Bollington

February 19, 2025

 

BOLLINGTON REC CAR PARK, PALMERSTON STREET, CHURCH STREET, INGERSLEY VALE, WHITE NANCY, KERRIDGE HILL, KERRIDGE END, BULL HILL LANE, BRINK FARM, WALKER BARN, HORDERN FARM, LAMALOAD ROAD, TOWER HILL RAINOW, SUGAR LANE, FLAGG COTTAGE, VIRGINS' PATH, INGERSLEY VALE, CHURCH STREET, THE VALE PUB IN ADLINGTON ROAD

 

Distance: 8.22 miles as recorded by the OS Maps App

Ascent/descent: 1453 ft

Difficulty: Moderate with one sharp climb

Weather: Cold and overcast with intervals of light rain.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Steve Brearley, Hughie Hardiman, 

Chris Owen, Julian Ross, Keith Welsh

Non Walking Drinkers: Jock and Keiran Rooney with Milly

Apologies: Simon Williams (unspecified), Russ Spencer (decorating), Tom Cunliffe (knee injury), Mark Enwright (w***ing), Dean Taylor (domestic duties), Alastair Cairns (Keswick), Neil Millington (unspecified), Mike Cassini (strained stomach), Alan Hart (Hospital appointment), Clive Rothel (failed a late fitness test), Jim Riley (unspecified)

Leader: Various​Diarist: Blease

Starting point: Free car park opposite Bollington Recreation Ground

Starting time: 9.40am​Finishing time: 1.15pm

 

Despite quite a long list of apologies a magnificent 7 strode out under overcast skies, punctuated by occasional light rain.

To the dismay of both Jock and Keiran, who arrived at the Robin Hood pub at 12:15pm in Rainow, we didn’t call in as planned because a few of the group needed an early finish. The group decided instead to stay together and take advantage of the £3.00 cask beer on offer at The Vale. 

Fortunately the situation was rectified when Jock realised something might be amiss and called Julian. Eventually, nine of us assembled at The Vale pub and enjoyed what turned out to be free pints of beer purchased by Julian to celebrate his 64thBirthday. Alan had hoped to join us in The Vale for drinks but unfortunately his consultation at the hospital was delayed.

 

 

Once again, this diary has been cobbled together using previous diaries complied by both Mr Hart and Mr Beal.

 

We left the car park and took the familiar route under the canal aqueduct to follow the town's main street to Smith's orgasmic pie shop. It was at this moment disappointment reigned, there were fresh crusty loafs on display, the windows were slightly steamed up, indicating perhaps that baking had taken place, the door, however, was locked and the shop empty of staff. We did return later in the day where several of the group purchased the orgasm inducing pies for their wives. 

 

We turned right into Church Street and at the bottom swung left into Ingersley Vale. Shortly before the track reached the derelict Ingersley Vale mill, also known as Clough Mill, we took a signed path on the right which took us up a flight of wooden steps. We went through a gate into a field and walked up a grassy slope to reach a bridleway, that runs below the prominent monument of White Nancy.

 

 

 

We followed the bridlepath to reach the foot of rough stone steps on the left that took us steeply up the hill to reach the monument.

 

After a photo opportunity, we walked along the ridge with Hurdsfield Industrial estate on our right and the village of Rainow on our left. By taking the right fork after passing through a kissing gate we were on the higher path which brought us to the Trig point.

 

We then followed the path through a series of gates which took us down to the point where Lidgetts Lane meets the A5002 through Rainow. It was here that we enjoyed pie time.

 

Resuming, we turned right for a short distance before crossing the road to well-concealed stone steps and a stile that led us up through a path along the side of two fields. We emerged on the minor road of Bull Hill Lane.

 

We turned right uphill here for a little over a quarter of a mile before reaching the main A537 Buxton New Road. We crossed a stile a short distance along the road on the left. This led to a stile which we crossed and turned left through two fields with a stone stile in between, before reaching Brinks Farm. We passed the farm buildings and continued along a track to soon reach the main road again just short of Walker Barn on our right. This was the former site of the Setter Dog pub, which before its closure in 2007, was said to be the last pub in England also functioning as a post office.

 

After passing the building, now a house, on our left we turned left down a track and at the foot bore left down a path, crossing a stream and continuing left to join another track near the converted farm builings at Hordern Farm. A track at the other side climbed slightly before we turned left over a stile to descend through fields over a series of stiles to emerge on Lamaload Road, the road serving the Lamaload reservoir and its water treatment works.

 

Eventually we reached the main road through Rainow and made the decision not to visit the Robin Hood pub but to continue down Sugar Lane before reaching Flagg Cottage on the right Here, we took the familiar path on the right, climbing down steps across a stream and up the other side to reach the flagged Virgins' Path through the fields to the derelict Ingersley Vale mill.

 

From the mill we rejoined our outward route through the town to reach the Vale Inn, via the pie shop.

 

Next week's walk will be led by Peter and will start from the free car park (behind the public toilets) on Hawkhill Road Eyam (S32 5AD I think) at 9.50am. There is an honesty box here where users of the car park can make a charitable donation if they wish. Please note that there is also a Pay and Display car park nearby at a cost of £6.00 for the day. We will be calling in at the Bulls Head in Foolow (S32 5QR) at around 12.30pm for drinks. There is the option of further refreshments at the end in the Miners’ Arms in Eyam.

 

Happy Wandering!