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 !