Longnor

 March 2, 2022.

LONGNOR MARKET SQUARE, GAULEDGE FARM, MOSS CARR FARM, HOLLINSCLOUGH, HOLLINS HILL, SWALLOW BROOK, DOWEL DALE, GLUTTON BRIDGE, YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE AT LONGNOR

Distance: Seven miles.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate.

Weather: Persistent light rain and mist.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Enright, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney, Kieran Rooney, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh, Dave Willetts, Cliff Worthington.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (Costa Rica), Peter Beal (entertaining visiting family), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Chris Owen (golfing)

Leader: Rooney. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: The market square in Longnor, Staffs.

Starting time: 10.07am. Finishing time: 12.45pm.

The weather gods have been consistently kind over the years to the Wednesday Wanderers, but we must have done something to earn their displeasure in recent weeks. Perhaps it is time for a human sacrifice: any suggestions ?

Having chosen a route with spectacular views across the county borders of Staffordshire and Derbyshire we were thwarted by a heavy mist which shrouded the hillsides and valleys.

Allied to the light but persistent rain this caused our leader Jock to amend and abridge his planned route to avoid muddy fields (as far as possible) and resist expending energy upon climbing hills with limited visibility. This is in keeping with the WW motto: firm of purpose but flexible in design.

Consequently, we endured a mercifully brief walk with an unexpected highlight at the end when Julian treated us to a round of drinks to celebrate his 61^st birthday. We wish many happy returns to a man who has now left our junior ranks to join the wise, experienced seniors. We hope this will henceforth bring him the respect such maturity deserves. His generosity also enables us to forgive him for delaying our start by seven minutes because of erratic navigational skills.

May I also apologise for the brevity of this diary and its lack of photographs. The rain soaked my notebook and I did not wish my camera to suffer a similar fate.

From the cobbled market square we turned right, passing on our right The Horseshoe Inn, which was used to represent the local pub in the ITV series Peak Practice. The show, starring Kevin Whately and Amanda Burton, ran for a decade from 1992.

We took the right fork between cottages (2mins), passing Gauledge Farm on our left, then turned left before a farm (6mins) through two wooden gates in quick succession. Where the paths forked we took the higher option (10mins) and crossed a stone step stile over a drystone wall on the right of the field.

On the far side was a lane where we turned left downhill before following a sign on our right for Hollinsclough (14mins). We passed Moss Carr Farm on our right (31mins) and through the mist on our right we could see three hills known as The Dragon's Back. They were Park House, Chrome Hill and Hollins Hill. On our way we passed wild snowdrops on the roadside verges.

Opposite Hollinsworth Methodist Church we stopped at benches for Pietime (41mins). Suitably refreshed we continued uphill for 50 yards before turning right at a wooden public footpath sign marked with a yellow arrow. We crossed a footbridge over Swallow Brook and turned left up the shoulder of Hollins Hill.

This well-trodden path brought us over a cattle-grid to a lane (73mins). After 50 yards we turned right over a wooden stile marked with a white arrow. The path through a field led us through a gate to a lane next to a cattle-grid which we turned left to cross.

On our right was the path to the summit of Chrome Hill which Kieran alone followed.

When we reached another lane (86mins) we turned right downhill. This took us through Glutton Bridge all the way back to our cars in Longnor (149mins). Turning left we came in less than 100 yards to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on our left for pints of Wizard cask bitter and a choice of two roaring wood fires.

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am from Castleton. Approaching through Winnats Pass from the west of the town you will reach a junction with Castleton on your right. There is free parking to the left and right. Find a space here, park and look out for your comrades. We aim to head up to and over Mam Tor, Mam Nick and Win Hill before descending into Hope for drinks at The Cheshire Cheese at about 12.30pm.

We will return by a path near the quarry for a final pint in another Cheshire Cheese at Castleton around 2.15pm before returning to our cars.

Happy wandering !