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 !