New Mills

 

NEW MILLS

 

May 7th,2025 

 

NEW MILLS, THE TORRS RIVERSIDE PARK, GOYT VALLEY, GOWHOLE FARM, OLLERSETT MOOR, LITTLE RIDGE FARM, THE KINDER LODGE AT HAYFIELD, THE SETT VALLEY TRAIL, 

 

 

Distance: 9.05 miles​  Ascent/descent: 1344 ft

 

Difiiculty: Moderate. One long climb

 

Weather: Fine & dry with sunny spells

 

Walkers:  Andrew Blease, Steven Brearley, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Stuart Hogg, Julian Ross, Russell Spencer, Simon Williams, Cliff Worthington.

 

Alternative walkers: Jock Rooney with Milly,

 

Non Walking Drinkers: 

 

Apologies: Mike Cassini, Mark Gibby, Dean Taylor, Clive Rothel

 

Leader: Tom C, Diarist: Russell

 

Starting point: New Mills Leisure Centre Car Park

 

Starting time: ​9.40am​​  Finishing time: 14.30pm

 

NOTE:- these directions were taken from the notes of Mr Cassini’s diary of 03/05/23, which according to Tom, were very easy to follow, accurate and precise and not a single mis-step took place. ‘Bravo to Mr Cassini’

 

Start - From the path at the back of the car park, we turned right with the Leisure Centre entrance on our right. We walked under the road bridge and turned left following a sign for The Torrs (1min) to enter The Torrs Riverside Park with the River Sett on our left. We crossed a footbridge on our left and crossed back via another footbridge.

On our right was Torrs Hydro, a hydroelectric plant powered by the River Goyt turning a reverse Archimedes screw. It is sited at the confluence of the Sett and the Goyt and was the first community-run power generator of its type when it opened in 2008. Its original £100,000 cost was shared by 200 members.

We went left over a footbridge at the confluence of the two rivers and were now walking along the bank of the Goyt with the river on our right (15mins).At one point we spotted the traditional English spring lambs gambolling responsibly in a field on our left. On our right a lazy llama lay in a field far from its native South America. Clearly, life in North West England was preferable to the drudgery as a beast of burden in Patagonia.

The path took us through a metal gate and through a farmyard. Turning right past Gowhole Farm we turned left after 50 yards up a lane called Ladypit Road. We turned left at a green public footpath sign up stone steps to enter a copse via a gate. This path took us through Tunnel 125 under the Hope Valley Railway Line between Stockport and Sheffield.

It led onto a stone step stile which we crossed to reach a lane and turned left. After 50 yards we turned right at an empty footpath sign which took us uphill through trees. We walked through a farmyard and when we reached a crossroads we carried straight on, passing a rebuilt farmhouse on our right.

When we reached a stone step stile we stopped for Pietime (60mins). Continuing the path now took us over a series of stiles leading to a lane. We crossed a wooden stile to enter the lane and turned left. At a public footpath sign on our right, we turned right by squeezing through a gap next to a gate. The path brought us first to a ladder stile and then a wooden stile.

Beyond this the path aimed towards a telecom mast at the top of a hill on Ollersett Moor which we reached by crossing a wooden stile.

We continued to follow the path downhill to a gate which brought us onto a lane Here we turned left downhill along Morland Road and turned first right to walk through the farmyard at Little Ridge Farm. After going through a gate into a field we headed right then left as we passed an open gate with a yellow arrow.

By heading slightly left through this next field we reached and crossed a combined wood and stone step stile. The path then took us past Ridge Top Farm as we headed steeply downhill. The track became a road as we reached the outskirts of Hayfield.

At the end of Chapel Street, we turned right and the Kinder Lodge was immediately on our left (113mins). Here stopped for various refreshments from the kind landlord and witnessed 2 young ladies being sent on their way for requesting coffee!

Suitably refreshed we left the pub turning right and then right again to approach the former Hayfield railway station, now a bus terminus, at the start of the Sett Valley Trail. Picnic tables provided an ideal point to stop for a quick lunch (115mins).

The Sett Valley Trail is a leisure facility for horse riders, cyclists and walkers along the two and a half mile trackbed of the former branch line linking Hayfield with New Mills via Birch Vale, Thornsett and Ollersett. The railway had opened in 1868 and closed in 1970.

After lunch we set off along the trail which crossed roads at various intervals.

It was then a case of continuing along the trail which eventually arrived back at the Leisure Centre Car Park.

 Next week’s walk will be starting from Bollington Recreation Ground, SK10 5JT. Start time – 9.40am, walking to Robin Hood at Rainow for approx 12.15pm

 

Happy Wandering!