall on the left. At the end of this cul de sac there was a yellow arrow on a passage on our left which led through a field. We crossed a stile on our left marked with a yellow arrow and crossed fields to emerge at Woodland Farmhouse. We walked to the right of the building and swung right again at Lower Gadhole Farm where the public footpath led us through a series of paddocks and stables. We proceeded to reach a bridge over the River Bollin, which we crossed and turned right along the Bollin Valley Way.

As we reached the outskirts of Prestbury Julian noticed a sign outside the local primary school advising motorists to “take care when parking you could put a child’s life at risk”, after some discussion we agreed it was unclear if the information was provided as a warning or an opportunity. We continued into Prestbury, turning left at The Village Club and entering the rear of The Admiral Rodney (ooh er vicar) where most of us enjoyed Robinsons Unicorn or Dizzy Blond at £3-80 a pint. Unfortunately, Tom’s favoured tipple (Unicorn) was not only the first out of the barrel, but in his professional opinion was “flat and on the turn”. After sharing this information with the landlord Tom returned with a Dizzy Blond which he reported to be “on good form and always goes down easy”, I will leave you to ponder the branding opportunities Robinsons could develop from this description of their product.

Leaving the Rodney behind we retraced our steps back to the right bank of the River Bollin but instead of re-crossing the bridge we carried along the once picturesque riverbank. Unfortunately, due to heavy erosion this particular section of the riverbank has seen better days but, in our opinion, still made more favourable viewing than the Prestbury Water Treatment Plant to our right.

After passing the treatment works, we paused for lunch before continuing to a footbridge on our left which we used to cross the Bollin and re-enter Mottram Golf Course. From here we retraced our footsteps back to the car park to deboot before retiring to The Unicorn for further refreshment.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.40 from the front car park of the Poynton Sports Club. Alan Hart will lead us on new walk via the Boar’s Head at Higher Poynton before returning to the Sports Club where in celebration of his birthday he has most generously laid on luncheon and some beers for attending wanderers.