Bollington

BOLLINGTON, WHITE NANCY, RAINOW

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Overcast but dry

Walkers: George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Julian Ross

Apologies: Jock Rooney (abroad), George Whaites (working), Colin Davison (dentist), Alan Hart (Barbados), Peter Beal (walking elsewhere)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Ken Sparrow

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley. Frank Dudley

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Main car park, Bollington

Starting Time: 9.32am. Finishing Time: 2.05pm

Any organisation – like Dracula - needs fresh blood. And this week the Wanderers welcomed a new walker, Julian Ross, plus two long absent enthusiasts Tom Cunliffe and Phil Welsh.

Tom claimed to be on a new fitness regime to shed some of his 18.5 stones. He is, of course, the ideal weight for a man of 9ft 11in. However this did not deter him from coming equipped with a substantially larger pie than the ones the Wanderers normally buy from the shop near the car park. Your diarist and Mr Welsh stuck with the Wanderers’ pie eating tradition.

In a week where Tuesday and Thursday were wet, the weather was kind to us and so was our leader with the route.

On one of the most recent times we have left from Bollington, in June I recall, two fearsome ascents (one to Andrew’s Knob) left your diarist almost in need of a defibrillator.

This time Mr Fairman led the quintet right onto Church Street and eventually onto Cow Lane, where we squeezed through a stone stile and up some steps.

This is the familiar route to White Nancy, which we reached by 10am.

The monument, we found, had been decorated with paintings to commemorate the two big events of the year, the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics. When Frank Dudley reaches 100 I suggest the Wanderers commission a portrait on the side of the Grade 11 listed edifice, built in 1817 to mark the victory at the Battle of Waterloo.

Our leader…

Mr Fairman shows off the route he’s mapped out for next week.

Copious photographs having been taken, we set off along the ridge and at 10.15am found ourselves on slightly the wrong track. We were faced with a dry stone wall, topped with barbed wire.  It is an error I recall we have made before. To rectify the situation we descended 50 yards and picked up the appropriate trail.

This took us down to the main road where we turned right and within a hundred yards or so swung left up some stone steps.

We crossed a number of fields and on reaching a metalled road turned right. This turned out to be Bull Hill Lane.

At the top is a T-junction and there we turned left.

There were further stone steps on the right and a sign denoting the Gritstone Trail.

This trail actually links Disley all the way to Kidsgrove, Staffordshire.

As if to show off to our newest recruit Mr Fairman led us to not one but two fully operational picnic tables for our Pie Time at 10.55am.

We set off again at 11.10am, crossing a stile.

Tegg’s Nose was away to our right.

We turned left, reached a road and turned left again.

Our route took us to the Robin Hood which we reached at 12.22pm.

Already in situ were The B Walkers.

They had started at the Sports Ground opposite the Pie Shop, headed down the High Street, passing the Redway Tavern and onto Kerridge Ridge.

Timothy Taylor’s was £3.05 as was Long Row (brewed in Poynton apparently). Headless was £3.

Ken Sparrow declared he has recently taken delivery of his first ever computer.

Let’s hope he has better luck than the “silver surfer” who became enraged because his laptop told him he was "bad and an invalid."

The technical help desk explained that the computer's "bad command" and "invalid" responses shouldn't be taken personally.

After further debates on – among other things – the joys of living or holidaying in Italy and who was the former Tory Grandee caught up in kiddie fiddling allegations, we left the pub at 1.17pm.

Doubtless emboldened by ale the B Walkers decided to take the long way home while Mr Fairman opted for the well trodden Virgins’ Path (sadly now well trodden only by walkers).

We took luncheon at 1.40pm by the spectacular waterfall opposite Waulkmill Farm.

The river here, by the way, is the River Dean. We set off at 1.46pm to pass the derelict factory and reach the cars at 2.05pm.

By 2.12pm we were in the Dog and Partridge where Messrs Dudley and Eckersley were already seated. Unicorn was £2.55.

Next week’s walk will start at the Old Cock, Whaley Bridge at 9.35am, with a stop at around 12.30pm at the Old Hall Inn, Whitehough. We will finish, of course, back at the Cock. Happy Wandering!

Marple

MARPLE

Distance: 9.5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Overcast but dry

Walkers: Alan Hart, George Dearsley, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, George Whaites, Peter Beal

Apologies: Jock Rooney(abroad)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Mike Walton

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley. Frank Dudley

Leader: Davison Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Top car park, Brabyns Park

Starting Time: 9.35am. Finishing Time: 2.25pm

From famine to feast. After last week’s paucity of A walkers, a sextet duly assembled for a trek around Marple.

We exited Brabyns Park onto Station Road and crossed over into Town Street, Marple Bridge, made famous by the local woman who hit Mrs Thatcher with a bunch of daffs.

After meandering past the shops we turned right opposite the GPs’ surgery and before the road rises and crossed the cobbles that link several tastefully renovated cottages.

This track also rises and at 9.51am Mr Davison called our attention to a hole. This one was rather special. It led to a tunnel and nearby there were much larger excavations which turned out to be the remains of a mill built by the famous entrepreneur Samuel Oldknow.

The Wellington wheel-pit, dating back to 1793, has been dug out mainly by volunteers. The wheel itself was 22 feet in diameter, once the world’s largest. You can learn more here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-17320765

Tunnel vision

Where there’s (not) a wheel

The road we were on turned out to be Bottoms Mill Road and at the end we turned left, passing a sign to Prescott Old Hall Farm.

We went right onto Lakes Road and passed the Roman Lakes.

A few hundred yards on we turned right over the impressive stone bridge. When we reached the road that links Marple and New Mills we turned left and then right at a white house called Spouthouse Farm.

We turned left, negotiating a stile with a spooky looking red house in the distance.

Then we went diagonally across a field to a stile.

We embarked on a gentle climb that took us to the Peak Forest canal (10.23am) where we turned right.

We left the canal at bridge 21 dropped down and followed footpath 175 towards Marple.

At the road we turned left and right.

We passed the Crown at Hawk Green at 10.42am onto Barnsfold Road. Moments later Colin decided we should view Hawk Green cricket ground. Yes. It was green and empty.

With no sound of leather on willow we set off again only to find ourselves in a nearby cul de sac.

Howzat? Colin was caught out.

Retracing our steps we soon reached the main road and as we passed the Goyt Mill Mr Davison decided to remonstrate with three dubious looking individuals about a large van which was parked on the pavement forcing pedestrians into the road.

The pleadings of one of the trio that they had no knowledge of the van or its owner cut no ice with our leader who grumbled on, as another of the accused rather unkindly called him: “Knobhead”

Anyone for bridge?

After Goyt Mill we rejoined the canal at stopped for Pie Time at 10.55am.

We set off again at 11.07am cutting right onto the golf course from the spot where Colin once fell into the canal.

We crossed the Middlewood Way, passing Marple Rugby Club’s and Mellor Football Club’s pitches, eventually emerging onto Torkington Road.

We were about 15 minutes early for the pub, so Colin recommended we turn left and we sauntered past some expensive houses emerging at the entrance to Bosden Fold Estate and onto the road linking Marple and Stockport.

We turned right and soon picked up a tricky, muddy and slippery path that led us to the Hare and Hounds at Otterspool.

We arrived at 12.08pm. Already there were the B Walkers who had met in Brabyns and walked about 2.5 miles along the canal to Chadkirk.

Most chose Hyde’s Original at £2,65. Your diarist drank a guest beer Caskablanca at £2.90.

We left the pub at 1pm turning left towards Chadkirk.

We went onto Vale Road and turned right onto a path that led us to the new shiny green bridge, which we had seen being built on a previous walk a few months back.

We stopped for lunch at 1.20pm setting off again at 1.28pm.

Lucheon

After the bridge the track became quite muddy for a while.

It followed the Goyt river and the collective thinking (and hope) was that if we followed the river it would eventually bring us to Brabyns Park.

Unfortunately at an intersection we decided to go straight on passing the Marple Canoe Club’s premises and ignoring a cleaner and tidier path.

The one we chose followed the river closely but soon the path almost petered out in undergrowth.

At around 1.50pm the group split up.

Your diarist and Mr Hart followed a plastic pipeline that climbed upwards, while the remaining Wanderers tried to find a better path.

Soon they were met with a cliff like escarpment and retraced their steps to the pipeline, which eventually led to a road that goes right to Marple Dale care home.

We turned left and took the road into Marple.

At the shops opposite the Texaco Station we turned left, picking up Station Road and reaching the cars at 2.25pm.

After de-booting your diarist reached the Royal Scot at 2.35pm.

The breakaway quartet were not far behind.

Our gathering, augmented by Messrs Dudley and Eckersley, enjoyed the largesse of Mr Beal and Mr Whaites who celebrated their birthdays (64 and 70 respectively) in the usual Wanderers way with free ale.

Next week’s walk will start in the main car park at Bollington at 9.30am. We hope to reach the half way point the Robin Hood at Rainow at 12.30pm and finishing at the Dog and Partridge.

Kinder

KINDER

Distance: 3.5 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Lukewarm sunshine

Walkers: Alan Hart, George Dearsley,

Apologies: Peter Beal, Jock Rooney(abroad), George Whaites., Lawrie Fairman (China), Colin Davison (holiday).

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Mike Walton

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley. Frank Dudley, Peter Miles and Ivor Jones

Leader: Hart Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Hayfield bus station

Starting Time: 10.58am. Finishing Time: 1.50pm

Shortage of numbers amongst the A Walkers led to a truncated walk, allowing more time for Mr Hart’s 67^th birthday celebrations at the Lantern Pike.

Harty, plus the B Walkers arrived by a delayed bus some 10 minutes late to the meeting point but non urgency was the order of the day.

The group set off together, across the main road that links Glossop and Chinley, past the Hayfield pharmacy and onto Kinder Road.

There was some early banter about the new period drama TV series The Village, which has been filmed recently in Hayfield. Some shops bore the hallmarks of being “aged” for use in a film set of a bygone era.

But only strangers to Hayfield would have known which ones.

The show is due on our screens next May apparently.

Within a few minutes Mr Hart and Mr Dearsley had left the B Walkers behind and the mapless duo relied on Mr Hart’s instincts to trace a route around the Derbyshire countryside, resplendent, as my picture below shows, in its autumnal hues.

Autumnal hues

While the B Walkers went up to the dam and back by a different but nearby track, Hart and Dearsley passed the Booth Sheepwash and then took a series of right turns, the first of which was sign posted Tunstead and Coldwell Clough.

At 11.45am we passed some ancient farm implements (pictured below) which had been black painted and kept in good condition, possibly for when spiralling energy prices force farmers to re-employ oxen.

Implements

At 11.53 Pie Time was declared.

We set off again at 12.05pm passing Bowden Bridge and returning to Hayfield via the Hayfield camping site.

At 12.22pm we reached the Kinder Lodge where some 15 minutes later we were joined by the B Walkers.

Jennings was £2.90 as indeed was the Old Speckled Hen.

Mr Hart left to complete the walk to the Lantern Pike while Mr Dearsley used his car to ferry Mr Spurrrell and Mr Job to the hostelry.

I am guessing the others took the bus.

The group were joined by non-walking drinkers John Eckersley. Frank Dudley, Peter Miles and Ivor Jones who shared in Mr Hart’s commendable birthday largesse.

Landlord Tom and landlady Stella laid on an excellent spread including pancake rolls, sandwiches and quiche.

Timothy Taylors was £3.22 and Harvest Pale £3.02.

The Wednesday Wanderers

Next week’s walk will start from the top car park at Brabyns Park, Marple Bridge at 9.35am.

The half way point will be the Hare and Hounds, Otterspool at 12 noon and finishing at the Royal Scot, Marple Bridge.

Old Glossop

OLD GLOSSOP, CHARLESTOWN WHITELY NAB,SIMMONDLEY,DINTING VALE,HADFIELD,PADFIELD,SWINESTONES OLDGLOSSOP

Distance: 9.5 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Strong southerly wind, generally overcast but no rain.

Walkers: Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, George Whaites.

Leader Laurie with promptings from Colin

B walkers: None met with separate report?

Non-walking drinkers: none

Apologies: George Dearsley (working) and Jock Rooney (North Sea diving). Peter Beal(Sorrento), Alan Hart(nursing a cold)

Starting point:  Old Glossop car park

Starting time: 9.45am. Finishing time: 2,15pm.

Despite last weeks report of the popularity of the Wednesday Wanderers’ walks appearing  to be growing only 3 of us made the starting line. Could be the lack of enthusiasm for Glossop area or absence of Geoff accounting the non-appearance of the B team.

Undaunted we set out down to the park; notable for lack of flowers;  but large trout were still in the stream. We crossed theA57 at the roundabout and walked into the new estate. Here Colin pulled the first rabbit out of the hat, suggesting we climb the steps between two houses to bring us out at the footpath at the bottom  of Whitefield Hill. This we duly did and it saved us walking at least 100yds up the road.

Here we started walking in open country  (10mins) over rough fields grazed mainly by horses. The ground was surprisingly dry and firm, leaving Whitefield Barn Farm on our left we continued in a direct line across the fields to reach the by road above Charlestown. A good path took us down to the Hayfield Rd(35mins).We crossed this walked along several deserted factories which had been vandalised for lead and aluminium flashings etc. When we first did this walk about 14 years ago they were all in productive work.

A footpath at the road junction then took us the Lees Hall Farm road to reach Herod farm where we had an early break(60mins). Quickly on our way we climbed up Whitely Nab with great views over to Doctors Gate and Featherbed Moss. Coming down through the heather it is easy to take a wrong path  Colin opted for the unmapped path down Horse Clough, George and I stuck to the mapped path down to Simmondley. uniting at the top of the estate road we walked together down to Dinting Vale.(100mins) once again crossing the A57 we turned left and then first right to pick up a very grotty path that followed the river (Glossop Brook a tributary of the Etherow) through a wood at the back of a factory estate. Under the railway viaduct we bore right on a tarmac path parallel to the railway taking the first track left to continue down towards Hadfield . A very straight easy to follow path took us eventually to Sparrow Square were we noted the Spinners pub had been refurbished but sadly not open on Wednesdays. Further up the hill we found The Anchor  pub which was open and we were warmly welcomed by the landlady (only 2 other customers). Excellent  fresh tasting Tetley’s bitter was served at 260p a pint(160mins).

Resuming our walk the leader persuaded the crew to take a different route – rather than walking up the road we took the Longendale trail and branched off  right (thanks to Colin for spotting the path) to reach Padfield. A settlement mentioned in the Domesday book (much unchanged since) were we found the pub mentioned last week The Peels , which was open but empty. Now Colin pulled his second rabbit out of the hat and found a route up to Swineshaw without going through the cemetery. Coming down Broom hill towards Moorside the farm which in its time had peacocks, emus, ducks and geese had now been rebuilt, all very tidy and not an animal in sight – times change.

We reached the car park at 2.15pm after walking (225mins) to find the Wheatsheaf shut the lady in the Bulls Head next door was working in the pub and kindly invited us in. The Queens was open, busy, but no signs of other wanderers

Next week’s walk will start from the car park on the A628 at Crowden for an ascent of Black Hill at 9.45am. There is no pub for a livener, afterwards meet at the Gun  Hollingworth Jct A57/A628 at 2.30pm.

Disley

DISLEY RAIL STATION, RED LANE, LYME PARK, LYME CAGE, LANTERN WOOD, BOWSTONES, GRITSTONE TRAIL, HANDLEYFOOT, HANDLEY FOLD FARM, TODD BROOK, PARR FALL HEY FARM, CLARE COTTAGE BOARDING KENNELS, RINGSTONES CARAVAN PARK, CHAPEL BARN, SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE, SUNNYBANK FARM, SEVEN SPRINGS COTTAGE, HIGHER DISLEY, MUSLIN COTTAGES, RING O’ BELLS LANE, THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY

Distance: 10-11 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Windy with blue skies and autumnal sunshine apart from ten-minute shower.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, John Laverick, Gareth Roberts, Ken Sparrow, Geoff Spurrell, Mike Walton.

Non-walking drinkers: Frank Dudley and John Eckersley.

Apologies: George Dearsley (working) and Jock Rooney (North Sea diving).

Starting point: Disley Station free public car park.

Starting time: 9.34am. Finishing time: 2,42pm.

The popularity of the Wednesday Wanderers’ walks appears to be growing. Despite negative weather forecasts, there were five A team walkers, six B team representatives and two non-walking drinkers in our convivial crowd. With two apologies for absence from George D. and Jock we seem to have captured the mood of elderly keep-fit fanatics.

Not only that: in addition to creating a junior section with the addition of B walkers John Laverick and Mike Walton, we have now added a crèche in the form of 28-year-old Gareth Roberts. The future looks bright, and I am sure our revered old-timers such as Roy de Courcey and Ivor Jones will be delighted to see their pioneering days now in the steady hands of younger men.

Pessimistic forecasts of heavy showers in the north-west never materialised and credit should go to the much-maligned Colin for plotting a superb route for the A walkers through the foothills of the Peak District.

It was something of a roller-coaster ride as we traversed the hills and valleys surrounding Disley, Furness Vale and Whaley Bridge. The B walkers were also led to new limits by Geoff as they ventured from Disley to Hague Bar, the Millenium Bridge, The Torrs, and The Peak Forest Canal. Their meandering journey from The Dandy Cock  to The Soldier Dick and back was estimated at a little over seven miles.

Furthermore, we now have our own Wednesday Wanderers’ personalised Ordnance Survey guide. Wally has used his internet skills and considerable thoughtfulness to kindly provide Geoff with a map of the area, with Poynton at its heart, which covers most of the nearer routes we like to visit.

The following guide describes the journey of the A walkers, who headed towards the Disley Rail Station ticket office  and then turned left up a steep flight of steps at the start of the Gritstone Trail. At the top we reached Red Lane and turned right towards the entrance to Lyme Park.

On entering, we headed towards a cabin and turned left, going over stream before striking out to the left of the path uphill. This brought us to Lyme Cage (26mins), which was the building from which the gamekeepers could keep an eye on the deer herd and protect it from poachers. It was also the building from which ladies could take tea while their gentlefolk blasted the local wildlife.

We noticed that the sundial was showing 9am, which would have been spot on but for the advent of British Summer Time. Colin led us left downhill and pointed to a herd of deer to our left 100 yards away while giving us his imitation of a stag during the rutting season. I am happy to report this was merely a vocal impersonation.

It was only as we left the beaten track to reach the park path that we looked back to see a sign warning us: Deer Sanctuary. No Entry. Unabashed Colin led us over a wooden stile (37mins) to a ladder stile leading to Lantern Wood (43mins). It was only a few yards along the path where we saw the building, shaped like a lantern, which gave its name to the area.

Trees had been cleared to provide a spectacular view of Lyme Hall below and the vista beyond.

Returning to the path we exited Lantern Wood by a ladder stile (51mins) and headed left uphill. At the angle of two drystone walls we turned right and continued our uphill trudge (57mins). En route we passed a memorial to Allan Monkhouse (64mins), playwright, novelist and literary editor of the Manchester Guardian, who was born in Disley.

At the end of the drystone wall we climbed over a ladder stile on our left (71mins) to reach Bowstones Farm. To the right of the farm are The Bowstones which gave the farm its name. They are two late Saxon crosses which had once been used, it is surmised, as landmarks or boundary stones, as well as objects of devotion.

We headed away from Bowstones Farm along the Gritstone Trail, going through a metal gate and turning left at a public footpath sign (78mins) marked via Handleyfoot to Whaley Bridge and Kettleshulme. Pietime was taken (81mins) in a sheltered gulley.

Continuing through a series of fields, we recognised Black Rock ahead in the distance. Where a yellow arrow pointed left (87mins), Colin led us to the right despite Lawrie’s mutinous mutterings and turned left to take us through a farmyard. On reaching a road he smiled smugly at this vindication of his route. It was only when we closed the gate of Handley Fold Farm behind us (93mins) that we were able to read the warning “Beware of the Dog.”

We turned left for 20 yards along the road and then headed right over a stone step stile marked with a public footpath sign. As we crossed Todd Brook it seemed like scarcely a trickle after last week’s raging torrent. We reached a lane just past the brook (100mins) and turned right.

At a public footpath sign we turned left (106mins) and followed the path through a farmyard and fields with the distinctive sight of Windgather Rocks on the skyline to our right. We walked to the right of a farm and then crossed a wooden stile on our left to rejoin the path and turn right (112mins).

We went through a metal gate to the right side of a farm (115mins), passing Parr Fall Hey Farm on our right (116mins) and taking a left fork (117mins) which later swung back to the right. After crossing a cattlegrid we turned left into a lane (124mins), then left again at a public footpath sign, and made a third left turn through a small wooden gate to head diagonally left through a field.

We climbed over a ladder stile (130mins) from where we could see Todd Brook Reservoir in the middle distance below us on the right. We aimed diagonally left again towards a stone step stile, through a small gap in an electrified fence and over a wooden stile on our left (135mins). Another wooden stile brought us out in a narrow passage to the right of a garage.

It led us out at the side of The Posting House on the Buxton-Disley road (138mins). We turned left uphill and then turned right at a public footpath sign just before Clare Cottage Boarding Kennels (141mins). We headed downhill towards Ringstones Caravan Park, going through a metal gate which led to a stony track (150mins).

We reached a tarmac lane and passed a bench in memory of David Hallworth (1956-2007) – “farming pastures new.”  Your diarist later learned that Mr Hallworth, aged 50, had been crushed to death by one of his own cows in a tragic accident at his farm.

Passing Chapel Barn on our right (159mins), we continued downhill to reach the A6 at Furness Vale by the side of The Imperial Palace, a Chinese restaurant (166mins). A left turn soon brought us to The Soldier Dick on the left (167mins). We had walked more than seven miles.

The B walkers had already made themselves comfortable with pints of cask Wainwrights bitter available at £2-70. The Postlethwaite bitter, created by The Castle Brewery in Warrington for the late actor of that name, was in excellent form. It was our first visit to The Soldier Dick, which had stood empty for the best part of two years but now appeared to be thriving once more thanks to its friendly atmosphere.

Continuing our journey, we turned left out of the pub and left again at a public footpath sign obscured by vegetation (168mins) to pass Sunnybank Farm on our right. We crossed a wooden stile at a public footpath sign and swung right to cross a stone step stile. We were now walking parallel with and above the A6 on our right.

The first shower of the day arrived, but your diarist used the old trick of donning waterproofs to drive the rain away. After pausing for lunch (178mins) we continued, passing through a farmyard and a metal gate (186mins) to reach a grass track with drystone walls on either side.

We went into a yard and turned left before reaching a farmhouse (189mins). This took us through a gate where we went straight on then started bearing left. We crossed a wooden stile on our right and as we reached the crest of a hill we had a magnificent view of the Kinder Rim to our right.

Crossing a stile marked with a yellow arrow (197mins), we reached a lane and turned left and then right just before a cottage (203mins). We emerged at a small car park with Seven Springs Cottage on our left (205mins).

We turned left up steps by the side of a footpath sign and through a kissing gate (206mins). This took us through a gate between two houses to a road at Higher Disley. We turned right (209mins) then left at a bridle path (212mins), passing Muslin Cottages on our right.

At the end of this path was a house with a red phone box, pillar box and a collection of statuary in the garden (216mins). We turned right and then turned right again to leave the Gritstone Trail via a path through what appeared to be a car junkyard (224mins).

The downhill path led us through a gaggle of geese to a wooden stile (228mins) where we turned left down steps to reach the former pub, The Ring o’ Bells, which is now a Quaker meeting house (230mins). We turned right to the end of Ring O’ Bells Lane, by the side of The White Horse, and left for Disley traffic lights by The Ram’s Head. We crossed the A6 to reach The Dandy Cock on the right (234mins).

There we found John and Frank, together with Tony, who had missed the homeward leg of the B walk because of a blistered foot. He had returned from The Soldier Dick by bus. We were soon joined by the B team, who had returned along the banks of the Peak Forest Canal to enjoy pints of Robinsons’ cask bitter at £2-40.

Next week’s walk will start from the free car park opposite The Wheatsheaf at Old Glossop at 9.45am. It is anticipated we will reach The Peel Arms at Padfield by 12.30pm for a livener, returning to The Wheatsheaf around 2.30pm.

Lyme Park

LYME PARK, HIGHER DISLEY, BOLDER HALL FARM, MOORSIDE HOTEL HAWKHURST HEAD, TODD BROOK, THE SWAN AT KETTLESHULME, TODD BROOK RESERVOIR, HOCKERLEY, WHALEY BRIDGE, THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY AND RED LANE BACK TO LYME PARK

Distance: Eight miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Cloudy but mainly dry.

Walkers: Colin Davison, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Geoff Spurrell and Mike Walton.

Leaders: Spurrell and Davison.

Driver: Spurrell. Diarist: Hart.

Apologies: Peter Beal (Greek island hols), George Dearsley (working), Lawrie Fairman (Greek island hols), Jock Rooney (North Sea diving), Ken Sparrow (too wet), George Whaites (working).

Starting point: Lyme Park car park.

Starting time: 10.21am. Finishing time: 4.05pm.

After two days of incessant rain we had hoped there would be none left to fall by Wednesday morning. It was, however, still persisting down at 9am so your diarist informed Colin of his intention to wait and see whether conditions improved.

Colin snorted his derision down the phone line and decided to set a stoical example, arriving at The Cock car park at the designated time ready to brave the elements. Having discovered he was in a group of one, and with rain still falling, he drove back home and set off on foot through Disley when the rain stopped.

Meanwhile the B walkers, having recruited and collected your diarist, drove to the car park at Lyme Park. Using the Wednesday Wanderers’ motto – firm of purpose but flexible in manner – Geoff devised a route which would allow us to reach our halfway target at the appointed hour.

Then, by despatching our fleet-footed A walkers to The Cock at Whaley Bridge to warn any non-walking drinkers of a change of venue, they tarried a while longer than usual in the convivial surroundings of The Swan at Kettlehulme before catching a bus to Disley.

Thus we remained largely dry on the outside if a little wetter than usual on the inside, by using a combination of common sense and rat-like cunning. It transpired that much of Colin’s early journey was not dissimilar from our own. Whereas he had walked into Disley and ventured up Ring o’ Bells Lane by the side of The White Horse to head for the reservoir and turn right into Millenium Wood to reach Bolder Hall Farm at Higher Disley, we reached the same spot from Lyme Park.

The following brief account is of that taken initially by the B walkers and your diarist from Lyme Park to Kettleshulme, , and later by Colin and your diarist as we headed at speed from Kettleshulme to Whaley Bridge.

From the car park we walked back past Lyme Hall, the mansion which was bequeathed to the National Trust, along with the deer park. The estate was originally granted to Sir Thomas Danyers in 1346 and passed to the Leghs of Lyme by marriage in 1388. It stayed in the possession of the Legh family until 1946 when it passed to the NT.

The house dates from the late 16^th Century, with modifications by Giacomo Leoni in the 1720s, using Palladian and baroque styles. Further alterations were carried out by Lewis Wyatt in the 19^th Century.

Lyme Hall has been used as a setting in several films and TV programmes, most memorably as Pemberley, the family seat of Mr Darcy, in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”  Women viewers gave out a collective gasp of admiration as actor Colin Firth emerged, hairy-chested and breeches dripping, from the Lyme Park lake.

As we headed for the eastern gate exit we spotted a magnificent stag on the crest of a hill to our right. The animal, with at least ten points on his antlers, came to within 80 yards of us. John took a set of photos with his mobile phone and commented wryly that his friend had travelled all the way to Scotland that day to stalk deer. This one appeared to have been stalking us before loping arrogantly away.

After leaving Lyme Park we reached a wooden public footpath sign on our right indicating the way to Bowstones. We crossed the stile but turned left towards Kettleshulme instead. We emerged on the road out of Disley and turned right to pass Bolder Hall Farm on our left.

We turned left uphill towards The Moorside Hotel, pausing at a convenient wall for pietime, before resuming our route through fields towards Kettleshulme. The rain had turned Tood Brook into a raging torrent which barely passed under the roadbridge as we made our way into Kishfield Lane and reached the road between Whaley Bridge and Macclesfield.

A right turn soon brought us to The Swan on our left (140mins). Here we found Colin, just about to start his second pint of Marstons’ cask bitter at £2-85. A discussion took place about the next stage of our journey. It was decided we should catch a bus nearby to Disley and change the final venue from The Cock at Whaley Bridge to The Dandy Cock at Disley.

In the absence of any mobile signal, your diarist was despatched to a public phone box 100 yards away to inform Tony Job of the new venue to prevent any non-walking drinkers from turning up at The Cock. Sadly the phone box would not accept cash and I, dear readers, had not brought any credit cards.

A sign seemed to provide the answer. It was possible to make automated reverse charge calls. My efforts proved fruitless. The automated voice informed me the subscriber had refused to accept a transfer charge call. I had momentarily forgotten Tony was from Yorkshire.

A second attempt, in which I changed my name from Mr Hart to Mr Dandycock, also fell on stony ground but I hoped the message had got through.

This setback caused another plan to be formulated in which Colin and I would rush over to Whaley Bridge as fast as possible, while the B walkers lingered over further pints before catching a bus which went to Disley via Whaley.

We walked straight through the nursery opposite the pub, turned right at the church and left along Kishfield Lane, crossing Todd Brook and keeping to the road as it went steeply uphill before veering right towards the Hockerley suburb of Whaley Bridge.

En route Colin finally received a signal powerful enough to ring Tony and establish that none of the non-walking drinkers would be able to join us. Consequently there was no need to show our faces in The Cock so we steered left away from the reservoir and down to Whaley Bridge Station.

We had only been there a minute when a bus to Disley arrived containing our companions. We alighted at The Dandy Cock for pints of cask mild at £2-50 and bitter at £2-60.

A phone call from Colin’s all-singing all-dancing mobile phone computer camera compact disc television video recorder enabled us to book an electric conveyance to drive us from the gate at Lyme Hall one mile to the car park.

We were thus able to walk diagonally across the Disley traffic lights and go just behind The Ram’s Head into Red Lane and turn right to walk back into Lyme Park. As we approached our invalid carriage, Wally gave a marvellous impersonation of a wounded Nazi stormtrooper hobbling back from Stalingrad.

With immaculate timing, we were thus spared the rain which had started to fall as we were transported in style back to Geoff’s car.

Next week’s walk will start from Disley Station’s free car park at 9.25am. It is proposed that we have a livener in The Soldier Dick on the border of Disley and Furness Vale between 12.15 and 12.30pm, finishing at The Dandy Cock around 2.30pm.

Bollington

BOLLINGTON, INGERSLEY VALE, THE VIRGINS’ PATH, FLAGG COTTAGE, OLD HALL, THE PLEASANCE, HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, RAINOW, PEDLEY FOLD FARM, THORNSETT FARM, LAMALOAD RESERVOIR, YEARNSLOW FARM, CLEWS HEAD FARM, HAZEL TREES FARM, LOWER HOUSE, THE ROBIN HOOD AT RAINOW, KERRIDGE RIDGE, WHITE NANCY, THE DOG AND PARTRIDGE AT BOLLINGTON

Distance: Ten miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Mixture of blue skies, sunshine, cloud and showers.

Walkers: Colin Davison, Alan Hart and George Whaites.

B walkers: Tony Job, Ken Sparrow, Geoff Spurrell and Mike Walton.

Non-walking drinkers: Frank Dudley and John Eckersley.

Apologies: Peter Beal (Greek island hols), George Dearsley (working), Lawrie Fairman (Greek island hols), John Laverick (Lake District hols), Jock Rooney (North Sea diving).

Leader: Hart. Driver: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Free car park opposite The Spinners Arms at Bollington.

Starting time: 9.33am. Finishing time: 2.33pm.

Tony Job made a welcome return to the Wednesday Wanderers after a cortisone injection eased his hip problem and enabled him to join the B walkers. It is always a pleasure to see our colleagues come back from injury and after a year’s absence Tony proved he is still a long way from the glue factory.

Meanwhile the A walkers, under the freestyle* leadership of your diarist, came within half a mile of a successful outing. Sadly the two followers went missing at this late stage, due to synchronised calls of nature, and your diarist’s application for a leader’s badge is once more in abeyance.

We were told to expect showers during the course of the day, and they duly came along. The most persistent of these occurred while we were safely inside the shelter of The Robin Hood at Rainow, whose tills benefited from our prolonged stay.

 The object of the A walk was to seek an alternative route to a well-travelled and popular journey from Bolly incorporating The Robin Hood.

After a visit to the orgasmic pie shop of F.Smith, a bakery where you step back in time to the era of The Grove Family and Dixon of Dock Green, we headed uphill as the first shower of the day caused a stop for the donning of waterproofs. This proved a fortuitous pause as a customer had retrieved one of George’s poles, left behind in the pie shop, and kindly returned it.

We turned right into Church Street and left at The Crown pub into Ingersley Vale, with its millpond on the right. We walked past the derelict mill, currently being converted into flats, to our left and reached the waterfall opposite Waulkmill Farm (22mins).

After pausing to admire the view we continued on to the recently re-flagged Virgins’ Path. For the uninitiated, this was the route from Rainow to Bollington where brides-to-be had to walk at a time when Rainow had no churches. Friendly farmers laid flagstones so the white dresses of the virgin brides did not become besmirched with mud as they walked through two miles of fields.

This route took us past the back of Flagg Cottage (37mins) and to the left of Old Hall, where a sign warned walkers that failure to shut and fasten the gate would result in a penalty “not exceeding 40 shillings.”

We turned left out of Sugar Lane and reached The Pleasance (42mins), a small remembrance garden with a bench, where we sat to eat our hot meat and potato pies, which were once hailed as “orgasmic” by our recently rejuvenated colleague, Mr Job.

Continuing after an eight-minute pause, we turned right at the main road, passing Holy Trinity Church and the National School, built in 1842, on our left. The school, created by a minister of religion, is up for sale. At Pedley Cottage we turned left to follow a public footpath sign and passed Pedley Fold Farm on our left (47mins).

Ignoring a footpath marked with a yellow arrow which plunged steeply downhill to our right we carried straight on, passing Thornsett Farm on our left, crossing a bridge over a stream and turning left off the farm track at a path marked with three yellow arrows (59mins).

This led us to the left of a farm and through a field leading to a metal gate, which led in turn to a tarmac road. We followed this left until we reached the base of United Utilities at Lamaload Reservoir (81mins). We turned right just before the gate and followed a path which led to two alternative paths over wooden stiles marked with yellow arrows. We took the left path and kept left to follow a public footpath sign marked Yearslow and Rainow (84mins).

After a steep climb we found some suitable rocks on which to sit for our second pietime of the day, on this occasion accompanied by Tia Maria (87mins). We continued uphill, crossing a stone step stile (89mins) and passing Yearnslow Farm on our left (91mins). Pedants will have noticed that the letter “n” has been added to the name. This may be historically accurate or it might be another example of a blundering sign-writer altering the world’s geography.

We left the main track to reach a stone step stile marked with a yellow arrow at the angle of two drystone walls (95mins). We headed to the right of a copse by the side of a pond, through a gate and over a wooden stile (98mins).

Passing Clews Head Farm on our left, we went over a stone step stile and walked to the right of Hazel Trees Farm via an open gate and a stile on our right, reaching a road by crossing a stone step stile. We turned left downhill, then right at a broken footpath sign into a field. As we kept close to a drystone wall on our right, we could see Andrew’s Nob ahead to our left. As an unchivalrous wag once remarked: “It looks more like Fergie’s arse.”

Crossing a ladder stile we reached a road and turned right uphill (108mins). We turned left over a wooden stile into a field and walked left to cross another wooden stile (113mins). We followed a yellow arrow and could now see the village of Rainow below us in the near distance. At this point the second shower of the day fell upon us.

We headed towards Rainow over a series of stiles through fields until we reached a road at Lower House (128mins). We turned left and followed the road which brought us to the rear of The Robin Hood (135mins). The B walkers were already in situ and we learned from the barman that he had found them hanging around outside his pub like four Andy Capps at noon.

They assured us that they had arrived there a minute early after walking from Bolly via The Poachers Arms and Oakenbank Lane route. Their return trip was along The Virgins’ Path which we had taken in the opposite direction earlier.

A brief window of opportunity as one shower ended and another began was missed with pots of Black Sheep cask bitter at £3 a pint still half full. This created another £21 windfall to the pub’s turnover.

When the B walkers turned right to go round the back of Flagg Cottage, we carried on with the cottage on our right until we reached a set of steps leading into a field on our left (145mins). We crossed a stream by a footbridge and headed steeply uphill towards Kerridge Ridge, which we reached by a metal gate (156mins). We turned right and had a magnificent view of the Hurdsfield Industrial Estate to our left. Beyond we could see Alderley Edge, Fiddlers Ferry and, in the far distance, the Cambrian Hills of Wales.

We reached White Nancy (168mins), which had been decorated with the five Olympic rings on one side and a design to mark the Queen’s silver jubilee on the other. We stopped for lunch, to catch our collective breath and admire the views.

Your diarist led the trio downhill, but at some point they both left the path to relieve themselves behind bushes. They thus lost sight of their leader, who had taken a path to the right which emerged at the side of a farm near the bowling green of Tullis Russell Coating (178mins).

 A left turn brought your diarist back past the millpond, The Crown and the pie shop to the car park  (186mins). After de-booting we drove to The Dog and Partridge to join the B walkers and non-walking drinkers in the parlour. The pub must struggle to stay open on Wednesday lunchtimes with little in the way of custom. They were clearly pleased to be patronised by nine thirsty men, drinking Robbies’ cask bitter at a bargain £2-55 and mild at £2-45.

*For those not familiar with freestyle hiking, it involves no maps, a general sense of direction (sometimes misplaced), a spirit of adventure and a huge amount of optimism. It also needs the price of a taxi fare if things go wrong.

Next week’s A walk will start from the car park of The Cock at Whaley Bridge at 9.30am. It is anticipated we will reach The Swan at Kettleshulme around 12.15pm for a livener before returning to The Cock at 2.15pm. The B walkers are hoping to join us at The Swan if the buses run on time. However, with commendable foresight, they have a Plan B which would, if brought into effect, find them having their half-time pint in The Shady Oak at Fernilee.