January 25, 2023.
THE SPORTSMAN AT HAYFIELD, ELLE BANK, STONES HOUSE, HIGHER HEYS FARM, VORPOSTEN, CHINLEY HEAD, MONKS MEADOWS, HILLS HOUSE, PEEP-A-DAY, PHOSIDE, HIGHGATE, THE KINDER LODGE AT HAYFIELD, THE SPORTSMAN AT HAYFIELD
Distance: 8 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Weather: Light drizzle on and off throughout.
Walkers: Mike Cassini, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Hughie Hardiman with Penny, Alan Hart, Jonathan Hart, Chris Owen, Dean Taylor with Tommy, Dave Willetts.
Apologies: Micky Barrett (cruising to Australia), Peter Beal (in La Palma), Alastair Cairns (foot injury), Mark Gibby (attending father's funeral), Simon Williams (wife ill with suspected appendicitis)
Non-walking drinkers: Mark Enright and Jock Rooney with Milly.
Leader: Taylor. Diarist: Hart.
Starting point: Outside The Sportsman in Kinder Road, Hayfield.
Starting time: 9.46am. Finishing time: 1.35pm.
A debutant was quick to put another young walker in his place as we assembled outside the pub in Hayfield at the start of this walk. Hughie had brought his niece's four-year-old whippet Penny for her maiden voyage with the Wednesday Wanderers.
Their breed tends to be somewhat timid but when Dean approached with his powerful Italian mastiff Tommy it was Penny who took on the role of aggressor. She barked and bared her teeth at the bemused yet solidly-built Tommy. He looked around for support as if to say “It wasn't me. I didn't do anything honest.”
Meanwhile Penny, clearly a feminist who viewed all dogs as potential rapists, persisted with the attitude: “Don't even think about it. I never let anyone smell my bum on a first date.”
Penny's stereotyping of male dogs appeared to be vindicated in the early stages of our journey as Tommy kept running back to check her out. Penny, however, was determined to show she was no pushover and resisted his clumsy advances. I am happy to report that at the end of the walk a truce had been declared and they appeared to have become friends. Time will tell if it leads to romance. I shall keep you posted.
We were saddened to learn that Mark Gibby would not be attending because he was attending his father's funeral. We send Mark our commiserations. We also send our best wishes to Simon Williams, whose wife Sue was taken to hospital with suspected appendicitis on the eve of this walk. Hopefully she will make a speedy recovery before the ironing and dishes mount up.
From outside The Sportsman Dean and Tommy led us back towards Hayfield before turning left at a green public footpath sign (2mins) and heading down to a footbridge across the River Sett. On the far side we turned right to head towards Hayfield again before going sharp left uphill at a wooden public footpath sign (10mins). This was the start of a steady climb which continued for an hour in thick mist.
On reaching a lane we turned left (16mins) and then went left again at a T-junction (18mins) following the track as it swung right. At a fork (20mins) we went left and then crossed a stone step stile (23mins). At a fork in the path we went right but the alternative paths later converged.
When we reached a five-barred wooden gate (52mins) we went through it and another one (53mins) before reaching a smaller gate (56mins) and turning left. This brought us to a public bridleway where we turned left (61mins)
This path took us through three gates in quick succession. Just before we reached a metal gate we turned right over a stone step stile (71mins). Following a path in the mist we reached a broken drystone wall just before a wooden stile and paused for Pietime (74mins).
We crossed the stile (75mins) and soon left the track to head diagonally right towards a gap in the corner of a field (76mins). After exiting the field we turned left along a wide well-trodden grass path. This later plunged downhill until we reached a wooden gate on the far side of which was the A624 road linking Glossop and Chapel-en-le-Frith (86mins)
On the right 20 yards away was The Lamb at Chinley Head. Sadly our brisk pace meant our arrival was ahead of opening time. Besides the three dogs would not have been allowed indoors at this pub on a day when the temperature hovered just above freezing point.
After crossing the main road we turned left for 20 yards before turning right at Monks Meadow (87mins) and heading towards Valley View Farm. Just before the farmhouse we turned right (90mins) at a green public footpath sign then left (91mins) at a footpath sign which took us to the right of the farmhouse.
On reaching a road we turned right (99mins). We reached a wooden stile on our left (108mins) and crossed it to head towards Higher Hills Cottage. This brought us to the house and surrounding buildings at Peep-a-Day. With Peep-a-Day on our right we went through a metal gate and immediately turned right through another metal gate (114mins). The path led us through a gate (118mins) and at a fork (126mins) we went left through a wooden gate. This led us to a shallow stream which we crossed by stepping stones to reach a former mill at Phoside (132mins)
We passed the building and followed the track back to the A624 (141mins) where we turned left in the direction of Glossop. We soon reached the A6015 road on our left leading to New Mills (144mins) which we followed for 20 yards and turned right to enjoy a variety of excellent cask ales in The Kinder Lodge (145mins).
Here we were joined by Jock with Milly and Mark Enright, who confessed he had taken a look at the weather earlier in the day and gone back to bed. No doubt he will regret that decision when he sees the stunning scenery he missed.
Those of us who had cars outside The Sportsman turned left and crossed the A624 to into Hayfield, turning right on to Kinder Road and heading uphill (150mins). Your diarist and his son de-booted and called in The Sporty for a final pint, where we were joined by Jock and Milly.
Next week's walk will start, as planned on January 18, at 9.45am near Leather's Smithy pub, Clarke Lane, Sutton, near Macclesfield SK11 0NE. With the pub on your left turn right along the road with Ridgegate Reservoir on your right. Park in the layby on the left after 250 yards.
Chris will lead us through Macclesfield Forest over Shutlingsloe, stopping for a livener at The Ryles Arms, Hollin Lane, Sutton SK11 0NN around 12.30pm before returning to Leather's Smithy at about 2.15pm.
Happy wandering !
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