High Lane

HIGH LANE, LYME PARK, LYME CAGE, LYME HALL, DEER PARK, MONKHOUSE MEMORIAL, BOWSTONES, HANDLEY FOOT, MOORSIDE HOTEL, RINGSTONES CARAVAN PARK, THE SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE, THE PEAK FOREST CANAL, HIGGINS CLOUGH, DISLEY, AND THE HORSESHOE AT HIGH LANE

Distance: 12 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

 Weather: Dry and warm, but cloudy with a gentle breeze.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Nigel Crank, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Jock Rooney plus Tips, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Peter Morrall and Ken Sparrow.

Apologies: Peter Beal (narrowboating), George Dearsley (Turkey hols), Colin Davison (Welsh hols), Geoff Spurrell (French hols) and Mike Walton (wounded knee).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Outside Colin's home at 11, Carr Brow, High Lane.

Starting time: 9.17am. Finishing time: 2.43pm.

Senior moments are a natural hazard and occasional source of joy for the Wednesday Wanderers. There have been many occasions when Lawrie has arrived the best part of an hour early, only to discover at the last moment that his boots were standing on the drive of his home 20 miles away. This usually happened on an extremely muddy day. The same affliction was suffered by George W.

One time your diarist emptied his entire rucksack to search for the walking socks he clearly remembered packing, only to find he was already wearing them. Jock once set off but had to return with an empty lead after 200 yards when he remembered that Tips was still in the car.

On this occasion it was John who provided the entertainment. While marching metaphorically to the tune of The Happy Wanderer, long before the Valderee, Valderah, let alone the Valderahahahahahahahah section, he reached the line "And as I go, I love to sling my knapsack on my back." He was then heard to mutter: "Oh bother. What a silly boy I am."  - or words to that effect, before returning to George's car to pick up his rucksack

Holidays had once again taken their toll on our numbers, but Mickey made a welcome return after his sailing trip off the coast of Turkey to buy us a belated drink in celebration of his 63^rd birthday last month. For he's a jolly good fellow, and so say all of us.

                                     Free parking provided by Colin.

From outside Colin's house we walked back to the A6, crossed the road and turned left until we reached Park Road and turned right downhill (8mins). After awaiting John's return to complete The Magnificent Seven, we went left into Woodlands Road (10mins) and along a path leading to a T-junction. We turned right downhill (12mins) and then left over a wooden stile towards Bollinhurst (13mins) along the Ladybridge Trail. After crossing a stream on our left via a footbridge, we went right over a ladder stile and into Lyme Park (24mins).

We turned right at the ticket cabin and soon left the road by a path on the left which led us to Lyme Cage (28mins), pausing to admire the view and catch our collective breath after a continuous climb. Continuing (31mins), we passed the entrance to Lyme Hall on our left, the foyer and the picnic area to aim for the left corner of the car park.

This brought us to the entrance to the deer park (43mins) and another opportunity to admire the view across the lake to the hall. This is now known as "Darcy's Lake" since it was the setting for Mr Darcy's plunge in the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice. After passing the lake on our left we spotted a small group of fallow deer grazing a few yards to the right of our path.

Spot Mr Darcy

After reaching the exit gate to the deer park (53mins) we turned right uphill and climbed over a ladder stile (54mins). Another long climb brought us to the memorial to Alan Monkhouse, literary editor of the Manchester Guardian (72mins). We continued ever upwards until we reached Bowstones Farm (88mins) and paused for pietime.

             Mr Hart trying to educate, (not sure about the dodgy shorts)

In the absence of the impatient Tom, we lingered for 15 minutes before following the footpath sign for Whaley Bridge via Handley Foot. This took us down through a series of fields and stiles until we reached a road by the side of a farm (103mins). We turned left, passing Handley Barn Farm on our left (109mins), before heading right at a public footpath sign on our right (110mins). This soon led us across a footbridge over a stream and a choice of footpaths.

We followed the one heading left, numbered 54, and walked through fields until we came to a gravel track running across our route. The Moorside Hotel, in the process of being converted into a home for wayward juveniles, was to our left covered in scaffolding. We can only suppose the authorities were adding pool tables, plasma TV screens and bidets to make the facilities acceptable.

We turned right (116mins), heading slightly uphill. Some 20 yards before we reached a cattle-grid, we turned left uphill (119mins) and over a ladder stile (123mins). The route now afforded us splendid views to our right across the picturesque valley as we walked along a flat beaten path just below a ridge. We crossed a footbridge ((132mins) and went over a wooden stile (133mins) before crossing a stone step stile to reach a road (137mins).

After turning left for 80 yards we went right following a wooden footpath sign (138mins) which took us over a wooden stile (143mins). We exited a field on our left through an open gateway (148mins) and went through a farmyard (152mins).

Continuing downhill along a gravel track, we turned left at the entrance to Ringstones Caravan Park on our right (155mins). The track became a tarmac road called Yeardsley Lane, which we followed downhill until we reached the A6 (162mins). A left turn soon brought us to The Soldier Dick on the left (163mins).

B walkers Tony Job, Pete Morrall and Ken Sparrow had just arrived to avail themselves of a choice of well-kept cask beers, including Bad ToThe Bone, at £2-70 a pint. Just before we left, a group of kindred spirits arrived in the form of some retired railway workers sporting matching ties. I am indebted to John for discovering that they had all been employed by British Rail in Manchester in various capacities, and they all called for a tipple at 5pm before heading home from work. In comradely fashion, they continued to meet regularly for pub visits after their retirements. We salute them.

Suitably refreshed, we left the pub and turned right back to the traffic lights, where we crossed the road and headed left downhill over the level crossing. This took us to The Peak Forest Canal (166mins) where we turned left to walk along the towpath with Furness Vale Marina on our left. Lunch was taken on a bench near the Swizzels factory at New Mills (190mins).

As we continued past the factory on our right the aroma of Love Hearts was heard to bring nostalgic sighs from some of our group. We walked on until we reached Higgins Clough Swing Bridge (No. 25) where we turned left (217mins). This took us uphill under a rail bridge until we reached the A6 again and turned right (225mins).

There then followed a somewhat tedious walk along the A6 for more than a mile until we reached Carr Brow on our right (248mins) and turned right back to our cars.

After de-booting we returned to the A6 in our cars, turned right and reached The Horseshoe at High Lane on our right at the first set of traffic lights. Here we were reunited with the B walkers and enjoyed Robbies' Unicorn at £2-80 a pint after the Trooper cask bitter costing £3 had been rejected and replaced by the landlord. Mickey kindly stood the first round.

Next week's walk will start with a meeting at your diarist's home, 68, London Road North, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1BY, at 9am with bacon butties, accompanied if requested by brown sauce. We will then leave around 9.40am for a walk led by John through the southern section of Lyme Park and Sponds Hill prior to a livener at The Boar's Head, Higher Poynton, around 12.20pm.

John will then lead us via Princes Incline to The Bull's Head in Poynton, arriving at about 2.30pm. I am reliably informed that sandwiches will then be provided.

   

High Lane

HIGH LANE, LYME PARK, BOW STONES, DISLEY

Distance: 9.95 miles; Avg. Walking Speed 2.68mph; Max Elevation 1419.18ft; Walking Time 3 hrs 43.56mins.

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Overcast with clear views but absolutely no rain.

A  Walkers, Lawrie Fairman, Julian Ross, John Laverick, Peter Morrall, George Whaites.

Apologies: Jock Rooney (working abroad), Colin Davison (holiday), Alan Hart (wimped out), Peter Beal (cruising in sunny Norway), George Dearsley (working abroad), Tom Cunliffe (????), Malcom Halley (recovering from dentist?) Mikey Barrett (on holiday)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, Mike Walton, Ken Sparrow

Non-walking drinkers: Alan Hart (See special report)

Walking-non drinkers : Pete Morrell

Leader: Fairman  

Diarist: Laverick with contributions from Hart and Job

Starting Point: Car Park, Horse Shoe Inn, High Lane

Starting Time: 9.20am. Finishing Time: 2.20pm

First a word of apology for the delay in the receipt of this diary and if it is not to the usual high standard of my mentors Hart and Dearsley, I was foolish enough to volunteer to write and then remembered that English is my second language (been born in the north east) and I was finding more excuses than a virgin on her wedding night why I had no time to do it.

However I digress and to the diary……………………

The group gave Pete Morrell the usual warm welcome for new members to the group.

It started strangely with Pete M and myself turning up at Mr Hart`s in DRY with the sun trying to break through weather to be told he was not coming out to play because it was raining and would be raining really heavily that morning. George however had not heard the rain warning of the second coming of a biblical flood and turned up at the appointed hour in a car rather than an ark.

The walk started for five of the intrepid A Team ready to take on the elements from the car park of the Horse Shoe Inn, High Lane at 09:30 Hrs. crossing the A6 following the public footpath just above the Middlewood Road that leads onto the Middlewood Way which was followed along until the Boars Head in Higher Poynton. It was a wrench to pass the Boars Head without popping in unfortunately it was closed.

At the Boars head we turned off the Middlewood Way and turned right over the bridge on to Lyme Road following it up to the canal, over the canal  by the  marina and bearing right onward past Elm Wood on towards Haresteads Farm where we came across giant rabbits.

Where`s Alice ??

Wonderland....or Blunderland?

The walk continued uphill winding our way up past Windgather and through the West Gate in to Lyme Park and onward towards toward the big house. Picking up the Gritstone Trail up through Knights Low Wood where we passed a whole host of small children who were making more noise than their size allowed and they appeared to be building wood camps with not a sign of Elf and Safety in site.

 Pie Break was taken in the shelter of the wood, at this point Tom would have had something to say, not only did we have Pie Break early but we also had a full ten minutes!

Onward we pressed towards the summit to view the Bow Stones, not for the first time this month.

The Bowstones are a pair of Anglian cross shafts in Cheshire, England. Situated beside the old ridgeway between Disley and Macclesfield overlooking Lyme Park, the Cheshire Plain, the city of Manchester and the hills of the Peak District, they are a scheduled monument.

The western shaft is 1.22 metres high and tapers from circumference of 1.25m at the base to 0.86m at the top. The eastern shaft is 0.98m high and has a circumference of 1.27m. Both are decorated with interlaced carvings in a style that indicates a date of the 10th century or earlier. There is some later lettering engraved. Their round cross section and their erection as a pair is unusual for crosses of this era. 

They may have been moved their current location in the 16th century by Sir Piers Legh of Lyme Hall. Two stone cross heads on display at the hall may have originally surmounted the shafts.Local legend states that the name is derived from their use by Robin Hood and his men to re-string their bows.

Despite the rain that we had been promised, the views from the summit were magnificent and the mountains of Wales were clearly visible, even Manchester was a site to behold as we scoured the horizon for a rain cloud.

                                

                                                                         Dry as a desert.

On leaving the Bow Stones picked up the track, the Gritstone Trail, past Handley Barn, Dissop Head to the junction of Higher Lane and Mudhurst Lane where we turned left at Cock Knoll following the Gritstone Trail towards the East Gate of Lyme Park.

It was at this point our so far flawless Leader made a small mistake taking us past a lady on her knees bending over then taking us back past her again claiming he had made a mistake with his map reading, we should have turned right not left!

Onward we went following the Gritstone Trail along Green Lane with Higher Disley to our right.

One has to admire the farmer who has preserved the stile for the footpath passing through his field when the fence seems to have disappeared many years ago.

                                      

                                                                Mind the fence Pete.

Past Superman`s changing room on the left with the path to the Hanging Gate on the right onward we forged until the St Andrew`s Church was in sight and the smell of Unicorn from the Dandycock spurred us on.

We arrived at 12:20 Hrs have completed 7.61 miles.

Pete left us at this time to sort out a small problem at home, hence he became our first non drinking walker.

The Unicorn as usual was on fine form see prices in our special non walking drinker`s reporter.

After a suitable intake of ale to strengthen our resolve we set of once more to complete the walk and set off back towards the North Gate of Lyme Park retracing some of our steps along Red Lane ending back at the entrance kiosk (Park Gate) of Lyme Park.

Following the Bollinhurst Brook crossing the North Cheshire Way, crossed over the Hazel Grove to Disley railway line on to the LVI Trail joined on Coppice Lane to re-cross the railway further down the line turning right onto Chatsworth Road.

Keeping left behind the row of houses on Ashbourne Road, following the footpath, round the back of Haddon Close, turning left on to Hartington Road, right on to Alderdale Drive, then turning left on to the A6 and onwards to the end objective of a good pint in the Horse Shoe Inn after 2.64 miles and arriving as planned at 14:20 Hrs.

SPECIAL REPORTER ALAN HART

After wimping out of the A walk because of inaccurate weather forecasts, Alan arrived at The Dandy Cock at 12.20pm after catching a train from Hazel Grove to Disley.

As the rest of the group sallied forth on a route which ran parallel with the A6 to the south, Harty announced he would carry out a survey of pubs on the main road. His report made sad reading, following the excellent Robbies' cask bitter at The Dandy Cock at £2-70 a pint, with mild at £2-60.

At the Ram's Head in Disley, our intrepid reporter sampled a pint of Adnams Kristal White wheat beer at £3-39. He said the overpriced beer was tasty but the pub suffered from delusions of grandeur as a posh restaurant which sold beer.

The same was true of the Red Lion at High Lane, although the Robbies' 1892 mild was in good form and reasonably priced at £2-65.

At the Dog and Partridge he found six choices of lager, which he was happy to refuse, and both barrels of cask bitters had run out the previous day. He declined the offer of a "smooth" alternative (as in chemical keg beer).

The Bull's Head, which was advertised as "a business opportunity", was shut. The Horseshoe offered a warm welcome and Unicorn cask bitter at £2-80 a pint.

SPECIAL REPORTER TONY JOB

Route: High Lane, Macc Canal, Romper, Roman Bridge, Goyt Way, Lower Cliff, Brook Bottom (Fox), New Mills bus stn., Newtown, and then 199 bus to High Lane. Path from Goyt Way up to Lower Cliff involved crossing barbed wire, not recommended. Bus connections from New Mills to Newtown not good, so we will not repeat the route from Fox onward.

Beer at The Fox was in fine condition.

Final word from Laverick

Next week's walk will start at 9.30am from The Cock at Whaley Bridge, calling at The Old Hall in Whitehough, Chinley, around 12.15pm and finishing back at The Cock around 2.20pm. 

Disley

DISLEY, BOLLINHURST RESERVOIR, MILLENIUM WOOD, BOLDER HALL FARM, BLACK ROCKS, OWLS’ NEST, PEAK FOREST CANAL, GOYT VALLEY, HAGUE BAR, THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, WOOD END LIFT BRIDGE AND THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY

Distance: Nine miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry with early sunshine and good visibility.

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell and Mike Walton.

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley and Tony Job.

Apologies: George Dearsley (working), Colin Davison (crewing a Caribbean yacht), Frank Dudley (in hospital), Tony Job (central heating problems), John Laverick (on union business in Paris) and Jock Rooney (diving).

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting Point: Disley Station car park.

Starting time: 9.33am. Finishing time: 2.15pm.

Another newcomer joined the ranks of the Wednesday Wanderers in the chunky shape of Micky Barrett, former amateur footballer, retired business entrepreneur and all round good egg. 

He warned us he is unlikely to be a regular member of our ad hoc hiking team, but we look forward to seeing him again soon.

If he can bring such glorious weather with him he will be all the more welcome as we enjoyed our first dry day for several weeks, enabling us to have magnificent panoramic views from the ridge along Black Rocks.

A good day ended on a downbeat note when we learned from John that Frank had been taken to Macclesfield Hospital after suffering a series of falls at his home. 

Wally reported they had happened in the early hours of Sunday morning after Frank had enjoyed a convivial night at Poynton Sports Club.

While voicing our concern and hopes for Frank’s speedy recovery, we also expressed the hope that we might all live to fall over pissed at the age of 96 !

Lawrie was uncharacteristically adamant that your diarist should lead this walk – despite Tom’s protests (He recalled a shambolic performance by your diarist four years earlier when we got lost in the fog while attempting the same route).

On this occasion there were no such failures (well hardly any) as we set off in bright sunshine and managed to reach our main targets, The Fox and The Dandy Cock, with military precision.

From the car park we walked past Disley Station on our right and climbed a flight of steep steps on our left. At the top we followed the sign for St Mary’s Church before turning right uphill (6mins). This brought us a view of Lyme Cage.

Heavy rain in recent days had created a giant puddle on the far side of a wooden stile which we would normally have crossed to walk diagonally through a field. Instead we carried on along the road, then turned first right and then left along a lane leading to a farm.

Just before we reached the farm we turned left at a gate marked with a yellow arrow which guided us to the drystone wall in front of Bollinhurst Reservoir. We turned left at the wall and where it ended we went right over a wooden stile into a wood (25mins).

We exited through a gate and went straight ahead, turning left just before a picturesque cottage to enter Millennium Wood through a gate. We emerged through another gate to reach the road at Higher Disley and turned right (56mins) for 200 yards.

After passing  Bolder Hall Farm on our left we turned left over a wooden stile at a public footpath sign marked Black Rocks (58mins). Heading uphill at a steady pace we reached the summit (77mins) and took a five-minute time-out to regain our collective breath and to admire the views (82mins).

On the far side we could see Crowden Tower, Edale Rocks, Kinder Low End, Ashop Head and Mill Hill etched distinctly against the skyline. Looking back we could see Bowstones opposite, then to its right Bollinhurst and Horse Coppice reservoirs. To the left of Bowstones were Teggs Nose, Croker Hill, Sponds Hill and Shutlingsloe.

We headed north along the ridge, crossing a ladder stile and passing to the right of The Owls’ Nest, a wooden dormitory which pupils of Manchester Grammar School use as base for outward bound activities (and who knows what else?) during school holidays and weekends.

Our route took us to the right of a farmhouse and across the road back down to Disley. We went to the left of Byron House (102mins), then turned left along a path marked with a yellow arrow. At the end of this path we paused for pies and port at a convenient stack of building stones (105mins).

There was some discussion about the progress of Tom’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.

The serious tone of the conversation was interrupted by the passing of two ladies on horseback who were wearing bibs on their backs warning “Wide and Slow. Please Pass.” It was unkindly suggested that Tom should buy one.

Resuming, we turned right, passing Pear Tree Cottage and walked downhill to the A6 (116mins), which we crossed to enter Lower Greenshall Lane. After walking over a bridge across the Peak Forest Canal (120mins) we turned left to walk along its right bank.*

Shortly after passing a swing bridge we turned right (134mins) down a steep path. We followed this down to a footbridge over a stream (139mins). The path brought us to a T-junction where we turned right to head up a flight of steps and over a wooden stile.

We turned left at a stile marked with a yellow arrow which had been obscured by the trunk of a tree (144mins) and the path took us into the car park of the Disley Tissues factory (145mins). We reached a road and turned right uphill (147mins).

While others took a short cut by following a path along the right bank of the River Goyt, the main group negotiated a hairpin bend and crossed the Goyt by a road bridge before passing The Torrs Riverside Park and Hague Picnic Site on our right (157mins).

We crossed into Hague Fold Road for the long final ascent towards Brook Bottom. As we swung left at a row of houses Lawrie, not for the first time in his life, pointed out Liverpool Cathedral some 40 miles away on the distant skyline.

After swinging right at the end of the row we reached a road and turned left (168mins). This brought us to The Fox (170mins) at precisely 12.15pm. A pint of Robbies’ mild and one of bitter came to £5-70 (presumably £2-80 and £2-90 respectively).

Tom declared, somewhat loudly, that the bitter was not to his liking. Lawrie also expressed the view that it was under par. Nonetheless most of us bravely risked a second pint.

Meanwhile the B team had caught two buses from Hazel Grove to Birch Vale, passing through Thornsett, the Shiloh Road and New Mills Golf Club on a rollercoaster route of four miles to The Fox. They arrived just as we were leaving.

From The side of The Fox car park we headed downhill going under the railway line at Brook Bottom Road Bridge (181mins) and crossing the Goyt (186mins). At a main road we crossed and went straight on to reach the Peak Forest Canal (196mins) where we stopped for lunch.

Continuing our journey we turned left with the canal on our right until we turned right at Wood End Lift Bridge (204mins) to cross the canal. This path took us past allotments on our left before we reached the A6 with the Dandy Cock on our left (216mins). It was widely agreed that the Robbies’ bitter here was in fine fettle, as was the mild at £2-50 a pint.

Julian regaled us with the story of his first day as a 21-year-old Pc at Cheadle Hulme police station, where his inspector gave him a clue as to what lay ahead. “So you’re a graduate are you,” the inspector remarked. “They remind me of street lamps in the jungle. Bright but completely useless.”

*Historical note: The Peak Forest Canal, running 15 miles from Ashton-under-Lyne to Whaley Bridge, was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1794. Its main promoters were the redoubtable Samuel Oldknow and Richard Arkwright Junior with the aim of providing an outlet for the vast limestone deposits around Dove Holes.

The canal, which formed part of the English-Welsh inland waterway network, was completed in 1805. It went into decline with the invention and expansion of railways, and by the 1920s the Peak Forest Tramway and Bugsworth Basin closed. The Peak Forest Canal Society campaigned for its restoration which finished in 1974. Buggy Basin reopened for navigation in 2003.

Next week’s walk (Dec 5) will start from the car park of The Little Mill Inn at Rowarth at 9.40am. We aim to reach The Grouse at Chunal for a livener around 12.30pm and expect to be back at The Little Mill for further refreshment around 2.20pm.

Our attempts to organise a ladies’ dinner or lunch have been somewhat thwarted by unforeseen events so it was decided to announce that members with their wives or girlfriends (but not both) would have lunch next Sunday (Dec 2) at Poynton Sports Club at 1.30pm. This follows a walk which Geoff holds every first Sunday of the month at 10.30am starting from the club, for those who wish to participate.

We know some of you are unable to attend. So that the chef can know the numbers involved, would you please let Geoff or Yvonne know (0161-483-8316) whether you will be there?

Finally, in the absence of Colin’s customary largesse, the Christmas lunch day will start at 9am on Wednesday, December 19, at the home of your diarist, 68, London Road North, Poynton, SK12 1BY.

After bacon butties, mince pies and a stirrup cup of mulled wine or two, we will sally forth around 10 am passing Poynton Pool, heading up Princes Incline to Higher Poynton, through Lyme Park up to Bowstones and back past Lyme Hall to The Dog and Partridge at High Lane for a traditional lunch. We will then complete the day with a 2 ½ mile walk across fields back to my house.