Whaley Bridge

 February 8, 2023.

WHALEY BRIDGE CANAL BASIN, TODDBROOK RESERVOIR, TAXAL RIDGE, WINDGATHER ROCKS, ERRWOOD RESERVOIR, FERNILEE RESERVOIR, THE SHADY OAK AT FERNILEE, GOYT VALLEY, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY (DISUSED), THE COCK AT WHALEY BRIDGE

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Blue skies and sunshine but chilly.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Mike Cassini, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Enright, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Dean Taylor with Tommy, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams.

Non-walking drinkers: Jock and Keiran Rooney with Milly.

Apologies: Micky Barrett (visiting colonies in the Antipodes), Alastair Cairns (testing sore calf at Derwentwater), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Mark Gibby (isolating prior to foreign trip), Julian Ross (returning from Hawaii), Keith Welsh (injured), Cliff Worthington (in South Africa)

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Tom Brad's Croft free car park next to Whaley Bridge Canal Basin.

Starting time: 9.33 am. Finishing time: 2.40pm.

Team photo at Pietime

Another lovely walking day in Derbyshire was enjoyed after last week's perfect conditions in Cheshire. February has been kind to us this year and long may it continue. We had 11 walkers, two non-walking drinkers and three dogs for this ever-popular route taking in the panoramic views from Windgather Rocks and the sight of the sun shimmering on the waters of two reservoirs.

Worries about the capacity of the car park proved unfounded but concern about the beer at our first watering hole were vindicated. The Shady Oak has long been a vital venue for our walks around Whaley Bridge because there are few alternatives. So it gives me no pleasure to report that after recent experiences it will have go on our notorious black list.

This is a serious matter. The Bull i'Thorn at Hurdlow was banned from our pub stops in 1992 after the late Roy de Courcey was served with a cloudy pint. For the past 30 years no Wednesday Wanderer has darkened its door. Perhaps that is a little harsh but a lengthy boycott of The Shady Oak is likely to follow our latest visit for reasons explained later.

From the car park we walked back to the A5004 and crossed it to the left of The Jodrell Arms and the railway station to head up Reservoir Road. Ignoring the first public footpath sign we turned left at the second, heading towards the Memorial Park (5mins). This took us past repairs to the dam.

Shy workers repair the dam behind giant screens

After several days of heavy rain the dam's auxilliary spillway was damaged in August, 2019, causing 1,500 residents of Whaley Bridge to be evacuated for up to six nights as a precaution.

The reservoir, opened in 1840 as a feeder for the Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals, had a billion litres of water pumped out into the River Goyt. Work on repairing the damage and updating its spillway channels began last autumn and the reservoir is due to reopen in late 2024.

After passing the reconstruction site we entered the Memorial Park briefly before turning right uphill and emerging with a skate-boarding area on our left (12mins). We turned right, walking to the right of a five-a-side soccer pitch, then turned left.

This took us past some cottages before we turned left to pass through a wooden fence with gaps for pedestrians. We swung first right and then left to walk through a housing estate and reached a main road at the end of Reddish Lane (18mins). Here we turned right uphill and crossed to the other side. Fifty yards after passing Linglongs Road on our left we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign (21mins)

A short climb led us to a path which ended when we crossed a stone step stile (27mins). Turning immediately right uphill we reached a wooden public footpath sign and turned sharp left (31mins), turning right after an electricity sub-station and then left along a path leading to the ridge above Taxal (35mins)

Looking back to our right from Taxal Ridge

We now enjoyed views across the valleys to our right and left as we walked towards the distinctive shape of Windgather Rocks in the distance. Our brisk pace brought us to the summit (65mins) in record time. On the cliffs themselves mountaineers were testing their abseiling skills.

The view back towards Whaley Bridge from Windgather Rocks

With the cliffs on our right we walked along a path before descending into a sheep fold which provided shelter from the wind. Although it was only 10.42am we decided to pause for an early Pietime (69mins)

Instead of climbing back up the rocks to the path from which we had descended we opted to walk through a gate and reach a narrow road where we turned left. This brought us to a passing space on our left (80mins) where we crossed a stone step stile and turned right to continue along a footpath which ran parallel with the road. When we reached a fork in the paths (83mins) we turned left and headed across the moorland to reach a road (89mins)

Turning left along a footpath which ran parallel with the road we now began a steady descent as the road and its adjoining path wound their ways down towards the dam bridge which divides the reservoirs of Errwood and Fernilee.

Looking down on Errwood Reservoir

After crossing the dam bridge (122mins) we turned left at a white barrier and followed a track which emerged on the right bank of Fernilee Reservoir.

Fernilee Reservoir

At the end of the reservoir we followed the road as it swung right uphill (155mins) until it reached the A5004 Whaley Bridge to Buxton road. We turned left (163mins) and reached The Shady Oak at Fernilee on our right (169mins). As we arrived so did Jock, Keiran and Milly.

Your diarist had been warned about previous disappointments with the state of the beer and its occasional absences at this hostelry. All our worst fears materialised. One by one the three cask ales proved to be undrinkable. As the abstemious tea-drinkers chuckled at our discomfiture, we were obliged to resort to pints of Guinness or gins and tonics.

Apologies were proffered by the landlord and the explanation given was that the A5004 closure in Whaley Bridge had prevented dray wagons from delivering fresh supplies. A sorry state of affairs.

After leaving the pub with no beer we crossed the road opposite and headed down a track towards a farm, passing through the farmyard and continuing down through a field which we exited by a wooden stile (175mins). We continued down through another field to the River Goyt and turned right, pausing for lunch just before we reached a wood (180mins)

Continuing we went through a wooden gate (181mins) and entered the wood, turning right uphill.

Through The Goyt Valley

We bore right at a path near a footbridge below us across the river, then crossed a wooden stile to join a lower path emerging from our left (196mins). Turning right we once again reached the A5004, which we crossed into Mevril Road (200mins)

Turning left at a telegraph pole (202mins) we entered a path which led down through a field to reach the disused Cromford and High Peak railway line (205mins) and turn left. This former railway track took us to within 20 yards of the rear of The Cock at Whaley Bridge. We turned left, crossing a bridge over a stream, and then went right to reach the front door of the pub (214mins)

After an excellent pint of Robinsons' Dizzy Blonde we left the pub and turned right towards the town centre.

Network Rail has closed the A5004 for about 10 weeks so it can repair and repaint the railway bridge over it taking trains between Manchester and Buxton.

There is still pedestrian access so we were able to walk under the bridge and turn right to return to the trackbed of the old Cromford and High Peak railway line (216mins). By turning left we were able to cross the Goyt and return to our cars (220mins)

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am from the entrance to The Peak Cavern car park on Buxton Road, Castleton (S33 8WP). Drivers approaching through Winnats Pass are advised to turn right on to Buxton Road and immediately look for places to park before walking to the cavern entrance. Peter will be leading us over Mam Tor along The Great Ridge to Lose Hill before descending to The Old Hall at Hope for a livener around 12.30pm. We will then walk along the bank of Peakshole Water to return to Castleton for a final pint in The Cheshire Cheese at about 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !