Furness Vale

FURNESS VALE (PHALLIC WALK)

 

June 25,2025 

THE SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE, RINGSTONES CARAVAN PARK, WHALEY MOOR, HIGH PEAK SCHOOL, LYME PARK, LANTERN WOOD, LYME HALL, LYME CAGE, RED LANE,  DANDY COCK, PEAK FOREST CANAL, NEW MILLS, FURNESS VALE MARINA

 

Distance: 9.86 miles​  Ascent/descent: 1248 ft

 

Difiiculty: Moderate. One long climb

 

Weather: Mizzle to Start, cloudy and warm then Blue Sky and Clouds

 

Walkers:  Mike Cassini, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardman, Russell Spencer, Keith Welsh, Cliff Worthington. 

 

Alternative walkers: Jock Rooney with Milly, Kieran Rooney, Peter Beal

 

Non Walking Drinkers: 

 

Apologies: Simon Williams, Clive Rothel, Alastair Cairns, Greg Owens

 

Leader: Russell, Diarist: Russell

 

Starting point: The building formerly know as ‘The Soldier Dick’ Pub

 

Starting time: ​9.40am​​  Finishing time: 14.45 appx

 

The morning was grey and overcast with plenty of Mizzle, although as we were walking it felt more like low cloud.

From the car park of The Soldier Dick pub we turned right along the A6 until we reached The Old Imperial Palace building and turned right into Yeardsley Lane. At the top of the lane we turned to the right of Ringstones Caravan Park. We went through a gate by the side of the farm and entered rough track, Keeping a drystone wall on our left we walked uphill and followed the footpath until we reached a road at Longside on the route between Disley and Whaley Bridge. Here we had a small discussion about days gone by when Mr Hart would regale snippets of local information, in this case a murder stone…...

 

The Murder Stone. It is a memorial to William Wood, of Eyam, Derbyshire, whose lifeless body was found at the spot on July 16, 1823. Mr Wood, aged 30, a cotton manufacturer with a wife and three children, was battered to death as he was returning from Manchester’s Tuesday market carrying an estimated £100 from sales. Three men were seen by several witnesses running from the scene. Mr Wood’s body was found and taken back on a cart to The Cock Inn, Whaley Bridge, where an inquest was held. Meanwhile three men answering the descriptions of the suspects arrived in Macclesfield wearing bloodstained clothing which they replaced with new outfits. One of them, Charles Taylor, 17, from Salford, was arrested at The Greyhound pub. Taylor had two convictions for theft and had been released from prison the day before the murder.

The two other suspects fled, while Taylor hanged himself with his own stockings in his prison cell. One of the men at large, Joseph Dale, 18, was arrested in Liverpool where he was trying to enlist with a ship. He gave the name of the third man as John Pratt.

Dale pleaded not guilty but was convicted of murder. He was hanged in April, 1824. According to the historical records, it appears John Pratt was never apprehended. The memorial to William Wood was unveiled 57 years after his death.

 

 

As the Murder Stone was in the opposite direction we decided on this occasion to carry on with the route as planned, so we turned left and after a few yards took the footpath signed for Bowstone gate and Lyme Park. This led us through a field where we could see some rocks called The Dipping Stones. These were where, according to legend, people from plague areas placed money in holes filled with vinegar as antiseptic. Other villagers, from unaffected areas, would take the money and leave food in its place.

Looking back Coombs Reservoir was clearly visible in the distance and now the mizzle had lifted we had some spectacular views.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We passed the former Moorside Hotel , which once held the retirement party in the 80s for Pat Phoenix when she ended her Coronation Street role after 20 years of playing soap sex symbol Elsie Tanner. It is now called High Peak School and is a school specialising in supporting children with autism and social communication needs.

After crossing Higher Lane we headed up Mudhurst Lane towards Bowstone Gate Farm and passing the Bowstones, which were part of a pair of medieval Saxon crosses (the shafts), the heads of which are possibly a pair displayed at Lyme Hall.

We passed through Bowstone gate, and over the next style, turning immediately right and following the perimeter of the farm. We continued along this path until we came to  Lantern Wood. 

Here we hopped over the syle and followed the path to the far side where it splits. We followed it left and found the Lantern, a folly which overlooks the hall.

Here we had pie time, which proved difficult because of the amount of ‘biting’ insects due to the damp humid conditions. My legs are testament to their hunger !!

 

 

 

 

Making a hasty exit we followed a path straight downhill toward the hall, picked up a small service road and headed toward the ‘Old Stables’ where we took a path to the Cage. There we continued our downhill journey, following paths to reach the east gate and exit Lyme Park to enter Red Lane. Towards the end of the lane we chose the right fork and then went left downhill through St Mary’s Churchyard where the team split, some taking the easier but more mundane safe view on the road, whilst others ventured for the more scenic route through the churchyard with the added bonus of hazardous, slippy cobbles

Emerging by the side of the Ram’s Head , we turned right along the A6 and crossed it to reach our first watering hole, The Dandy Cock where we met Jock, Kieran and Peter.

 

We left the pub turning right and walked down the road at the rear to meet the canal, some road works prevented us from accessing the canal via our usual route so we detoured left and crossed a bridge further down. With the canal now on our right, we passed plenty of ducks and new borns learning to swim and climb out of the water. Further down we passed the ‘still for sale’ apartments with the lovely view and sounds of the Swizzels Matlow factory at New Mills. With the scent of parma violets and love hearts in our nostrils, we pressed on.

 

Our towpath route took us past The Torrs Riverside Park on our left with a caravan park on our right and past Carrs Swing Bridge. We then reached the Furness Vale Marina.

At Bridge 31 we left the canal and turned right. This took us past The Crossings pub by the side of the Manchester-Buxton line and back to the A6. We turned right, crossed the road and reached The Soldier Dick.

 

Next week’s walk will be led by Hughie, a circular walk around Wincle, finishing at the Wincle Brewery for refreshments. Parking will be near the brewery at Dane Bridge.

It’s a 9.40 am meet with a finish for refreshments at appx 1.30pm

 

Happy Wandering!