Brabyns Park

 August 31, 2022.

BRABYNS PARK, ROLLINS WOOD, ETHEROW COUNTRY PARK, ERNOCROFT FARM, BROWN LOW, MELLOR CHURCH, THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT MELLOR, LINNET CLOUGH, MELLOR AND TOWNCLIFFE GOLF COURSE, OLD HALL FARM, SITE OF MELLOR MILL, THE NORFOLK ARMS AT MARPLE BRIDGE

Distance: 8-9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate with one long steep climb.

Weather: Warm and sunny.

Walkers: Alastair Cairns, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman with Rex, Alan Hart, Jonathan Hart, Eric Jackson with Hattie and Keith, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Milly, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams, Cliff Worthington.

Additional walkers: Peter Beal and John Jones.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (in Turkey), Tom Cunliffe (heel injury), George Dearsley (in Turkey)

Leader: Taylor. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free car park in Brabyns Park, Marple Bridge.

Starting time: 9.45am. Finishing time: 2.10pm.

Starting out from Brabyns Park

Brabyns Park was formerly the grounds of Brabyns Hall, a Georgian mansion built in 1749 by Elizabeth Brabin and her husband Henry who also landscaped the estate. Its last private owner was Fanny Hudson who died in 1941.

The grounds were bought by Cheshire County Council for public recreation and the derelict hall was demolished in 1953.

A new recruit, Eric Jackson, was welcomed into our fold along with his Romanian rescue dogs, Keith and Hattie. Lovely weather had brought out a large number of Wednesday Wanderers on this occasion along with four dogs, which may be a canine record.

The four-legged friends got on well together although playful Milly, a border collie pup, had to be reminded by Rex, a somewhat belligerent Yorkshire terrier, to keep her distance.

Our walking group of 14 was further boosted when we reached The Devonshire Arms by the unexpected arrival of John Jones, who has been unwell in recent months, and of Peter Beal who had been receiving a pneumonia innoculation earlier in the day. This took our total to 16 walkers and four dogs for the last leg of the journey.

Congratulations to leader Dean Taylor for setting off on time, stopping punctually at Pietime and reaching both pubs within the forecast parameters – a rare achievement !

His route took us through some spectacular scenery in ideal walking conditions.

From the car park we followed the path into the park, passing soccer pitches on our left, forking left just before a wooden bench and passing a whitewashed lodge (7mins) to cross a bridge over the Goyt and follow a path through Rollins Wood.
This brought us to the main A626 road (14mins) where we turned left, soon crossing a bridge across the River Etherow and reaching Etherow Country Park on our right (17mins)

The lake in Etherow Country Park

We walked to the right of the lake and then, at its end, we went left until we reached the river feeding it and turned right with the water now on our left. En route we passed a wading bird of dubious parentage.

Duck or grouse ?

Continuing we passed a weir on our left (32mins) created by Samuel Oldknow to power his cotton mill - of which more later.

The weir is more spectacular in the rainy season

We now headed right along what proved to be a relentless path uphill through a wood. Where the path forked we swung left (37mins) and it became remorselessly steeper until we reached the A626 again (50mins).

The view back to Etherow

After pausing for breath and regrouping we turned right along the main road until we reached a bus stop on our left (53mins)

After crossing the road we went over a wooden stile to head uphill again, swinging left after we emerged from trees (55mins). The path took us through the yard of Ernocroft Farm (59mins). Beyond it we turned left up a gravel track (62mins) and through a metal gate.

We went right to cross a ladder stile (64mins) and headed diagonally left across a field, exiting via a wooden stile and turning right (66mins). This took us along a path over two wooden stiles which we crossed and stopped for Pietime at 11am sharp by a drystone wall (75mins).

Resuming we kept to the left of the field we had just entered, crossing a wooden stile (82mins) and turning left along a lane. We passed Brownlow on our left before turning right into Smithy Lane (86mins). Turning left up a rocky path (94mins) we swung left uphill (100mins) and turned right at a lane (103mins)

This took us past Chatterton End Farm on our right (105mins) and we went straight on along a path where the road swung right, passing a sign for Horsepool. After going through a wooden gate marked with a yellow arrow (110mins) we went through another wooden gate (113mins) to enter a tarmac lane.

After crossing a cattlegrid we reached the entrance to Mellor Church (122mins)and inspected a moat where artefacts from an Iron Age settlement have been excavated. Beyond a wooden stile to the right is a field where history students have created an Iron Age roundhouse similar to those which existed during the Roman occupation of Britannia.

Replica of an Iron Age roundhouse

A plaque informed us that on the outskirts of the church cemetery was the site of Mellor Grammar School from 1639-1881. (I was unable to confirm that George Dearsley fagged here in his youth)

We headed downhill and turned left into Church Road (130mins), emerging on the left side of The Devonshire Arms (134mins). As we arrived we were joined by JJ and Peter for drinks in the spacious beer garden, where the welcome given to us and our dogs was as warm as the sunshine.

Suitably refreshed the 16 walkers and four dogs now crossed the road opposite the pub and entered Gibb Lane. Where it forked we turned right (139mins) and continued to a T-junction where we turned left (145mins). We soon forked left towards the car park of Mellor and Towncliffe Golf Club (146mins)

As we followed the path we broke into two groups, the slower one stopping for lunch at a convenient drystone wall (153mins). Continuing we passed Old Hall Farm on our left (163mins). This was previously called Bottom's Hall (Mellor Mill was known locally as Bottom's Mill) and it was here that millowner Samuel Oldknow housed his orphaned apprentices. After passing the hall we continued along the path shaded by trees on either side until we reached the site of the once mighty Mellor Mill (165mins).

Approaching the former site of Mellor Mill

Mellor Mill was built by Samuel Oldknow in 1793. It was a six-storey cotton mill originally driven by a Wellington water wheel after the River Goyt, which marked the boundaries of Cheshire and Derbyshire, had been diverted and a weir built to maximise the power of the water wheel. At its peak in 1804 the mill had 10,080 spindles operating and employed 550 people. It was destroyed by fire in 1892.

We continued along the path until it emerged on the road between Mellor and Marple Bridge. Turning left we entered the latter and reached the Norfolk Arms on our right at the traffic lights. Here we enjoyed a choice of cask bitters in the beer garden outside.

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am from Danebridge, Wincle, near Macclesfield. We aim to reach The Ryles Arms at Smallhurst, Sutton, around 12.30pm for a bracer before ending our journey at The Ship Inn, Wincle, at about 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !

Torkington

August 24, 2022

TORKINGTON

TORKINGTON PARK, HAZEL GROVE GOLF CLUB, MIDDLEWOOD WAY, HIGHER FOLD FARM, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, WINDLEHURST, KITLING RIDGE, HOLLINHEAD LANE, STRINES ROAD, ROMAN BRIDGE, ROMAN LAKES, MELLOR MILL, BEVI BAR AT MARPLE BRIDGE, GOYT MILL, MARPLE GOLF COURSE, STOCKPORT GOLF COURSE, BROADOAK FARM, TORKINGTON ROAD, WILFRED WOOD PUB AT HAZEL GROVE

Distance: 9 miles Total ascent/descent: 905 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Warm and dry.

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Mark Enright, Hughie Hardiman, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh, Dave Willetts

Apologies: Julian Ross (caravaning), Tom Cunliffe (plantar fasciitis), Chris Owen (golfing), Alan Hart (returning from Cornwall), Alastair Cairns (Maserati broken)*, Mark Gibby (family commitments in Sussex), Cliff Worthington (weather wimp), Simon Williams (unspecified), George Dearsley (Turkey)

Non-walking drinkers: Colin Davison, Jock Rooney, Geoff Spurrell, Barry Williams

Leader: Beal Diarist: Beal

Starting point: Torkington Park car park

Starting time: 9.40 am Finishing time: 2.04 pm

Today’s route was chosen to fit in with the wishes of our stricken Wednesday Wanderers legend Laurie Fairman, to mark whose 87^th birthday he had wanted to buy everyone a drink at the Wilfred Wood pub in Hazel Grove.

Sadly, it was not to be. Laurie messaged the previous evening to say his illness was causing him to call off the proposed celebration. As he said in his message: ‘Sadly big C has little respect for birthdays. Sometime soon perhaps – cheers. Laurie.’ We wish him all the best in his continued treatment and raised a glass to celebrate his birthday at the Wilfred Wood at the end of the walk. We do indeed hope to see him sometime soon.

Despite terribly gloomy weather forecasts of all-round rain for much of the day, eight of us gathered at the Torkington Park car park. As it turned out the day proved dry, except for insignificant odd spots of rain, and plenty of warm sunshine. We welcomed Dave Willetts back after his summer in France.

We left the car park by walking north to cross the stream by a bridge then headed across a football pitch to take an alleyway leading us to a housing estate. A right here, then a left in to another alley brought us to Sandown Road. A short distance along here brought us to an unsigned footpath on the right – a narrow path between houses.

This took us to a tunnel under a railway line and in to a wood, We forked left on a path which brought us out on to the drive leading to Hazel Grove Golf Club. In front of the clubhouse (20 min) was a sign pointing us towards the Middlewood Way. We crossed two fairways and entered a copse of trees where the path brought us to a house and across a stile in to a field.

Another stile saw us emerge at a lane where we turned left then immedately right towards Oakfield Farm. This track took us to the Middlewood Way, where we turned left (30 min).

Just less than half a mile along the trail (38 min) a flight of wooden steps on the right led to a double kissing gate leading in to a large field. We headed for a stile next to a large tree and crossed it to follow a path over another stile and then through a metal gate. A track here brought us to Higher Fold Farm (47 min) and a group of cottages. We emerged on a road and ahead of us was a metal gate bearing the inscription ‘Springfield Farm – pet crematorium’. Fortunately, none of our canine friends were with us today to be upset by this declaration.

The track it led to was again unsigned but soon brought us to a bridge over the Macclesfield Canal (53 min). Ahead was the former Windlehurst Hall, now converted to a collection of upmarket and expensive properties, one of which had an impressive wood sculpture of Galdalf the wizard in its garden. We took a drive in front of the house and where it soon swung right we carried straight on through a metal gate into a field.

This brought us to a track where we turned left and at the top of the hill where the track swung left towards a house we carried on into another field, marked by a yellow footpath sign. At the top of the field the track turned left briefly, before going through a small gate with a ‘Beware of the Bull’ sign.

This brought us to another large metal gate, where we turned right, soon reaching Beeston Hall and its adjoining cottages. The track climbed steeply to emerge on The Ridge at the house known as Kitling Ridge, familiar to older Wanderers as The Romper pub, sadly no more (69 min).

We turned left and almost immediately right in to Hollinwood Lane with the Peak Forest Canal below us on the right. Here your leader declared an early pietime next to a low wall with excellent views, despite grumbling from Dave about the seating arrangements. He has obviously become used to more sophisticated French dining.

The lane led to a bridge over the canal (76 min), which we crossed and continued downhill to emerge on the New Mills to Marple road (81 min).

We crossed this and took a well-surfaced bridleway downhill, which ended at two houses, where it became a footpath that dropped down to the River Goyt on our right. Here we crossed the river by the Roman Bridge – in fact a 17th-century packhorse bridge - and climbed to the broad track of the Goyt Way (86 min).

We turned left, passing under an imposing viaduct carrying the Manchester to Sheffield rail line and came to the Roman Lakes (91 min). These lakes – and the nearby bridge – have no Roman connections at all. They were the millponds serving the massive mill of Samuel Oldknow until it burnt down in 1892 after 100 years of operating and employing hundreds of local people. The lakes, with boating, fishing and tea dances were romanticised to appeal to the large numbers of visitors from Manchester who flocked to the area.

We continued along the Goyt Way, turning left at a junction of tracks, to reach the ruins of the Mellor Mill (103 min), recently excavated and turned in to a tourist attraction. Here we bore left, crossed the Goyt over a bridge and took Lakes Road uphill to arrive in Marple.

We headed up Oldknow Road with a large green on our left and reached Marple’s main street at the point where the Peak Forest Canal runs under the roadway three-quarters of the way up a flight of 16 locks. Our original planned watering hole was our old favourite the Ring o’ Bells at the top of the locks. But a visit by your diarist the previous week – purely in the interests of research of course - had discovered the place had gone all foodie and visits to the bar were banned.

The alternative of the rather grotty Navigation Inn met with little enthusiam so Dave suggested a place called Bevi in the nearby precinct. Its description as an ale and prosseco bar did not bode well but it proved to be a real find.

We were early – thanks to our brisk pace so far – and waited for 15 minutes on the tables outside but when they opened we found them more than welcoming with a great selection of ales including Wainrights Gold ( it has just been rebranded) at an amazing £3.40. We shall return. We were joined briefly here by Colin, who was on his way to a bowls match in the Marple park.

Resuming, we turned right from the bar to the top of the precinct and turned left up the road towards the start of the Macclesfield Canal. Just before the Ring o Bells we took a gate on the left which took us down to the canal towpath.

We followed the canal until it passed the magnificent six-storey Goyt Mill, now home to several business enterprises. Shortly after canal bridge no.4 we took a path on the right taking us in to Marple golf course (135 min). Clear signs directed us across a number of fairways in to woods on the opposite side where we eventually came again to the Middlewood Way (147 min).

We crossed straight over, via a stile, to a narrow grassed path leading initially between two rugby pitches.This continued before dipping down steeply through woods and across a wooden bridge over a stream (dry on this ocassion from the recent drought) before climbing to come to the side of a fairway on our third golf course of the day – Stockport (156 min).

Signs took us right along a rough path through the woods with the course alongside us on the left. It broke through on to the course again and signs directed us across two more fairways to come to a stile leading in to a field (168 min).

We skirted the edge of the field before coming to a stile taking us in to the yard of Broadoak Farm (173 min) , with the fishing venue of a moat on our right. We carried straight on to another gate leading us in to fields, where a spooked young horse charged past us at top speed causing some alarm, and followed signs through two more fields, taking us beneath an electricity pylon, and shortly afterwards emerging on Torkington Road (185 min). A right turn here took us along the road before reaching the entrance to Torkington Park on our left.

Most of us carried on here to reach the main road in Hazel Grove and turned right towards the Wetherspoon’s Wilfred Wood, named after a local hero VC of World War 1.

We were joined by Jock and later Geoff and Barry and raised a glass in honour of the birthday of the sadly absent Laurie.

Next week’s walk, led by Dean, will start in the car park of Brabyn’s Park in Marple Bridge at 9.45am before going through the Etherow Country Park to reach the Devonshire Arms in Mellor around 12.30pm. Post-walk refreshments will be at the Norfolk Arms in Marple Bridge.

*Apologies may be due to Alastair, whose reason for absence described as ‘Maserati broken’ sounded so unique that Mr Barrett insisted to your diarist that it should be included.

Happy Wandering!

 

Bollington

 August 10, 2022.

BOLLINGTON RECREATION GROUND, THE MACCLESFIELD CANAL, DAWSON FARM, KERRIDGE RIDGE, RAINOW, BULL HILL LANE, TEGG'S NOSE COUNTRY PARK, SADDLERS WAY, BOTTOMS RESERVOIR, LANGLEY, THE KING'S HEAD AT GURNETT, THE MACCLESFIELD CANAL, THE MIDDLEWOOD WAY, THE VALE INN AT BOLLINGTON

Distance: 12 miles.

Difficulty: Strenuous.

Weather: Sunny and hot.

Walkers: Alastair Cairns, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Jonathan Hart, Chris Owen and Dean Taylor.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe, George Dearsley, Dave Dunsford, .Mark Enright, Mark Evans, Hughie Hardiman, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams.

Leaders: Owen and Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free car park overlooking Bollington Recreation Ground.

Starting time: 9.52am. Finishing time: 3.03pm.

As the temperature soared into the 80s our leader Chris chose to walk five miles from his home to the starting point. He misjudged not only the time this would take but also the state of his bowels when he arrived. Consequently by the time he emerged from the nearby public toilets we were 17 minutes late.

In a bid to gain the lost time Chris set a cracking pace as we ascended two of Cheshire's most demanding summits. Alas Dean, one of our fittest and fastest, suffered from dehydration after the first long climb and decided to retire early for a cold shower. Happily he soon recovered when he reached home.

Meanwhile the remaining five continued our upward journey to Tegg's Nose Country Park before starting our descent nearly two hours after the start. On this first section of the route we enjoyed spectacular panoramic views all the way along Kerridge Ridge and down Saddlers Way to Bottoms Reservoir.

We welcomed the fact that the return journey from Gurnett along the Macclesfield Canal and Middlewood Way was predominantly flat. By then we had enjoyed our fill of hills and valleys.

From the car park we headed across Bollington Recreation Ground to the right corner of the sports field from where steps led us up to the main road into Bollington. We crossed over and turned left, soon climbing a set of stone steps on our right which led steeply from the aqueduct bridge to the right side of The Macclesfield Canal (7mins)

After walking under Bridge 27 and passing the former site of the Adelphi Mill on our right we left the canal at Bridge 28.

To do this we turned right before the bridge, turned left to cross it and then swung immediately right along a track which led to Dawson Farm on our right (25mins). Here we turned right and immediately left up Higher Lane.

As we approached a distinctive house with an outside clock we went to its left and after 30 yards we turned left up a long and steep flight of steps (30mins). This brought us to a road (32mins) where we turned left for 50 yards then turned left again at a green public footpath sign towards Bridge House.

The village of Rainow in the valley below

Another flight of steps appeared marked with a yellow arrow (34mins). We climbed these to reach the ridge at Kerridge (40mins). Here we turned right with views of the Astra Zeneca plant on the Hurdsfield Industrial Estate and the Jodrell Bank radio telescope on our right. To our left the village of Rainow nestled in the valley below.

The path along the ridge brought us to a metal kissing gate marked with the Gritstone Trail logo (43mins). On the far side of the gate we took the higher track uphill to another metal kissing gate (46mins). We continued up to the Trig Point at 313 metres where we paused to admire the view and a photo opportunity (48mins).

The team at the Trig Point: or Taylor's Last Stand as it became known

We descended on the far side of the ridge, going through another metal kissing gate (49mins) before reaching the A5002 road through Rainow.

It was on this snow-covered road in January, 1977, that a crime known as The Pottery Cottage Massacre reached its bloody climax. Billy Hughes, 30, from Blackpool, was being driven to court charged with rape and grievous bodily harm in a prison van. He produced a knife, stabbed two officers and escaped across the Derbyshire moors.

Hughes found the isolated Pottery Cottage near Chesterfield where he armed himself with an axe and held Gill Moran and her family hostage while police hunted him.

He raped Gill several times as he systematically killed her family – father, husband, daughter and finally her mother before fleeing in a car. He was caught in a police roadblock on the A5002 in Rainow and shot dead as he raised an axe to kill Gill as she cowered in terror.

At this point I later learned that Deano had been feeling groggy and informed Chris he was taking a direct route back to his car. Meanwhile the rest of us, blissfully unaware, soldiered on, turning right along the road (58mins)

After 60 yards as we approached a bend we turned left up stone steps at a foliage-enshrouded public footpath sign to enter a field and keep to the right of a newly-erected electric fence (59mins). The path took us to a road where we turned right uphill (64mins)

We walked to the end of Bull Hill Lane (71mins) and turned left along the A637 for 30 yards before turning right at a Gritstone Trail marker to head up stone steps and a wooden gate to enter a field (72mins). After crossing a wooden stile (76mins) we carried on uphill, through a metal gate (81mins), crossing a stone step stile and turning left for five yards to reach a road (85mins)

Turning right we walked along the road before turning left (88mins) into Tegg's Nose Country Park for a belated Pietime. Here we learned of the fate of Desperate Dean, whom we had assumed had raced ahead.

Suitably refreshed we proceeded to the concessionary path called Saddlers Way and started our descent along the rocky track. It was the sweatiest part of the day as we dripped down Tegg's Nose.

We took care at the fork (100mins) to turn right following the Tegg's Nose symbol. This uphill track took us across a stream by stepping stones (105mins) before we continued our descent to Bottoms Reservoir (115mins)

A parched Bottoms Reservoir

The water level was especially low but when we reached the dam wall on our right we were delighted to see Vanessa Owen who had driven over specially to bring Chris a change of clothing and bottles of beers for the thirsty chaps: a kind and lovely gesture from a kind and lovely lady.

This also gave your diarist a rare opportunity to appear in a diary photograph as our reduced number posed with Tegg's Nose in the background (119mins)

Chris Owen, Jonathan and Alan Hart, Mark Gibby and Alastair Cairns

We continued walking downhill until we reached a road and turned right, passing Langley Village Hall on our right (126mins). As we approached The Church House pub on our left (137mins) we followed the road as it swung right, finally reaching the King's Head at Gurnett on our right (148mins)

An outside marquee provided welcome shelter from the hot sun as we sampled a choice of real ales next to the pub. They were all deemed to be highly quaffable.

It was at this stage that Chris announced he would be handing the poisoned chalice of leadership to your diarist for the final leg of the journey (Chris having already covered the five miles on his way to the start that morning)

Under new management we turned left out of the pub's front door, heading towards the bridge but immediately climbing a flight of steps before it to join The Macclesfield Canal on our right (152mins) and walked left along the towpath.

At the next bridge (43) we crossed to the opposite bank (155mins) and now walked with the canal on our left. At Bridge 40 we stopped on a bench for lunch (170mins)

Continuing along the towpath was monotonous but by now the hedgerows were providing welcoming shelter from the hot sun above. At Bridge 30 (213mins) we left the canal to the right, crossed the bridge and bore right at a yellow arrow along a path which led us to The Middlewood Way. Here we turned right towards Bollington (214mins)

The paved path led us to a zig-zag section (226mins) which in turn brought us to a road (232mins). We crossed this and passed the Bollington Labyrinth on our right (233mins)

The Bollington Labyrinth

We were now in sight of the finishing post and after crossing a lengthy bridge we turned right to walk down to the car park where we de-booted (244mins). From here it was a short journey left to The Vale Inn for pints of Bollington Best and Long Hop cask ales from the Bollington Brewery nearby.

Next week's walk will start at 9.35am from free parking at the junction of the A6015 New Mills to Hayfield Road and Oven Hill Road. Approaching Hayfield from New Mills it is 150 yards before you reach The Grouse on the right. Dean will lead the group to Pietime at Mellor Cross before arriving for a livener at The Pack Horse in New Mills around 12.45pm and returning to the cars at about 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !