Marple

 June 14, 2023.

 

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

 

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry, hot and sunny.

Walkers: Mike Cassini, Mark Enright, Hughie Hardiman with Rex, Alan Hart, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh, Dave Willetts, Cliff Worthington.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (sailing off Turkey), Peter Beal (Greek island hols), Andy Blease (Anglesey hols), Tom Cunliffe (domestic duties), George Dearsley, Chris Owen (Alpine hols), Jock Rooney (Cyprus hols), Simon Williams (Majorcan hols) 

Leader: Taylor. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Brabyns Park car park (nearest postcode SK6 5DT), Marple Bridge.

Starting time: 9.43am. Finishing time: 2.13pm

 

Another week and another glorious sunny day. Some of our holiday absentees must have been questioning the wisdom of leaving baking Blighty for foreign sun traps.

Two months have now gone by since your diarist last had to clean any mud from his boots. 

With the temperature reaching 30 Celsius plenty of lotion and hats were the order of the day. Dean led us at a cracking pace and within the first mile we were all sweating like Scousers in a Job Centre.

This was a replica of the walk Dean led on August 31 last year with seven of today's walkers (Hughie plus Rex, Alan, Julian, Dean, Keith, Dave and Cliff) repeating the journey.

For that reason I am attaching the diary of last year's walk for those who wish to read the directions in greater detail.

Next week's walk will start at 9.30am from Tom Brad's Croft car park next to Whaley Bridge Canal Basin (SK23 7LX). We will be aiming for Taxal Ridge and Windgather Rocks before heading towards Saltersford and through Dunge Valley to have a bracer in The Swan Inn at Kettleshulme around 12.20pm. When we return to the car park at Whaley Bridge at about 2.30pm those with thirsts can decided where to slake them.

Happy wandering !