Bugsworth

 January 26, 2022.

BUGSWORTH BASIN, BRIDGEMONT, FURNESS VALE, GOWHOLE, BIG STONE, CRACKEN EDGE, CHINLEY HEAD, BOLE HILL, CHINLEY, THE PAPER MILL INN AT WHITEHOUGH, PEAK FOREST TRAMWAY, BLACK BROOK, BUXWORTH

Distance: Nine miles.

Difficulty: Moderately strenuous.

Weather: Cold but dry: good visibility.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Mark Enright, Hughie Hardiman with Rex, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Keiran Rooney, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor with Tommy, Keith Welsh, Dave Willett, Simon Williams, Cliff Worthington.

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (domestic duties), George Dearsley (in Turkey)

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Bugsworth Basin, Buxworth, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 3pm.

Another bumper turnout and another debutant for this walk around the hills and valleys surrounding the village of Chinley. Simon Williams has changed appearance since he starred as Captain Bellamy in Upstairs Downstairs. I hardly recognised him as the dashing debonair actor I had interviewed nearly 40 years ago. Perhaps the intervening decades have not been kind to either of us.

Nonetheless, we welcome him to our ad hoc group of misfits represented on this occasion by 16 men and two dogs. The walk, expertly led as ever by Peter, took us on a new route over familiar territory. It went smoothly apart from one minor hiccup when we found our chosen watering hole closed. Although The Old Hall at Whitehough has been shut on Wednesday lunchtimes over the winter months happily its sister pub 50 yards away, The Paper Mill Inn, was open with a choice of cask bitters available.

Next week we will have a debutant leader as Jock's son Keiran accepts the poisoned chalice. He may find it easier to herd cats.

Bugsworth Basin lies at the terminus of the Peak Forest Canal near Whaley Bridge. It was once a busy interchange with the Peak Forest Tramway for the transport of lime and burnt lime which were among Derbyshire's biggest exports.

It became overgrown when commercial trade ceased but restoration work started in 1968. The basin was reopened to boats at Easter in 1999 but the introduction of powered boats caused damage and breaches to the banks. It was closed six months later but re-reopened in 2005 after a £1.2million restoration project.

Bugsworth Basin

With the Navigation Inn on our right and the canal on our left we headed towards Whaley Bridge but swung away from that town at a T-junction and continued to walk along the right bank, now heading towards Marple. After going under Bridge 31 we turned right to leave the canal (30mins) and then turned left along a road.

After the road crossed the River Goyt below we swung left and headed up Marsh Lane (33mins) before turning right (34mins) at a green public footpath sign. This took us through Gow Hole to a lane (35mins) where we turned left. On our right after 50 yards was a green public footpath sign and a flight of steps which brought us to a tunnel beneath the Hope Valley railway line linking New Mills with Sheffield (37mins)

We crossed a field which we exited via a wooden stile (42mins) and turned left along a track before turning right (43mins) at an “empty” public footpath sign. The path swung left and right past a farm (51mins). By now we were climbing steadily.

Reaching a lane (55mins) we turned right and carried straight on (61mins) when it became a stony track. At a junction of path (80mins) we turned left before heading right (84mins) off the rocky path.

We clambered over a restored broken wall (90mins) and went through a wooden gate, At this point Dean and Tommy, who had walked to the starting point from Hayfield, left our group to walk home. For another mile Tommy's new playmate Rex searched in vain for his canine chum.

While they had headed left we carried straight on through a gate and over a wooden stile (98mins)to follow a path with a drystone wall on our right. We reached Big Stone on our left (109mins)

View from Big Stone

After a brief pause to admire the view across the valley we continued before turning left just before reaching a wooden stile ahead of us and stopped for a belated Pietime in a gulley which sheltered us from a chilling wind (113mins)

From the gulley we followed a path heading downhill and then made a sharp right turn (119mins) along a lesser track which went down more directly to a wooden gate with a yellow arrow (124mins). Beyond the gate we crossed a wooden stile to reach a road (134mins) where we turned left opposite Upper and Lower Lodge.

At a wooden public footpath sign we turned right (136mins) following a narrow path to the left of a house and went through two wooden gates taking us to the left of a farmhouse (141mins). We reached a track leading from the farm and turned left uphill (143mins) to emerge on the A624 road (148mins) diagonally opposite The Lamb Inn, which was still closed for bathroom refurbishments on Wednesday lunchtimes.

Some twenty yards before the entrance to The Lamb we turned right (149mins) uphill through a gate at the start of a punishing climb. At a four-way junction of paths (160mins) we turned right and went through a wooden gate (164mins) and reached a road (172mins)

Opposite was a wooden stile which we crossed to head downhill, going through a wooden gate with a yellow arrow and left downhill (178mins). Another wooden gate (180mins) brought us to a lane (182mins) where we turned left. This led us through a tunnel under the railway line (190mins) and at the end of Alders Lane we reached a main road and turned right (192mins)

This swung left round a corner bringing us into the centre of Chinley but where the main road now swung right (199mins) we went straight ahead following the sign for Whitehough. We crossed a road bridge over Black Brook (202mins) and followed Whitehough Head Lane until we reached The Old Hall on our right (206mins)

After discovering it no longer opened on Wednesday lunchtimes we were directed to its sister pub, The Paper Mill Inn, 50 yards further up the hill (207mins)

Only two of the three cask bitters were available because one had just run out, but we were more than happy to find a warm room, a warm welcome and to add another pub to our collection..

The Paper Mill Inn at Whitehough

Suitably refreshed we walked straight downhill from the door passing The Old Hall on our right before turning left at the former Peak Forest Tramway (211mins).

We immediately passed a lake on our right which used to be the home of black swans but there has been no sign of them recently. At a bridge over Black Brook (229mins) we paused for lunch before continuing along the path to our cars.

Next week's walk will start at 9.40am from the car park on the far side of the dam between the Errwood and Fernilee Reservoirs which is on the right of the road between Whaley Bridge and Buxton. We will be hoping to reach the Shady Oak at Fernilee for a livener around 12.30pm before returning to our cars at about 2pm. Those who are still thirsty may wish to drive to The Cock at Whaley Bridge for further sustenance.

Happy wandering !

Bollington

 

BOLLINGTON

 

January 19, 2022

 

 

BOLLINGTON RECREATION GROUND, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, ADELPHI MILL, KERRIDGE, KERRIDGE HILL, RAINOW, GRITSTONE TRAIL, TEGG’S NOSE COUNTRY PARK, LANGLEY, MACCLESFIELD GOLF COURSE, THE HOLLINS, THE JOLLY SAILOR IN MACCLESFIELD, HOVIS MILL, MACCLESFIELD CANAL

 

 

Distance: 12 miles​Ascent/descent: 1,540 ft

 

Difiiculty: Moderately hard

 

Weather: Dry and bright

 

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe and Daisy, Mark Enright, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney,  Kieran Rooney, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh, Dave Willetts, Cliff Worthington, 

 

Non-walking drinker: Alan Hart

 

Apologies: Hughie Hardiman (domestic stuff), George Dearsley (Turkey)

 

Leader: Owen​​Diarist: Beal

 

Starting point: Bollington recreation ground car park

 

Starting time: 9.28am​Finishing time: 2.35pm

 

 

 

Barely half-an-hour before today’s walk began the rain was torrential and the surrounding hills cloaked in thick mist. Walkers heading for Bollington could perhaps have been forgiven for turning for home. 

 

But the Wanderers are obviously made of sterner stuff and we had a bumper turn-out of 14 hardy souls for a longish walk around the Cheshire hills and a visit to a splendid Macclesfield town centre pub.

 

And sure enough, just before our appointed departure time, the skies cleared and the weather forecasts of a dry and bright day proved spot-on for once.

 

We welcomed a debut walker – Mark Enright, who it turned out is a neighbour of your diarist in Birch Vale, near Hayfield. In what he might have thought was some bizarre Wanderers’ initiation ceremony we managed to lose him for some time on the approach to Macclesfield, together with Tom.

 

We can only extend to Mark sincere apologies for our carelessness and hope it will not put him off joining us on future expeditions.

 

Today also marked the upcoming 80th birthday of one of our longest-standing members, Jock, who generously marked the occasion with a round of drinks in The Jolly Sailor. We were also pleased to welcome back Jock’s son Kieran on one of his occasional appearances.

 

We set off through the recreation ground to emerge on the road at the far end and crossed to climb a steep set of steps in the wall of the canal aqueduct immediately opposite. Emerging on the Macclesfield Canal towpath we turned right and followed the waterway to the imposing former Adelpi Mill. Just past here, at Bridge 28, we crossed the canal and took a track through a field with the ridge of Kerridge Hill ahead of us (22 minutes).

 

We ascended a steep flight of stone steps to a lane and another set of steps brought us up to Windmill Lane, a route formerly used by coal miners and quarrymen. Near us was the landmark of Clayton’s Tower, once thought to be a chimney connected to William Clayton’s coal mining operations here, but since proved to be a 19th century folly erected by him.

 

A short distance along the lane another flight of steps led us to a path skirting the old Bridge Quarry and soon after we reached the path running along the ridge of Kerridge Hill (35 min).

 

We turned right here and a short climb soon brought us to the 1,026-foot trig point at the highest point of the ridge. A descent on a rocky path emerged on the Macclesfield road at the southern end of Rainow village. We turned right her and very soon toook a stile on the left in to fields.

 

A short climb brought us to the minor road of Bull Hill Lane, where we turned right to follow it to it’s junction with the Cat and Fiddle Buxton to Macclesfield road. We turned left and almost immediately crossed the road to take a stile on the right.

 

We had now joined the Gritstone Trail, the 34-mile route between Disley and Kidsgrove in Staffordshire. The clearly-signed route through fields brought us to a lane right next to the visitor centre at the Tegg’s Nose Country Park, where pietime was declared at a picnic area with tables and fine panoramic views (100 min).

 

Resuming, we took a path immediately opposite, which dropped steeply on flags and stone setts to reach a track at the bottom where we turned right. We forded a stream and emerged on a lane between Teggsnose reservoir on our right and Bottoms reservoir on our left. The road from here took us in to Langley Village and past the Dunstan Arms, a pub that never seems to be open.

 

Just past the village centre and its impressive hanging sign we took a gate on the right in to fields. It was here that Mark and Tom, chatting at the rear of our now strung-out party, understandably failed to see we had left the road. When we realised, telephone contact was established and Tom was given directions on how to find us in Macclesfield.

 

We climbed through fields and came to Macclesfield golf course, above us to the right. We descended on a track to reach a lane, where a narrow path to the left of a red-brick bungalow brought us across the canal and through the Windmill recreation ground. We turned left under the Silk Road flyover and dropped through an industrial estate to emerge near the town centre with The Jolly Sailor visible on our right in Sunderland Street (167 min). Mark and Tom rejoined the party on the descent.

 

The Jolly Sailor proved a most cosy and welcoming little pub, with a roaring coal fire and excellent Bradfield Brewery Farmer’s Blonde beer. Jock announced his upcoming 80thbirthday and opened a tab behind the bar for further drinks.

 

It was here our leader Chris announced that when we reached the canal on the return journey he would be leaving us to walk home. Julian innocently inquired whether this would be the first time a Wanderers’ leader had announced his defection mid-walk. It was decided this was probably the case.

 

Tom had to leave slightly early to reach a hospital appoinment, so your diarist decided to join him in the straightforward four-mile walk back along the Macclesfield Canal, reached by turning up Brook Street on our right and swinging left in front of Macclesfield Marina. At Buxton Road we turned right and crossed the canal to join the towpath. The hour-long walk from here brought us back to Bridge 28 and then to the aqueduct where we dropped down to the recreation ground and our cars (247 min), followed soon after by the rest of the party.

 

Six Wanderers repaired to the Vale Inn to enjoy the excellent Long Hop biiter.

 

Next week’s walk will start opposite the Navigation Inn at Buxworth at 9.40am and go over Cracken Edge before calling at the Old Hall at Whitehough for refreshment, around 1pm. From here it is only 20 minutes back to Buxworth.

 

For information – the Navigation Inn car park has now become pay-and-display at £5 a day. This is refundable on buying drinks at the pub, but with a £5 minimum spend. Parking should be availble opposite on the approach track to Bugsworth Basin.

 

Happy wandering!

 

Old Glossop

 January 12, 2022.

OLD GLOSSOP, SWINESHAW RESERVOIR, BLACKSHAW FARM, PADFIELD, HADFIELD, PADFIELD, THE ANCHOR AT HADFIELD, PADFIELD, BETTENHILL, GLOSSOP CEMETERY, SWINESHAW RESERVOIR, THE QUEENS AT OLD GLOSSOP

Distance: Seven miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry, slightly chilly but no wind.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor with Tommy, Dave Willetts, Cliff Worthington.

Apologies: George Dearsley (in Turkey)

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park opposite The Wheatsheaf at Old Glossop.

Starting time: 9.48am. Finishing time: 1.45pm.

First the good news. We had a large turnout, the weather was mild and we had excellent walking conditions for the time of year. But as we set off with a song in our hearts and a spring in our step we were unaware of the trouble that lay ahead.

When we last followed Tom on this well-travelled route in May last year we were surprised to find signs saying “Private. No Right of Way” at a gate next to Blackshaw Farm. On that occasion, Tom had decided to ignore the warning and we proceeded without hindrance to the magnificent views over Clough Edge to the string of reservoirs in the valley below.

It is an arduous climb up the moors beyond Blackshaw Farm to Cock Hill but the splendid panorama at the summit and throughout the descent are a just reward for the effort. On this occasion our hopes seemed to be dashed at every turn.

From the car park we headed uphill and under an archway linking a block of flats before turning left along a public footpath. This took us through a farm which is the home of several exotic and rarely seen creatures. On this occasion, we were greeted by an ostentation of peacocks.

As every schoolboy knows the alternative conglomerate nouns for these peafowl can also be a pride or a muster. As well as the elaborately-plumaged multi-coloured peacocks this group included several pure white birds. They usually save their courtship displays for spring.

The photo bomber, by the way, is a mallard

Just beyond the menagerie a waterfall on our left was in full flow.

Proceeding uphill through a turnstile gate we reached a stile on our left which leads to a footpath snaking up to Blackshaw Farm. However, an open gate by the side of the stile informed us “Footpath closed” and a nearby dog-walker warned us the path was now cut off by locked gates at the farmhouse.

After a lengthy period studying a map which Peter had brought with him (the only one to do so), followed by another lengthy conversation between Tom and the farmer who had arrived in his tractor, we retraced our footsteps for 200 yards before turning right by clambering over a locked metal gate.

This brought us to the edge of Swineshaw Reservoir, where we found a stile marked “No Right of Way.” Undeterred Tom led us over the barbed wire designed to prevent use of the steps and we emerged on a public footpath on the far side. The path we now followed was normally part of our return journey and would be again later in the day.

It led us uphill to a main road which we crossed and dog-legged right and left to follow a footpath at the side of a cottage past piles of reclaimed stoneware. At the far side of the fields was the descent through the village of Padfield to Hadfield. Because of the unexpectedly early hour it was decided to head through fields towards Tintwistle.

When we stopped for Pietime on trestle tables next to a children's playground, we discovered the Bull's Head at Tintwistle did not open until 5pm on Wednesdays. So we then followed Tom on a route through a housing estate prior to a long climb uphill to The Peel Arms Hotel at Padfield. Arriving at 11.43am we discovered they did not open until noon.

Rather than wait, we decided to descend back down to Hadfield and our original watering hole, The Anchor, where they sell excellent draught Tetley's cask bitter at £3-32 a pint. A funeral party was already in the pub when we arrived just before 12 o'clock so we were able to go straight inside. There was the bonus of free sandwiches provided by the mourners as we left the pub.

We walked through Padfield for the third time that day and reached Glossop Cemetery where we stopped at the gates for lunch. Resuming we headed back down to the right of Swineshaw Reservoir and emerged by the side of the waterfall at our original footpath. As we turned right to retrace our footsteps back to the cars we were approached by two emus, one of which was certainly not camera-shy.

Next week's walk will start at 9.30am from the free car park overlooking Bollington Recreation Ground. Chris will lead on a route which will arrive in The Jolly Sailor at Macclesfield around 12.30pm (I recommend the draught Bass). He anticipates finishing at about 2.30pm and ending the day at The Vale.

Happy wandering !

Hayfield

 

January 5, 2022.

HAYFIELD, MOUNT FAMINE, SOUTH HEAD, THE LAMB AT CHINLEY HEAD, PEEP O DAY, THE KINDER LODGE AT HAYFIELD

Distance: 7 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Blue skies and sunshine, but cold.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Hughie Hardiman with Rex, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor with Tommy, Keith Welsh, Dave Willets, Cliff Worthington.

Apologies: George Dearsley (in Turkey), Alan Hart (caring duties)

Leader: Taylor. Diarist: Taylor.

Non-walking drinker: Peter Beal.

Starting point: Outside the Sportsman pub on Kinder Road, Hayfield.

Starting time: 9.40am Finishing time: 1.30pm.

Wanderers: 11 two legged, 3 four legged.  The two legged were Tom, Dave, Jules, Hughie, Cliff, Keith, Andy, Jock, Al, Chris and me and the four legged were Rex, Daisy and Tommy.

Weather: Perfect

Distance: about 7 miles

Off we set in glorious sunshine, I was a few minutes late for this one which I must apologise for, this wouldn't be the last apology from me this day!  We set off towards the picturesque village of Hayfield, down Kinder Road, where after a quarter of a mile we turned a sharp left down a path onto Valley Road.  We then turned right, soon arriving at a sign saying footpath, we then turned left up a flight of steep steps onto Highgate Road and continued to a large detached white house where we turned left down a farm road, crossed what would have been a very muddy field, but the gods had blessed us again and froze the mud, we are very lucky boys. 

Once we crossed the field, we came to a stone style which we went over and walked uphill through a beautiful wood.  After leaving the wood we carried on uphill to a dilapidated wooden style, thankfully we all crossed safely, continued uphill where we were treated to a magnificent birds-eye view of the valley below.

Here, once again I had to apologise, I wanted to show the wanderers a plaque we had placed there in memory of our good friend H, but embarrassingly I couldn't find it even though I was there the day before!  

At the base of Mount Famine, we turned right, through two gates onto a graveled path and then headed left to the base of South Head. Here we had lunch, although cold, we really couldn't have asked for better weather.

It's all downhill from here I informed the lads, who were all very pleased, especially Jock, the man informed me that he was only a couple of weeks off his 80^th birthday, that man is a bloody legend.

Through a few fields and passed a large flock of sheep, the four legged wanderers of us, where all on their best behaviour, well done you three.

We arrived at the Lamb Inn too early for a pint, so we crossed the road and continued down a lane eventually arriving at a farm where we turned right down a path which brought us to Maidstone Road.  We followed to road to Peep-o-Day house, where we went through a metal gate onto a path which headed down towards Hayfield.

We arrived at the Kinder Lodge a lot earlier than I told Tom, I apologise once again.  Tom had earlier sent a message to Alan of our whereabouts and what time we were arriving, unfortunately Alan didn't show but to our delight Peter did, it was great to see him, we all enjoyed the Yarbird ale that was served by the very good looking barman Steve according to Chris!

Next weeks wander will commence at 9.40 in Old Glossop, a small free car park just in front of the Wheatsheaf is our starting point, can't wait to see you all there, my final apology of the day is for this rubbish diary.