April 17, 2024
THE SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE, RINGSTONES CARAVAN PARK, WHALEY MOOR, HIGH PEAK SCHOOL, LYME PARK, LANTERN WOOD, LYME CAGE, RED LANE, THE DANDY COCK, PEAK FOREST CANAL, NEW MILLS, FURNESS VALE MARINA
Distance: 10 miles.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
Weather: Dry with early blue skies and sunshine giving way to cloud.
Walkers: Andy Blease, Mike Cassini, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Keith Welsh, Simon Williams and Cliff Worthington.
Alternative walkers: Jock Rooney with Milly, Dean Taylor with Tommy.
Apologies: Mickey Barrett (foot trouble), Alastair Cairns (volunteering commitments), Mark Enright (in Kenya), Mark Gibby (in the Cotswolds), Jim Riley (in Maidstone)
Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.
Starting point: Car park of The Soldier Dick on the A6 at Furness Vale.
Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2pm.
April's incessant showers dried up for the duration of this walk as eight of us set a brisk pace up hills and down dales. There were muddy patches and a cold wind but we enjoyed some splendid scenery.
Our route took us past two historic buildings in Lyme Park and ended with a hike along the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal. The proliferation of narrow boats along this waterway indicates an increase in the popularity of “water gypsies.” The Wednesday Wanderers have, however, lost representation in canal pleasure boating since Peter Beal and John Jones sold their vessels.
There is, though, a new trend among our group. I feel ashamed to mention it but many now prefer tea to beer.
There was a time when the wanderers referred to themselves as drinkers with a walking problem. But on this outing only three of the main group chose alcohol.
Happily, we were joined by long-time absentee Dean with Tommy, and by Jock with Milly. They restored the balance.
As Andy remarked of the tea set: “They will be bringing knitting next.”
From our assembly point outside The Soldier Dick, we walked alongside the A6 towards Buxton for 80 yards before turning right into Yeardsley Lane. At its end, we turned right just before the entrance to Ringstones Caravan Park (7mins) and followed a track which later swung left towards a farm.
Proceeding through a metal gate with the farmhouse on our left and stables on our right (13mins) we followed the track to another metal gate which we went through and turned right, walking through a field with a drystone wall on our right.
Approaching Whaley Moor
We crossed a wooden stile (22mins) and then a second stile brought us to a road (26mins). Turning left we walked along the road for 100 yards before turning right over a stile to follow a green footpath sign for Bowstonegate. The path brought us to a wooden stile. Before crossing it your diarist took Simon and Cliff downhill 50 yards to see a local landmark called The Dipping Stone.
It was here during the Black Death in the 1660s that plague-infected villagers brought money to pay for food and placed it in the indented rock. The crevices were filled with vinegar which was believed to disinfect any coins placed in it. Food would be left by The Dipping Stone in return for the money.
The Dipping Stone
We returned uphill 50 yards to the wooden stile which we crossed (35mins) and followed the path across Whaley Moor. After climbing a ladder stile (46mins) we reached a gravel track and turned right (51mins). This took us past High Peak School on our right.
This was once The Moorside Hotel, a popular venue for weddings and anniversaries, and where legendary soap actress Pat Phoenix held her farewell party for Coronation Street colleagues when she gave up her role as Elsie Tanner in 1984.
It was also the hotel where Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty had extra-marital trysts with club physiotherapist's wife Mary Brown. The affair cost him his job. Fourteen years ago it was converted into a school for children with behavioural difficulties. There is speculation it might now be a care home.
The track reached a road that we crossed (55mins) and headed uphill towards Dissop Head Farm passing Hill View Farm on our right (58mins). Beyond this substantial house, we reached a green public footpath sign (62mins) and turned right.
The footpath led us uphill over two wooden stiles to a stone step stile (70mins). We crossed this and immediately on our right crossed a ladder stile which took us into Lantern Wood in Lyme Park.
We followed the path through the wood towards a ladder stile (78mins) which we ignored and turned left going into the woods with a drystone wall on our right. At a second ladder stile on our right, we turned left (83mins) and followed the path until we saw The Lantern on our right (85mins)
This is a belvedere (structure built to take in a view) comprising three storeys, the top of which is a spire that dates from 1580. The folly resembled a lantern in shape and is a Grade 11 listed building.
Keith and Simon
From here we retraced our steps, this time crossing the ladder stile, and turned left downhill. In the distance was the distinctive Lyme Cage.
It is believed Lyme Cage has existed since 1580. It was dismantled in 1734 and rebuilt in 1737. Originally used as a hunting lodge it was also inhabited by park staff. The last residents, the Felthams, moved out in the late 1920s. During World War 2 it was used as a lookout post by Disley Home Guard.
We now began heading downhill towards the park's green entrance hut (122mins) with Bollinhurst Reservoir on our right. At the hut we turned right to exit the park (124mins) and start climbing Red Lane. The lane then descended and brought us out on the right side of The Ram's Head Hotel at Disley traffic lights (142mins). Here we turned right, crossed the A6 and arrived at The Dandy Cock on our left for pints of Unicorn or Dizzy Blonde bitter (144mins). We were soon joined by Jock with Milly and Dean with Tommy. The two dogs seemed pleased to see each other although later Milly started to tease a bemused Tommy by pretending to fight him.
Resuming we turned right out of the pub and then sharp right downhill along a road which took us under a railway line before we turned left into Sherbrooke Road (149mins).
At the end, we reached The Peak Forest Canal where we turned right along a path between the waterway and the gardens of houses (150mins)
On reaching a bridge we climbed up a flight of steps, crossed the bridge and turned left to go under it with the canal on our right. I stopped at a bench for lunch (153mins) while the seven other lunchless members of our group continued.
The route was a direct one, keeping the canal on our right as we passed the aromatic Swizzels' sweet factory in New Mills on our left and reached Furness Vale Marina. Here we exited at Bridge 31 (198mins) before turning right to cross the bridge This took us over the level crossing to the A6 with The Soldier Dick diagonally on our right (203mins).
The start of Furness Vale Marina
Next week's walk will start at 10am from The Old Hall, Market Place, Hope (S33 6RH). If approaching the village east from the main road out of Castleton turn left just before The Old Hall and park at the side of the road wherever you can. Then walk back to the pub to assemble.
We intend to climb Lose Hill and head along the ridge through Back Tor and Hollins Cross before reaching Mam Tor. We will then descend to arrive for beer (or tea !) at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn, How Lane, Castleton (S33 8WJ) at about 12.45pm. We will return along the bank of Peakhole Water to reach The Old Hall around 2.30pm.
PS
Happy wandering
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