New Mills

 New Mills

 February 07 , 2024.

 

NEW MILLS LEISURE CENTRE, BEARHOUSE FARM, HAGUE BAR, DANE VALLEY, PEAK FOREST CANAL, SPOUT HOUSE FARM, ROMAN BRIDGE, MELLOR AND THORNCLIFFE GOLF COURSE, THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT MELLOR, TARDEN FARM, THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, THE TORRS

 

Distance: 10.3411  miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Mostly Dry Occasionally Sunny, wet underfoot.

Walkers: Mike Cassini, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Colin Davison. Hughie Hardiman, Jim Riley and Jasper, Julian Ross.

Alternative walker: Jock Rooney with Milly.

Apologies:  A lot- but special mention for Alistair who asked for copious details to ensure the walk was not too arduous for Daisy and then overslept.

Leader: Cassini. Diarist: Cassini

Starting point: New Mills Leisure Centre, Hyde Bank Road, New Mills (SK22 4BP)

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2.34pm.

 

                                                         

 

This was the second use of this route which Alan has detailed previously so apart from the minor alterations to the route the notes are broadly his. Starting at New Mills leisure centre and working our way initially upwards to test Colin’s medical condition we walked through what Jim described as ‘ burglar alleys’ in the suburbs of New Mills before crossing Somme-like conditions at the top of the North side of the Goyt Valley and then descending to the valley floor up onto the Peak Forest canal before down and up again through Mellor and Townscliffe Golf course where a ‘golfer’ who looked like a cross between Ms Trunchbowl and a John Deere Tractor challenged our use of public rights of way - detailed below. To be fair to her although all walkers kept to the path Tom decided the shortest distance between two points was a straight line and walked right across the fairway in front of Ms.Trunchbowl, who if she could hit a golf ball would have brained Tom but fortunately her ‘shot’ dribbled down the hill for about 50 yards still 100 yards short of Daisy and Tom. After this brief excitement, it was on to the Devonshire Arms and Jock and Millie where drinks were provided by Birthday boy Julian (63?). Once again walking back through the Golf Course we encountered Phil Welsh finishing his shift as groundsman. After a brief catch-up we walked along Brook Bottom encountering a horde of Manchester Ramblers who like a number of ladies of a certain age in the pub found Daisy irresistible and chatted with Tom, who followed on as we walked back to the Leisure centre. Just a footnote in passing make sure to check the expiry date of your driver’s licence as in conversation it transpired you are no longer notified if it expires and this can be a common occurrence!!
From the car park, we passed the entrance door to the leisure centre on our left and soon crossed a road to join the start of the Sett Valley Trail.

 

This is a linear leisure facility for walkers, cyclists and horse riders linking New Mills with Hayfield. It follows the trackbed of the branch line of a railway through Birch Vale, Thornsett and Ollersett which opened in 1868. It closed in 1970.

 

After heading up a zigzag path (4mins) we turned left at a road and immediately right through a graveyard (5mins). We exited by a gate and headed down to the end of Dye House Lane, where we turned right (7mins). We crossed the road and headed up Spring Bank (10mins)

Turning left at Whittle Road (14mins) we went left again at a green public footpath sign (17mins). Just before we reached Bearhouse Farm we turned left down a flight of steps (20mins), went through a wooden gate and over a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow (21mins)

 

 

We followed the path through a wooden gate and over a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow (25mins). After crossing a road we went through an alley (27mins) and reached a road where we turned left downhill (29mins). At the end of The Crescent, we turned right uphill (31mins). Just before the crest we went left over a wooden stile (35mins) into a field and crossed a stone step stile (36mins).

The Somme

After crossing another stone step stile (38mins) we turned right at a bench (40mins) to head downhill, crossing a stone step stile marked with a yellow arrow (41mins) and then going right at a similar stile (42mins)

View to Jim’s House

On reaching a lane we turned right and then went left at a green public bridleway sign (45mins). This led us to a track where we turned left downhill (46mins). At the end of Hague Fold Road (51mins) we crossed the main road and then went across a bridge over the Manchester-Sheffield railway line.

We passed a playground on our left and then crossed a bridge over the River Goyt (57mins). At a wooden public footpath sign marked with a yellow arrow on our right (61mins) we turned right and followed the path around the garden of a house with the river on our right. This path emerged on a road where we dog-legged right and left (68mins) and then turned left along a track (69mins)

 

Geese, Goosander and Cormorant by the River Goyt.

 

After crossing a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow (70mins) we turned right. This brought us to another wooden stile which we crossed before descending a flight of steps (72mins). We turned left over a wooden stile with a yellow arrow (73mins) and crossed a wooden footbridge (74mins)

From here we climbed up several flights of steps and along a path which emerged through a gap stile opposite Higgins Clough Swing Bridge on the Peak Forest Canal (79mins). We turned right with the waterway on our left before stopping for pies and port at a convenient low wall (84mins)

 

We continued along the towpath, passing Little Woodland Farm on our right and going under Bridge 23 (92mins) before turning right at Bridge 21 (103mins) down to Strines where we crossed the main road and carried on down to the river. Turning left with the river on our right we reached the hump-backed bridge known as Roman Bridge on our right, crossed it and turned left (117mins). We walked with the Goyt now on our left for some 250 yards then branched right uphill to follow a sign for Mellor and Cobden Edge (119mins)

We crossed a stone step stile and headed up a flight of steps before crossing a footbridge over the railway line (122mins) and entering the grounds of Mellor and Thorncliffe Golf Club crossing the course despite the efforts of a ‘lady’ golfer.

 

Looks like Tom actually followed the right route.

We left the course and entered Gill Lane (138mins), swinging first right and then bearing left (144mins) until we emerged opposite The Devonshire Arms at Mellor (149mins)

Here drinks mainly non-alcoholic  were bought by birthday boy Julian (63)

Resuming we retraced our earlier footsteps up Gibb Lane, bearing right at a fork (153mins) Continuing we passed Tarden Farm on our right (160mins) as we walked along a ridge which afforded us a continuous view across the valley. We passed The Fox Inn at Brook Bottom on our right (185mins) and passed the Eric Burdekin memorial bench as we reached the outskirts of New Mills. At a row of terraced houses on our left we turned right at a green footpath sign to enter a wood (203mins)

We emerged on St Mary's Road (210mins) and turned right before going left into Market Street, passing The Pride of the Peaks pub on our right. We walked down Rock St (212mins), crossed a road to enter Lower Rock Street (213mins) and then swung right under a tunnel and left up a flight of steps (216mins). This brought us to the back of New Mills Leisure Centre car park to de-boot (217mins)

 

Next week's walk will start at 9.40am at EtherowCountry park car park the car park is not free @ £3.60 all day.

Happy wandering !