Poynton

November 30, 2022.

Poynton Sports Club, Bramhall, Poynton Sports Club via Dairyground Farm, various housing estates, Bramhall Golf Club, Bramhall Park, Happy Valley Nature Reserve, and Poynton Pool.

Distance: 8.6miles

Difficulty: Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Weather: Dry but overcast.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Chris Owen, Tom Cunliffe, Mike Barrett, Dean Taylor, Hughie Hardiman, Mark Enright, Keith Welsh, Cliff Worthington, Simon Williams, Dave Willetts, Peter Beale.

Non-walking drinkers: Colin Davidson, Laurie Fairman, John Jones, Alan Hart.

Apologies: Julian Ross (shifting sofas) George Dearsley (Turkey) Alan Hart (Caring)

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Cairns.

Starting point: Poynton Sports Club car park.

Starting time: 09.55. Finishing time: 1415.

Because of my late arrival (caused by an encounter with adverse traffic conditions on the M61) and as Mr Hart was not on parade our birthday boy Mr Thomas Cunliffe (70 years young) kindly gave me with the opportunity to write the blog. On my arrival 12 walkers were already assembled in the Poynton Sports Club car park, eagerly awaiting the start of a new walk from Mr Hart (or were they eagerly awaiting the free beer and lunch provided by our birthday boy?).

In Alan’s absence, Peter Beale took on the challenge of leading our merry band on what turned out to be a white stiletto walk to Bramhall and back. In truth, Peter’s greatest challenge was to ensure we did not arrive at the halfway house too early Anyway the local knowledge and support provided by our Brookside contingent ensured Peter guided us to the Ladybrook in perfect time to enjoy our refreshments.

On leaving Poynton Sports Club we turned right on Chester Road passing the Bull’s Head before turning left into Vicarage Lane. At the end is a cul-de-sac. We walked into Glastonbury Drive where we turned right on a path between a hedge and a field leading to a bridge over the confluence of two streams. Passing over the bridge we followed the footpath which took us through a gate passing Park Lodge on our left and a row of whitewashed cottages to our right. Beyond these cottages and on our right was a metal kissing gate marked with a yellow arrow, passing through this gate we crossed a field turning right onto a gravel path at its far side. We followed the gravel path eventually crossing the Woodford Road then following a sign for Birch Hall Kennels and Cattery. From here we followed the lane into the Dairyground housing estate turning right at the end of Lytham Drive and passing Bramhall High School on the right. At this point our route should have taken us right along a public footpath to the banks of the Lady Brook but as we had made such good time it was decided to put in a loop via Bramhall Golf Club before stopping at Bramall Hall for pie time which was called at 11:15.

                                     

Bramall Hall is a Tudor mansion with its older parts dating back to the 14th Century. Extensions and improvements were added in the 16th and 19th Centuries by the families who owned it. The manor of Bramall is first described in The Domesday Book of 1086 when it was held by the Massey family, Normans who had accompanied William The Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. From the late 14th Century, it was owned by the Davenports who built the present house and who remained lords of the manor for about 500 years.

In 1877 they sold 2,000 acres to the Manchester Freeholders' Company for housing development. The hall and its remaining 50 acres were sold by MFC to the Nevill family of industrialists and in 1925 it was bought by John Henry Davies. Ten years later the hall and land were acquired by the local authority, Hazel Grove and Bramhall Urban District Council, which became part of the current owners, Stockport Metropolitan Council under reorganisation in the 70s.

After pausing for pie time and to admire the outside of the hall and its surrounding parkland, we walked down to the lake and to the entrance of the park where we turned right to cross the road. Walking up Fir Road and passing a small parade of shops on our right we reached on The Ladybrook Pub where an impressive variety of cask beer was available. 

Suitably refreshed we retraced our footsteps to the end of Fir Road before swinging right at the roundabout and heading uphill to our right to enter a small grassy area with steps leading up to an elevated road with houses on its right. At the end of the road crossing into the gap stile at the entrance to Happy Valley Nature Reserve. From here we followed the trail along the valley crossing the Lady Brook via the wooden bridge rather than using the stepping stones. 

This path eventually led us to a stile where we turned right to cross a field keeping woodland to our left. We exited this field by way of a rickety gate at Woodford Road where we turned right following the road uphill (narrow road with no footbath on a blind bend) where we turned left into Mill Hollow past some houses to a footpath with a pond to the left which swings left and then right under the A555 with the Lady Brook on your left. 

After the tunnel, we turned right along a gravel path and immediately left toward a metal kissing gate leading to another kissing gate, following the path to yet another kissing gate (no kisses on offer) at London Road North. Crossing London Road North, we climbed 3 steps to reach Poynton Pool where we then turned right following the path and eventually the main road back to our starting point at Poynton Sports Club.

                                         

                                                                   Tom's birthday bash

Next week’s walk will start from Brabyns Park (car park) at 09:40. The plan will be to stop for refreshments at The Fox Inn at Brookbottom before making our way back to the Norfolk Arms at Marple Bridge.

 

Disley

NOVEMBER 23 , 2022

DISLEY, BOLLINHURST RESERVOIR, MILLENIUM WOOD, BLACK ROCKS, BYRON HOUSE, GREENSHALL LANE, PEAK FOREST CANAL, GOYT VALLEY, HAGUE BAR, THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, STRINES, PEERES SWINDELLS' COTTAGE, PEAK FOREST CANAL, DISLEY GOLF COURSE, THE WHITE HORSE AT DISLEY

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Early drizzle soon giving way to blue skies and sunshine.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Alan Hart, Jonathan Hart, Cliff Worthington.

Apologies: Micky Barrett, Alastair Cairns. Mark Enright, Hughie Hardiman, Jock Rooney, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams.

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Disley rail station car park.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 2.15pm.

Forecasts of dire weather conditions may well have led to a poor turnout for this walk, although the various imaginative excuses given were on a par with the standard schoolboy excuse of “the dog ate my homework.”

Those hardy souls who scorned the gloomy predictions were rewarded with a largely dry day and the added bonus of blue skies and sunshine. On the fauna front we spotted a plastic heron at the side of the Peak Forest Canal and a real cormorant on the banks of the River Goyt.

In short gentlemen abed in Bramhall, Birch Vale, Heald Green, Macclesfield, Silverdale and Bowdon shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that walked with us.

This is what you missed

From the station car park we walked past The Ram's Head on our right and turned right uphill, passing Red Lane. Just before we reached The White Horse we turned right up Ring O'Bells Lane and headed up to the building, a former pub, which gave the lane its name. The original pub sign is still there but the building is now a Quakers' meeting house.

We turned right in front of the building, crossed a footbridge over a stream and turned left (5mins). After walking along a path with graves on each side we turned left and headed diagonally left along a well-trodden path which cut off a corner and emerged opposite a metal kissing gate which we went through to head diagonally right across a field with the distinctive Lyme Cage atop a hill in the distance (9mins)

At the corner of the field we left via another metal kissing gate to head up a track with Lyme Cage to our right until we reached the entrance to a farmyard. Here we turned left up steps through a wooden kissing gate (18mins). The path took us along the left of a drystone wall behind which was Bollinhurst Reservoir.

The reservoir with Lyme Cage in the distance

When we reached a wooden stile on our right (28mins) we turned right to enter a wood, following a path through a metal kissing gate and then headed right towards a metal gate (34mins)

Beyond the gate was a track and a sign directly opposite for Drake Carr. We followed this path and when we reached the picturesque cottage on our right after 50 yards we turned left up steps to enter Millenium Wood (36mins). The path brought us through a wooden gate to a road where we turned right (40mins)

After passing Bolder Hall Farm on our left we turned left to cross a stile by a wooden public footpath sign for Black Rocks (43mins). In the past we have had difficulty reaching the summit because of thick fog, but on this occasion the way was clear.

On the summit of Black Rocks

By the time we reached the ridge known as Black Rocks the early drizzle had ceased and we had clear views across the valley (60mins)

The View from Black Rocks

We turned left, soon climbing over a ladder stile marked with a white arrow (63mins).

Continuing along the ridge we went through a metal kissing gate and followed a yellow arrow (68mins) to the left of a copse of trees. In a field of cows we kept left with a drystone wall on our left before passing through a metal kissing gate.

Heading to the right of a cottage a right of way through the garden brought us to a road. We crossed it and followed a footpath sign through the garden of Byron House. At a gate on the far side we were able to turn left and head downhill along a narrow pathway.

At the bottom of the path we turned right (83mins) passing Pear Tree Cottage on our left. We now followed this track, which became rocky, as it wound downhill. It was revealed as Greenshall Lane as it reached the A6 (95mins). We crossed the busy main road and entered Lower Greenshall Lane, walking through the tunnel under the Manchester-Buxton railway line and over Bridge 27 across the Peak Forest Canal (98mins)

At the far side of the bridge we turned left to reach the canal and turned left again to a bench where we stopped for pies and port (99mins).

Resuming we walked with the canal on our left as we headed in the direction of Marple. As we walked we spotted a motionless heron gazing down on the waterway. Eventually we discovered its inertia was due to its synthetic composition.

The Upper Peak Forest Canal is 7 miles long starting from Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth Basin through Bridgemont, Furness Vale, New Mills and Disley on its way to Marple. It was opened in 1796 and was predominantly used to transport coal and limestone, using the Peak Forest Tramway and linking with other existing canals.

When we reached Bridge 25 we turned right through a gap marked with a green public footpath sign (113mins). The path led us down a flight of steep wooden steps and across a footbridge (119mins). After climbing uphill on the far side of a stream we turned right up a steep flight of wooden steps to cross a wooden stile (124mins)

Turning left at a yellow arrow we crossed a wooden stile (128mins) and walked to the left of a pond to enter a car park. As it emerged on a road at the far side we turned right for 10 yards then went left following a green public footpath sign(131mins)

This brought us to the banks of the Goyt where we walked with the river on our left.

The path led us back to the road where we turned left and crossed a bridge over the Goyt. We were now heading relentlessly uphill, passing a children's playground on our right at Hague Bar and crossing a main road (141mins)

This minor road became progressively steeper as it passed Lower Hague Fold Farm on the right just before it swung left in front of a row of cottages.

Beyond the cottages the path swung right and came to a minor road (148mins). Turning left past a memorial bench to Eric Burdekin we arrived at The Fox at Brook Bottom (145mins)

Approaching The Fox

On leaving the pub we retraced our footsteps for a few paces before turning right at a sign marked Goyt Valley Way. This was a rocky decent which led to a path under a railway bridge. We continued past Strines Station and Strines Hall on our left and passed a former millpond with its own dovecote on our right before stopping for lunch beneath an ancient clock (165mins)

Crossing Strines Road (167mins) we headed uphill along a rough track. As it levelled we came to an ancient cottage on our right with a stone transcription above its door informing us that “Peeres Swindells purchest this land and built this house in the yeare 1694.”

We reached the Peak Forest Canal (177mins) and turned left with the waterway on our right. At Bridge 23 we went underneath then turned left to go over it, cross a wooden stile and follow a path with a fenced field on our left (184mins)

This brought us on to the course at Disley Golf Club which we crossed to the right of the clubhouse and exited to reach a road. Here we turned left and headed downhill to the main traffic lights in Disley (202mins)

We crossed and headed uphill to the left of The Ram's Head to reach The White Horse on our right for a final drink (205mins).

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am from the car park just inside the entrance to Poynton Sports Club. We will head for Bramall Hall and pause for a livener in The Ladybrook pub nearby before heading back along Happy Valley. Tom has arranged for drinks and a meal to celebrate his birthday at the sports club at 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !

Dane Bridge

 Dane Bridge, Minn End lane, A523, disused railway, Knot Inn, Royal Oak PH, Dane Valley way, Dane Bridge

 

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Flat ish

Weather: Dry with early chill giving way to blue skies and sunshine.

Walkers: Beachy, Aperitif, Simple, Deano, Dave, Popkiss, Micky B, Hughie, Dawn treader, Christopher Joseph.

Apologies: Lots

Leader: Owen Diarist: Owen

Starting point: Dane Bridge

Starting time: 9.40 Finishing time: 1.00pm

 

Once everyone had arrived (promptly) we set off walking uphill past the Ship Inn turning left across a meadow to a metalled road where we again turned left. This led to a farmyard which we crossed and regathered again going straight to a gateway where we veered right across a field. Bearing left we walked into the outskirts of a wooded area/copse with deer-proof gateways. We turned right following the gritstone trail then turned left going downhill into a small valley. 

A short ‘pull’ led the group to a field with young bullocks who appeared to be ‘fearless’ given their wanton disregard for an electric fence.

We arrived at Minn End lane (the owls) where your diarist enquired about the cost of an owl! Stunned at £400 we turned left along the lane and meandered to a meadow further along the lane and turned left. Heading diagonally across the field we crossed a stile and were confronted by a busy A523. Negotiating the busy thoroughfare we walked along the road crossing the river Dane and turned right arriving at a disused railway which we clambered up and had a belated ‘pie time’.

Post pie time we walked along the railway until we were delighted to arrive at the Knot Inn, delight turned to dismay as it is yet to open its doors (2 weeks hence)to paying customers.

Quelling disappointment we continued along the disused line turning left at a sign advertising the Royal Oak PH (Rushton Spencer).  In a so-called community-run PH there was little community spirit portrayed as it was also closed.

It was decided to carry on and return to Dane Bridge for a ‘wet’ at the Ship Inn.

We walked to the right of the Royal Oak up Sugar Lane which eventually turned into a metalled road and led us to the Dane Valley way whereupon we turned right.

After a short while we crossed the Dane again via a metal bridge and crossed a number of meadows to conclude our journey at the Wincle Brewery.

De-booting all participants enjoyed various ‘brews’ at the Ship Inn.

There was no announcement of next week's wander due to participation doubts.

Enjoy your week.

Happy Wandering!

High Lane

  

HIGH LANE VILLAGE HALL CAR PARK, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, BRIDGE 13, PLATT WOOD FARM, LYME PARK, WEST PARKGATE, LYME VIEW MARINA, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, BOAR’S HEAD AT HIGHER POYNTON, MACCLESFIELD CANAL

 

Distance: 8.5 miles​Total ascent/descent: 900ft

 

Difficulty: Fairly easy

 

Weather: Dry with some sun

 

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Hughie Hardiman, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Milly, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams, Cliff Worthington

 

Apologies: Alan Hart (car stolen in night), Mark Enright (w***king), George Dearsley (Turkey)

 

Leader: Beal, assisted by Blease​

Diarist: Beal

 

Starting point: High Lane Village Hall car park, Windlehurst Road

 

Starting time: 9.32am​Finishing time: 2.13pm

 

 

Today’s fairly gentle excursion around the Cheshire countryside did not get off to a smooth start. As we gathered at the start point the news came that our planned leader Alan had had his conservatory broken into during the night and his keys and car stolen.

 

Andy had Alan’s instructions for the start of the walk in his phone and your diarist had a map, but no Whatsapped directions due to his lack of Smartphone. So we decided to combine our resources and attempt to follow the planned route, not successfully as it turned out.

 

We left the car park, passed the scout hut and had just reached a gap in the hedge to access the Macclesfield Canal towpath when a message was received from Jock that he was stuck in traffic on the A6, where the tailbacks were stretching as far back as the Lyme Park entrance. Apparently, this is usual these days.

 

We waited for just over 10 minutes when Jock and Milly appeared and we turned right along the canal under the A6. We went as far as Bridge 13, which is unmissable as the resident of an old pillbox here has decorated his premises with a bizarre but colourful collection of basically old junk.

 

We crossed the bridge and took a track on the left. We ignored a turn-off to the right to Middlecale Farm (1 mile) and carried on to reach Platt Wood Farm, where we bore left still following the track. Our instructions told us to cross a ladder stile here in to Elmerhurst Wood. But there was no sign of one, so we followed a sign to Green Farm, leading us up through a field with a wall and the wood on our left. We climbed gently to reach a gate and another field crossing brought us to a stile, which we crossed to reach a track inside the Lyme Park boundary.

 

A right turn downhill would have seen us reach our objective of the Boar’s Head ridiculously early so we decided to improvise a route that would extend the walk to a respectable length. We had by now abandoned any attempt to follow our instructions.

 

We turned left then right to reach a small car park at the edge of Hase Bank wood (2.5 miles). We went through a gate and turned immediately left up steps leading to Hase Bank. At the top of the hill we bore right and declared pietime in the lee of a prominent but unused tower-like building.

 

We did not know but later research proved this to be Paddock Cottage, owned by the Lyme Park estate, which was in the hands of the Legh family for almost 600 years. It is now run by the National Trust.

 

The plain interior’s only decoration is apparently a panel bearing the coat-of-arms of Sir Piers Legh IX. Ornate decorations on the outside of the building indicated this was probably a way of ‘showing off’ to guests who dined there after hunting on the estate. There is a direct line of sight to The Cage former hunting lodge on a hill at the other side of Lyme Hall. Pottery Cottage was later used as a dwelling for estate workers.

 

From the cottage we dropped downhill on a grassy path to reach a narrower path at the top of a steep ravine where we turned right. This continued downhill to a very steep and tricky final short final section to bring us to a broad track.

 

A left turn here soon brought us to the entrance of the park at West Parkgate (3 miles). The gatehouse West Lodge is now a National Trust holiday let (four people can have three nights here in December for £519).

 

We turned left here down a tarmac track that joined a road near a small Methodist chapel. Another left up the road soon brought us to a track on the right marked Simpson’s Lane. We descended this and just before Redacre Hall Farm took a small stile on the left into fields (4.5 miles). An indistinct path brought us to a stile on the right at some farm buildings. We crossed this and took a lane immediately ahead that emerged at Lyme View Marina on the Macclesfield Canal.

 

From here, where we turned right along the canal, it was a straightforward walk to the Boar’s Head at Higher Poynton. Three of our number decided to take a diversion by dropping to the Middlewood Way through a gap in the hedge part way along. But the rest of us, after a brief foray to try to locate the Way, turned back to the canal to complete the journey.

 

At the Braidbar boatyard, we dropped left downhill past the Nelson’s Pit Visitor Centre to reach the Boar’s Head (7 miles). Hughie decided to carry on along the canal to the cars to see if he could offer assistance or transport to Alan and was joined by Cliff, Simon, Julian and Andy. They missed out on birthday drinks supplied by your diarist, including Wainwright’s and Timothy Taylor’s Landlord.

 

From here it was another simple canal walk to reach Bridge 13 and retrace our steps to the car park (8.5 miles).

 

Next week’s walk will be kindly led by Chris and will start at 9.40am from Dane Bridge near Wincle. There is parking on the road just before the bridge on the Wincle side. It is planned call at the hopefully newly-reopened The Knot in Rushton Spencer or at the nearby Royal Oak. Refreshments afterwards will be at The Ship Inn in Dane Bridge around 2.15pm.

 

Footnote: At the time of writing on Friday Alan tells me there is no sign of his missing car.

 

Happy Wandering!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sutton Hall

Sutton Hall, Sutton Reservoir (aka Turks Head), Macclesfield canal, Bosley locks, Bullgate lane, Shellow lane, Gawsworth Hall, Danes Moss, Macclesfield canal, Sutton Hall

 

Distance: 9/10 miles.

Difficulty: Flat

Weather: Dry with early chill giving way to blue skies and sunshine.

Walkers: Jock Rooney with Millie, Chris Owen

Apologies: Too numerous to list

Leader: Owen Diarist: Owen

Starting point: Sutton Hall

Starting time: 9.35am Finishing time: 1.30pm.

 

Jock and Millie were waiting on my arrival and in the absence of any further wanderers we set off. We left Sutton Hall via the drive and turned left along Bullocks lane. After about 300yds we crossed a stile on the left and walked diagonally across a field arriving at the side of the poor house on Walker lane.

This was our first change to our route with Jock still suffering from sciatica we continued following the lane directly opposite Parvey Lane. At the end of Parvey Lane we turned left onto Leek Old Road and continued down to the entrance to Turks Head reservoir and walked along the north bank which proved a folly as at the end of the path it was in flood, which was impassable without tall wellies or waders.

We retraced our steps back to the entrance and then followed the south bank. More successfully, we walked across the dam and proceeded west to Macclesfield canal. We turned left along the canal and arrived at the first of Bosley flight where ‘pie time’ was taken.

We turned right along Bullgate lane as far as Shellow lane where we decided, given the forecast of inclement weather, to keep to Shellow Lane rather than the track which would have taken us past North Rode Manor and its dam at the lake.

We continued along Shellow Lane until we came back on track and turned right into a field. After a series of kissing gates, we arrived at the fishing lakes to the rear of Gawsworth.

We again chose to go ‘off piste’, having consulted with a fisherman who advised against going through a no-entry sign. We ignored him! This brought us out by the side of Gawsworth Hall very close to the one-handed ‘Bob Peel’.

We turned right crossing a number of fields and came out onto Woodhouse lane turning left towards Danes Moss.

We had sacrificed our call to the Harrington Arms ‘for a wet’ to avoid getting externally wet.

After crossing Danes Moss we crossed the West Coast line via a metal footbridge and again came back to the Macclesfield canal where we turned left. We continued along the canal via Lyme Green arriving back at Sutton Hall where we enjoyed pints of ‘Lord Lucan’.

Next week's walk will start at 9.30am from the free car park at High Lane Village Hall off Windlehurst Road, High Lane, SK6 8AB (Turn off A6 at Horseshoe Inn traffic lights and turn right after 100 yards). This new route is 10.5 miles but largely flat going along the Macclesfield Canal to Bridge 13 then up via Platt Fold Farm through Elmerhurst Wood to Lyme Park. We exit via Green Farm back to Lyme Marina, returning via Wards End, Poynton Coppice, The Middlewood Way and Jacksons Brickworks Nature Reserve to reach the canal and retrace our footsteps.

We may stop for refreshment at The Miners Arms, Wood Lane Ends, or The Boar's Head at Higher Poynton: most likely both.

Happy Wandering !