Oven Hill

Oven Hill

April 20^th 2022

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Perfect

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Gibby, Micky Barrett, Hughie Hardiman, Cliff Worthington, Alastair Cairns, Andy Blease, Dean Taylor with Tommy.

Apologies: Too many to mention

Leader: Dean Taylor      Diarist: Dean Taylor

Starting Point: Hayfield Road, bottom of Oven Hill

Starting time: 9.40am      Finishing time: 2.00pm

We set off bang on time on this beautiful day with smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts.  We walked up Oven Hil for a good twenty minutes, which got all our pulses pumping.  Oven Hill is marked as Over Hill Road on an ordnance survey map, which could be a deliberate mistake for copyright purposes, Peter Beale pointed this out to me a few months previously.

At the top of Oven Hill we regrouped and continued along the road that had now become a rough track with lovely views all around us.

40 minutes into our walk we turned right and down the top of Lane Side Road.  After a short while we turned left down a narrow lane to Beardwood Farm, went through a metal gate and onto a picturesque path.  This led us through a small wooded area, going down quite a steep hill, and through a narrow gate and onto a farm track where we turned left.  After a few yards we turned right and went over a metal style, down hill we wandered through a large open field to a tunnel which took us under a railway line.

Through the tunnel we ventured into a small field with a large pylon and a power station in it.  We crossed the field and through a metal gate to an area known as Gowhole.  We went down some steep steps and crossed Lady Pit Lane to a path between some cottages, this path took us to Marsh Lane.  Turning left we crossed a bridge onto Station Road.

We got separated for a short while, a couple of our group got stranded when the barrier came down at a level crossing at the top of Station Road.

We crossed the very busy Buxton Road and regrouped on the corner of Yeardsley Lane.  Up Yeardsley Lane we went turning left up Dig Lee Road, this led us to a farm and a converted barn.  The road then became a track which led us up hill to a logging shed where we enjoyed pie time.

After pie time we continued our walk by going through a large field with a few cows there, at the top of the field we were treated to spectacular views of Manchester in front of us and a bird's eye view of New Mills to our right.

Following the yellow way markers we crossed Whaley Lane passing a dog retreat, which looked like just a fenced off parcel of grass and at £10 per hour seemed rather expensive.

Continuing on we had a lovely view of Lyme Cage in front of us.  We ventured through a small holding containing some friendly Shetland ponies and crossed Whaley Lane once more.

The way markers led us through somebody's garden to a wooden gate.  Turning left we walked down a track which took us to the bottom of Greenshall Lane, risking our lives once again, we crossed the very busy Buxton Road and onto Lower Greenshall Lane.

We ventured down the lane and over the canal and onto Waterside Road where we walked by the side of the river Goyt.

Crossing the road to our right we entered Mousley Bottom Wood, this is newly created area and nature reserve, this used to be a landfill site where a gas works and sewage works once stood.

We entered The Torrs Riverside Park, passing Torr Vale mill on our right.  Torr Vale Mill is a grade II listed former cotton mill, built in the 1780s by Daniel Strafford.

Leaving The Torrs we crossed Church Street and walked along Hyde Bank road where we had refreshments at the Masons Arms.

We left the Masons and for about 2 miles we walked along the Sett Valley trail back to the cars.

Next week's walk will begin at the free car park at Eyam. 9.50 is our starting time, looking forward to seeing you all there.

Pictures by Tom Cunliffe

photos by Cliff Worthington