Bollington

Bollington

August 28th 2024

BOLLINGTON, WHITE NANCY, KERRIDGE RIDGE, RAINOW, BULL HILL LANE, WALKER BARN, THE ROBIN HOOD AT RAINOW, SUGAR LANE, FLAG COTTAGE, THE VIRGINS' PATH, INGERSLEY VALE WATERFALL, THE VALE AT BOLLINGTON

Distance: 8.5 miles.

Difficulty: A tough start followed by less strenuous terrain apart from Mr Beal’s shortcut to the Robin Hood Public House.

Weather: Mainly dry although a few spots of rain were encountered

Walkers: Peter Beal, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Jonny Hart, Cliff Worthington, Julian Ross, Simon Williams, Steve Brearley, Alastair Cairns.

Alternative walkers: Jock Rooney with Milly.

Apologies: Andy Blease (Anglesey hols), Tom Cunliffe (Hospital Visiting), Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh (Physiotherapist appointment) Mike Cassini (Hospital appointment) Chris Owen (Family visiting) George Dearsley (Turkey)

Leaders: Hart and Beal. Diarist & Photographer: Cairns

Starting point: Free car park on Adlington Road overlooking Bollington Recreation Ground.

Starting time: 09:40 Finishing time: 14:15 ish.

                                          

                                                                            White Nancy

                                           

                                                                      Bollington Village 

This week’s wander started with three pieces of good news, firstly, the roadworks opposite the Bollington Recreation Ground are now complete, secondly, Smith’s Bakery (aka the orgasmic pie shop) had product available for purchase and last, but by no means least, the Robin Hood public house is once again trading on a Wednesday lunchtime, although it is suspected this may change during the winter months ahead.

From the car park, we headed to the main road through Bollington and turned left toward Smith’s bakery where Hart senior, junior and virgin pie man Steve Brearley purchased meat and potato pies to sustain them during their wanderings around Bollington and Rainow. 

From the pie shop, we made our way through Bollington Village before turning right, past the Turners Arms on our right toward Ingersley Vale before making a sharp right towards the lung-busting ascent to White Nancy, the landmark on Kerridge Hill, which is visible for miles in all directions.

White Nancy was built around 1815 and it is thought to have been in celebration of Wellington's victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. It was built by John Gaskell, who lived below the hill in Ingersley House, now Ingersley Hall. The 18 feet high onion-shaped building, which originally had a window with seats and a table inside, has an elevation of 920 feet. The origin of its name is uncertain, although John Gaskell had a sister called Nancy. It is also believed that the grey horse, which pulled the stonework uphill was called Nancy.

The Wanderers at White Nancy 

 We reached White Nancy in around 45 minutes by taking the direct route up the left side of the hill. On reaching White Nancy we stopped for a breather, to take on water, and have photos taken before walking along the ridge passing Astra Zeneca on our right. After passing through a kissing gate, we forked to the right on the higher path which brought us to the Trig Point. From here we followed the path down to the point where Lidgetts Lane meets the main road through Rainow. It was at this point on a previous walk that a very confused Alan Hart decided to go off-piste, announcing he would be making his own way to the halfway house. It remains unclear why Alan chose to take this action but we are putting it down to carbohydrate starvation brought on by a lack of meat and potato pies at Smith’s the bakers. 

Turning right, we eventually crossed the road by Brae Cottage taking some easily missed stone steps to a path along the side of a field protected on one side by an electric fence and clumps of nettles on the other. This irritating and slightly painful path took us to Bull Hill Lane where a slightly delayed pie time was declared. Looking up Bull Hill Lane from our perch we could see the lane had been closed by some contractors who were replacing overhead electricity poles and cables across the lane and beyond. At this point,  Mr Hart was dispatched to enquire if we could walk through the fenced-off road closure in favour of a diversion via who knows where. Anyway, after some discussion with the contractors, Alan delivered the good news that we were indeed able to pass along the side of their vehicles as long as we took care to avoid any loose wires and greasy stuff on the side of the truck.  

From the T-junction at the top of the hill, we turned left for 50 yards where we crossed the A537, then climbed some steps on our right. Following the footpath to the left and crossing a couple of stiles we again reached the A537 by the long-closed Setter Dog public house. After passing The Setter Dog (now a house) we turned left at a green public footpath sign we followed a yellow arrow on our left to leave the farm track and reached a wooden stile which we crossed and turned left following a well-trodden path downhill through a farmyard and a cluster of cottages downhill towards Rainow and the Robin Hood public house which is once again open for business on a Wednesday (summer opening hours).

At the Robin Hood, the Wanderers enjoyed pints of Wainwrights Bitter (reported to be on good form) and other refreshments before heading down Chapel Lane, before turning right into Sugar Lane. At Flag Cottage we followed a public footpath sign around the back of a row of cottages to emerge on The Virgins' Path leading us to Ingersley Vale Waterfall where we stopped for lunch.

Also known as The Bridal Path this was so-called after a local farmer laid a series of flags across his fields so that the maidens of Rainow who, without a church of their own had to walk two miles to Bollington, did not sully their white dresses. Prior to the path being laid the mud on gowns led to smutty sniggering in the Bollington Church about the brides' virtue.

Lunch at the Ingersley Vale Waterfall

     

  After passing the waterfall and a former mill pond on our left we turned right and passed a derelict church on our left to reach a mini roundabout with The Turners Arms on our right where we turned left and walked along the main road through Bollington. When Bollington Recreation Ground appeared on our right, we walked back through it returning to our cars, prior to de-booting and taking refreshment at The Vale Inn. White Nancy or Longhop were on offer at £3.00, both of which were on excellent form.

Next week's walk will start at 0945 outside The Sportsman pub on Kinder Road, Hayfield, which is best reached via Chinley because of the closure of the main road between New Mills and Hayfield. We will be passing Kinder Reservoir on our right before climbing Williams Clough to reach the Kinder escarpment. After walking along Kinder and passing the downfall we will descend at Red Brook and return to The Sportsman for refreshment at about 2.15pm.

Rowarth

 August 21, 2024.

ROWARTH, MATLEY MOOR, KNARRS NOOK, BURNT HILL, MILL HILL, SNAKE PATH, MIDDLE MOOR, TWENTY TREES, KINDER LODGE AT HAYFIELD, CALICO TRAL, LANTERN PIKE, GIGGLE GAGGLE PATH, HARTHILL, THE LITTLE MILL INN AT ROWARTH

Distance: 10.5 miles.

Difficulty: Moderately strenuous.

Weather: Dry but cloudy start: sunny spells later.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Steve Brearley, Alastair Cairns, Mike Cassini, Mark Enright, Alan Hart, Jonathan Hart, Chris Owen, Dean Taylor with Tommy, Cliff Worthington.

Alternative walker: Jock Rooney with Milly.

Apologies: Andy Blease (in Anglesey), Tom Cunliffe (hospital visiting), Julian Ross (unspecified), Keith Welsh (returning from hols)

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Alan Hart.

Starting point: Car park of The Little Mill Inn at Rowarth SK22 1EB.

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2.42pm.

An improved turnout for this hike around the moors below the Kinder Plateau was swollen by the debut of Stephen Brearley and the return of your diarist's prodigal son.

Stephen, from Woodley, Stockport, is the cousin of Alastair's wife Janette. Jonathan was returning after an absence of more than a year since he ended his early retirement and resumed w*^k.

Our walk took us along a familiar route but from the opposite direction and we were rewarded with some spectacular views as we were surrounded by purple heather in full bloom.

All around the blooming heather

From the car park, with the pub on our left, we turned right at a public footpath sign which emerged on a road. Here we turned left and then right following a public footpath sign next to a red phone box (5mins). This took us across a ford over a stream. Beyond it, we went left over a wooden stile and followed a path which took us across the stream again by stepping stones.

Emerging on a road we turned left (11mins) before turning right at a wooden public footpath sign marked Lantern Pike (22mins). It has become a habit for Chris and Dean to go their own way whenever Pete is leading and at this point, they decided to ignore the right turn. We did not see them again for half an hour.

Heading towards Kinder

The remaining eight of us turned left through a wooden gate (26mins) from where we reached a road and turned immediately right through a metal gate (32mins). We soon crossed a wooden stile and then went over a stone step stile (38mins) where we turned right keeping a drystone wall on our right.

After Passing Knarrs Farm on our right, we crossed a stone step stile beyond the farmhouse, turning right for 20 yards to reach a gravel track and then left away from the building. We reached a road and turned right (48mins) to reach and then cross the main A624 Glossop to Chapel Road (53mins)

On the far side, Chris and Dean awaited our arrival and rejoined us as we walked straight ahead from the road until we reached a section of path which had been flagged by stone retrieved from redundant mill factories. These took us up Burnt Hill, where the white Trig Point of Harry Hut was visible on our left.

From here we continued along the flagged path to Mill Hill where we stopped for Pietime (92mins) by the side of a wrecked plane.

Some of the wreckage of the plane

On October 11, 1944, a Liberator of the USAF 310^th Ferry Squadron was being moved from RAF Burtonwood to RAF Hardwick. It crashed in low cloud on Mill Hill, which is 1,785 feet above sea level.

The two occupants, 2^nd Lieutenant Creighton Houpt, its pilot, and Staff Sergeant Jerome Navjar, its navigator, survived the accident uninjured. But it is believed the pilot sustained a broken jaw in a fight which followed when the navigator blamed the senior officer for ignoring his warning to fly higher.

Resuming we returned to the flagged path, turned left and headed for a cairn, where we paused for a team photo (96mins)

New boy Steve Brearley is on the far left

We turned right at the cairn and followed a well-beaten path and reached the distinctive white shooting hut on our left (129mins). The path now went to the right of the hut and past a new or refurbished grouse butt.

No sign of grouse or peasants

We were now on the Snake Path heading for Hayfield. After going through a metal kissing gate (139mins) we passed a copse on our right known as Twenty Trees (although there are only 19 of them)

Looking beyond Twenty Trees down to Hayfield

The Snake Path now took us down to Kinder Road where we turned right (155mins) and continued downhill passing the former Hayfield Grammar School on our left.

This was founded in 1604 and built in 1719 – 26 years before Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite Rebellion.

Where Kinder Road went right we turned left and left again to cross a bridge over the River Sett.

From the bridge over the Sett

After passing St Matthew's Church on our right (161mins) we turned right and crossed the A624 via a pelican crossing. We turned left, passing Hayfield bus station on our right and reaching the A6015 linking Hayfield with New Mills. Here we turned left and The Kinder Lodge was 20 yards on our left (164mins). We joined Jock and Milly for pints of cask bitter in the beer garden. They had walked down from The Sportsman on Kinder Road.

Leaving Chris, Dean and Mark behind to carry on drinking, we continued on the final leg of our journey. Retracing our footsteps past the bus station now on our left we continued to a sign on our right marked Calico Trail (167 mins) and emerged on the far side of the River Sett to enter the Carnival Field where we stopped at two handy benches for lunch (169mins)

Beyond the Carnival Field we turned left and then right into Bank Vale Road (174mins). The path then took us through a wooden gate (180mins) before taking a left fork uphill (183mins). We then joined The Giggle Gaggle Path, nicknamed more than a hundred years ago because of the crocodile of mill girls walking to and from their factory at Clough Mill, Little Hayfield.

After going over a wooden stile (199mins) we reached a point where two paths crossed and we went right. We then turned left and immediately right over a stone step stile. The path went left and we crossed a wooden stile (212mins)

Carrying on we crossed another wooden stile (218mins) and reached the ford we had crossed earlier that morning (220mins). We were then able to retrace our earlier footsteps to emerge opposite the pub (228mins)

Six of us then had a final drink outside in the sunshine overlooking the inn's giant waterwheel.

Next week's walk will start at 9.40am from the free car park overlooking Bollington Recreation Ground on Adlington Road SK10 5JT. Our route will pass the orgasmic pie shop of  F. Smith for those wishing to stock up for our journey. We will be aiming to knock the froth off a couple of pints at the reopened Robin Hood, Church Lane, Rainow SK10 5XE before returning for a final drink at The Vale on Adlington Road, Bollington SK10 5JT

Happy wandering !

Hartington

August 14, 2024.

HARTINGTON, SHEEN, BRUND, RIVER MANIFOLD, LOWER BOOTHLOW FARM, OVER BOOTHLOW FARM, BOOTHLOW HAYES FARM, THE PACK HORSE INN AT CROWDECOTE, RIVER DOVE, PILSBURY CASTLE, THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT HARTINGTON

Distance: 10.7 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry but cloudy.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Mike Cassini, Alan Hart, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor with Tommy.

Alternative walkers: Jock Rooney with Milly.

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (hospital visiting), Mark Enright (w*^king), Keith Welsh (hols), Simon Williams and Cliff Worthington (Edinburgh Fringe)

Leader: Hart (assisted by Beal, Blease, Cairns and Ross). Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: The Market Place at Hartington (SK17 0AL)

Starting time: 10.06am. Finishing time: 3.05pm.

The idea for this walk began when your diarist found a bundle of four leaflets entitled “The Peak District Walks About” which he had bought some 15 years ago. The one based in Hartington incorporated some pathways with which we were familiar and some pastures new.

Unfortunately, the degree of detail in the direction proved to be sadly lacking and sometimes out of date. Consequently, I was grateful for the help of Peter with his local map and to Andy, Alastair and Julian with their GPS apps for rectifying mistakes and pointing us in the right directions, whenever the scanty narrative let us down.

We discovered the sketch map which accompanied the sparse directions was unhelpful if you wandered off piste (and we've all done that from time to time)

Deviations and retracing of footsteps put an extra 2 miles on a walk which was billed as 8 miles but the scenery throughout was worth the toil.

Having hopefully learned from our experience we agreed it would be a journey worth repeating on another summer day at which point the precise and correct directions taken will be recorded in the diary.

The Pack Horse Inn at Crowdecote where we joined Jock and Milly for drinks in the beer garden proved a popular choice. This was where we launched a campaign for Dean's Italian mastiff Tommy to become a stud. Your diarist suggested Tommy could have his own Facebook Page with the invitation “Fancy A Shag ?” as he offered his services to pedigree bitches. With such puppies fetching £1,000 each and the dog-owner traditionally entitled to the pick of the litter, Tommy could soon be earning a fortune for a weekend's enjoyable work.

Superstud ? Dean with Tommy

Our canine friend certainly attracted attention from some of the cattle in fields we visited. It has to be said that Tommy took the adventure in his stride far more easily than Dean.

Carry On Ruminating: Some herds ignored our presence

Although the skies were threatening at times the weather forecast of a dry day proved accurate.

Leaving Hartington

Heading for Pilsbury Castle

During our journey back to Hartington we passed the site of Pilsbury Castle, a site overlooking the River Dove which never fails to underwhelm.

The “castle” is little more than a hill 175 yards by 150 yards. It is believed it was once an Iron Age fortification until it was rebuilt in motte-and-bailey style in the 11^th Century by the Normans after they had won The Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The area around Pilsbury was granted by William The Conqueror to Henry de Ferrers and may have been used during the campaign of “harrying” the rebellious north. It probably became redundant when nearby Hartington grew and Pilsbury became depopulated. In any event it would be more accurate to describe the site as a hill where there was once a castle.

One last hill before the pub ?

Some extra photographs below....

Next week's walk will start at 9.40am from The Little Mill Inn, Hollinsmoor Road, Rowarth SK22 1EB aiming to reach The Kinder Lodge in New Mills Road, Hayfield SK22 2JG for a livener around 12.30pm. We plan to return to The Little Mill at about 2.30pm for a final drink.

Happy wandering !

map by Andrew Blease

 

Sutton Hall

AUGUST 7 2024

SUTTON HALL, BISHOP'S CLOUGH, SUTTON RESERVOIR, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, BOSLEY LOCKS, NORTH RODE LAKE, RODE GREEN, THE HARRINGTON ARMS AT GAWSWORTH, GAWSWORTH HALL, DANE MOSS NATURE RESERVE, MACCLESFIELD CANAL, SUTTON HALL

Distance: 10-11 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Mainly dry but dull and cloudy with sunny spells.

Walkers: Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Dean Taylor, Simon Williams and Cliff Worthington.

Alternative walkers: Jock and Keiran Rooney with Milly.

Apologies: Peter Beal (grandson's fifth birthday), Alastair Cairns (hiking in Northumberland), Mike Cassini (hospital appointment),Tom Cunliffe (hospital visiting), Jim Riley (still rehabing), Keith Welsh (hols till August 20)

Leader: Owen. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of Sutton Hall, Gurnett, Macclesfield.

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 2.28pm.

This was a test of nerves for our leader Chris and he passed it with flying colours.

Two weeks ago he presided over what is known in the US military as “a cluster fuck”. Such was his despair that he threatened never to lead us again.

However, encouragement from his comrades caused Chris to reconsider and like a crashed fighter pilot he clambered back into the cockpit at the first opportunity. We were all delighted that in the style of a panellist on Just A Minute he managed to steer us without repetition, hesitation or deviation.

From the car park, we walked away from the entrance, passing Sutton Hall on our right as we left the grounds by a wooden gate. We turned left here along a road with the River Bollin flowing on our right.

The Bollin is a tributary of the River Mersey, rising in Macclesfield Forest and then descending for ten miles through Macclesfield to The Carrs Park at Wilmslow where it is in confluence with the River Dean near Styal Prison.

For the following ten miles, it defines the south-west portion of the border between Greater Manchester and Cheshire before merging with the Mersey north of Lymm.

It used to power Quarry Bank Mill at Styal and is now culverted under the southern runway of Manchester Airport. Back in 1850, it was still common for the town of Macclesfield to dispose of its sewage in the Bollin.

After 50 yards we reached a main road and turned right, crossing the Bollin and turning right immediately after we had passed Sutton Servicemen's Club on our right (9mins). At the end of the Symmondly Road cul de sac, we followed a green public footpath sign for Bishop's Clough (12mins) along a path which took us through two metal kissing gates to reach a bridge across a stream.

Here we dog-legged left and right to take a path on the left of the stream and reached a metal kissing gate leading to a road. We crossed this and took a path on the left of Sutton Reservoir (26mins). At the end of the reservoir, we turned right and then descended sharply downhill on our left to follow another path which brought us to a metal kissing gate leading to the A523 Macclesfield-Leek road.

Crossing this (35mins) we went over Bridge 48a to reach the far bank of the Macclesfield Canal and turned left with the waterway on our left. We proceeded along the canal until reaching Bosley Locks (78mins). Here we stopped for pies and port.

Continuing we left the canal and turned right down a lane. This took us over the Manchester to London main railway line and where the road then swung right we carried on straight ahead into Park Road (85mins). We passed North Rode Lake on our right with the hall on the opposite bank in the distance.

North Rode Lake

Chris, Mark, Cliff, Dean and Simon

Continuing we turned left through a gate just before a cattle-grid to follow a path through trees which took us around the perimeter of a field where cattle grazed.

As we reached a concrete farm lane (100mins) and turned right drizzle started to fall and we donned our waterproofs with almost immediate effect. Where the lane forked we followed a yellow arrow left and went through a farmyard (110mins). Yellow arrows marked a succession of three stiles to enter fields until we reached a road and turned right (116mins), passing Rode Green Cottage on our left.

At a T-junction, we crossed the main road and went through a metal gate (119mins). Our route then took us through gates and over stiles marked with yellow arrows until we reached a series of picturesque lakes (134mins) where several anglers had settled.

Gone fishin'

We turned left and proceeded uphill through a metal kissing gate. Ahead was the distinctive tower of Gawsworth's 15^th Century parish church, St James's.

The path led us through fields, finally reaching a lane just to the left of the Grade 1 listed church.

St James' Church, Gawsworth

We turned left (144mins) and walked downhill for 200 yards to reach The Harrington Arms at Gawsworth on our right (146mins). Here there was a choice of Unicorn and Dizzy Blonde cask bitter to be supped in the beer garden where we were soon joined by Jock and Keiran with Milly

As we left we retraced our earlier footsteps uphill, passing the historic church on our right and passing a large lake in a clockwise direction. The road then swung left, passing Gawsworth Hall on the right and a statue of Sir Robert Peel.

Sir Robert (1788-1850) was born in Bury, Lancs, the son of a wealthy textile manufacturer. He earned a double first in classics and maths at Oxford University before becoming an MP at the tender age of 21. He was elected in the “rotten borough” of Cashel in Tipperary, Ireland, where there were only 24 electors who traditionally voted for the highest bidder.

Peel went on to become Prime Minster twice and created the forerunners of our modern police force, who were nicknamed “bobbies” or “peelers.” He died from his injuries four days after falling off his horse.

Sir Robert's statue was bought from Peel Park, Salford, by Raymond Richards, an antiquarian, who owned Gawsworth Hall.

Sir Robert Peel

We turned right at a green public footpath sign (153mins) and made our way through fields via two kissing gates until we reached a road. Turning left we arrived at a wooden public footpath sign on our right (175mins) pointing towards Danes Moss Nature Reserve.

We followed the path through the conservation area and crossed a footbridge over the Manchester to London railway line (188mins) to reach the Macclesfield Canal (192mins)

A heron flies towards a bridge over the canal

From Bridge 47 we turned left with the canal on our right until we exited at Bridge 44 (208mins) by turning left. This brought us out opposite the entrance to Sutton Hall where we walked back to our cars to de-boot (213mins)

Next week's walk will start at 10am from outside The Devonshire Arms, Market Place, Hartington SK 17 0AL. To reach it take the A515 heading south-east out of Buxton and turn right on the B5404. This is a new route of 8 miles through Sheen and Brund to reach the River Manifold. From here we will be heading for a livener at The Packhorse Inn at Crowdecote SK17 0DB before returning along the beautiful Dove Valley past Pilsbury Castle. Back in Hartington. there will be an optional drink in the Devonshire Arms.

Happy wandering !