Higher Poynton

 

November 5th 2025 

BOARS HEAD HIGHER POYNTON, HARESTEADS FARM, GREEN FARM, WEST PARKGATE, HIGHER HOUSE FARM, GRITSTONE TRAIL, LYME PARK, LYME CAGE, BOARS HEAD 

Distance: 9.21 miles as recorded by the OS Maps App 

Ascent/descent: 1304 ft/1240ft 

Difficulty: Moderate/Comfortable occasional steady climbs 

Weather: Dry cloudy early shower otherwise fine day , occasionally wet underfoot slippery and muddy 

Walkers ; Steve Brierley, Mike Cassini,  Julian Ross, Russell Spencer,  Cliff Worthington, Keith Webb. 

Alternative Walkers: Tom Cunliffe and Daisy, Colin Davison, Leader: Clifford T Worthington. Diarist: Cassini 

Starting point: Boars Head circular via Lyme Park 

Starting time: 9.40am. Finishing time: 1.25.pm

Bonfire Night traditionally is cold damp foggy and miserable but apart from an early shower the day brightened up to give another glorious autumn walking day. 

As with last week we were on well walked territory  following paths well known but also with a few alternates so whilst looking for guidance and consensus, Cliff took the helm and marched us in a straight line over the Macclesfield canal, due south and east, skirting Lyme Park until we entered at the West Lodge. 

In the park  we were treated to three magnificent stag deer from the Red Deer herd, which has been at Lyme for over 600 years. We also saw examples of the recently introduced drainage management system breaking up the 100 year old stone drains and allowing the culverts to flow over the land more freely creating 166 leaky dams with the intention of slowing rain water to prevent flooding and introducing a number of ponds. Hopefully, it will mean a less invasive and more wildlife-friendly drainage management system. 

We skirted Bosstones and headed through the car park towards Lyme Cage before returning to the Boars Head where we met with the alternative team.

Next week’s walk: 09.45 start at Sutton Hall, Macclesfield, refreshment stop at Harrington Pub around 12.30, finish at Sutton Hall about 14.30.

See below for more pictures and “from the archives”

From the archives

There was some discussion about the progress of Tom Cunliffe’s diet – “I’m still eating the same old sh*t but less of it,” he explained. Some experts have destroyed rain forests selling books and devouring airtime with garrulous expansions of this basic principle.

Lyme Hall dates from the late 16^th Century with modifications in the 18^th and 19^th centuries which give it a predominantly Palladian and Baroque style with other fashionable influences added.

Historians among you may be interested to know that the original Piers Legh, who was granted his coat of arms by King Richard 11 in 1397, was executed two years later by Richard’s rival, Henry Bolingbroke. But his son, Sir Piers Legh 11, fought with Henry V at Agincourt. When he was wounded, Sir Piers’ loyal mastiff stood over him and protected his master for several hours as the battle raged.

The mastiff’s reward was to return to Disley and become the founder of Lyme Hall mastiffs, which were bred at the hall and kept separate from other strains until their purity died out at the beginning of the 20^th Century.