Furness Vale

FURNESS VALE, WHALEY MOOR, LYME PARK, DISLEY

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Chilly, blue skies and bright sunshine at times

Walkers: George Whaites, Phil Welsh, George Dearsley, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross, Colin Davison, Tom Cunliffe, Jock Rooney and Tips, Lawrie Fairman

Apologies: Pete Beal (walking in Northumberland), Micky Barrett (sore heel)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, Mike Walton, Graham Church

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Soldier Dick, Furness Vale

Starting Time: 9.35am. Finishing Time: 2.26pm

Snow underfoot but blue skies flecked with wispy clouds greeted the Wanderers.

According to m’learned friend Mr Welsh, who used Google Earth, the walk was only 8.3 miles, while Mr Fairman’s pedometer clocked 9.25 miles.

The elevation we covered was a tough 1386ft. Pie Times was taken at our highest point (1200ft) at the top of Lantern Wood at 2.9 miles. The Dandy Cock was at 5.3 miles. And lunch was taken at 6.2 miles.

We started punctually at 9.35am leaving the car park of the Soldier Dick and turning right along the road the goes to Whaley Bridge.

Within a few yards we turned right again up Yeardsley Lane, at the side of the Imperial Palace Chinese restaurant.

But there was no smell of chow mein in our nostrils as we  began a  lengthy but not too taxing climb. We went through a gate and swung right onto a road where we turned left.

Around 50 yards on we turned right, negotiated a five bar gate.

We were now afforded panoramic views.

Mr Hart and Mr Davision went (10.05am)  to look at the “Dipping Stone” 50 yards below us, as the other Wanderers caught their breath and admired the scenery.

Described in the Ancient Monument Schedule as a "Wayside and Boundary Cross", it stands on the crest of a shallow ridge below the southern end of Whaley Moor, and just off a footpath that leads from Whaley Lane to Hawkshurst Head.

It is notably similar to the nearby Bowstones and Robin Hood's Picking Rods, though missing any cross shafts.

                                                   The Dipping Stone (Library picture)

                                                                        Whaley Moor

It's snowtime folks

At 10.22am we clambered over a ladder stile and soon found ourselves beset by confusion. Some said go right, some left and some straight on.

Our dilemma was not helped by Mr Davison who, complaining about the quality of a map being consulted, opined: “I have a better quality map but it is the wrong one.”

Despite this apparent critical weakness, the group was persuaded to follow Mr Davison across a cattle grid to the left and then right, turning sharply downhill.

It was only when the Wanderers had reached the bottom of the slope that we realised we were on the wrong side of a fence topped with barbed wire.

Some brave souls attempted to climb the fence, straddling precariously with their crown jewels hovering an inch or two above the spikes.

Mr Fairman, meanwhile, had found a compromise route, through a muddy track and across a small stream, sans barbed wire.

Climbing the short  incline opposite both groups reunited on a metalled road and went straight over, climbing a stile that led to another hill.

We crossed another road continued to climb, finally declaring Pie Time at 11.57am just beyond a largish stone wall and within the shadow of Lantern Wood.

Mr Welsh generously provided some pork and pickle pies.

We resumed our walk at 11.07am entering the wood and soon passing a belvedere known as the Lantern (see my picture below). It is built in sandstone and has three storeys and a spire; the lowest storey is square in plan while the other storeys and the spire are octagonal.

The top storey and spire date from about 1580 and originally formed a bellcote on the north gatehouse. This was removed during the restoration of the house by Wyatt and rebuilt on the present site. It is a Grade II listed building

We exited the wood to take a track that led to the famous Lyme Park Cage. This we reached at 11.39am. It was originally a hunting lodge and was later used as a park-keeper's cottage and as a lock-up for prisoners.

The first structure on the site was built about 1580; this was taken down and rebuilt in 1737. The tower is built in buff sandstone rubble with ashlar sandstone dressings. It is square in plan, in three storeys, with attached small square towers surmounted by cupolas at the corners. The Cage is a Grade II listed building.

We followed a route we have taken before, left the park via a gate and passed some very expensive houses to reach the Dandy Cock at 12.09pm.

Here Robinson’s Bitter was £2.60 and Mild £2.50.

With no sign of the B Walkers we set off again at 12.58pm, crossing the road and heading to the White Horse before turning right into Ring o’ Bells Lane. Instead of going straight on (as usual) we turned left up a very narrow path. We turned left again at a sign saying “Gritstone Trail”.

Lunch was taken between 1.21pm and 1.30pm. We reached a road and turned left. Then left again down Corks Lane.

This brought us onto another road where we turned right passing some houses (one called Seven Springs). The path we were on was helpfully labelled Number 38. But efforts to trace this on the internet proved fruitless.

We bisected some farm buildings and turned right and immediately left past Oakwood Cottage.

At 2.10pm we could see the Soldier Dick in the distance.

The Lantern in Lantern Wood

Superman, waiting to stir himself.

                                           This week’s guest picture courtesy of Mr Welsh.

Mr Hart, striding ahead as usual, seemed to take a wrong turning. The cannier Wanderers stayed high and almost caught him up.

We eventually reached the pub at 2.26pm. We were soon joined by the B Walkers who had taken the bus to Disley and walked 3.93 miles through Kettleshulme, consuming two pints in the Swan before reaching Furness Vale.

At the Soldier Dick Wainwright was £2.70

Next week’s walk will start from the big car park in Bollington at 9.30pm. The half way point (ETA around 12.30pm) will be the Robin Hood and post de-booting ale will be taken at the Dog and Partridge. Unfortunately your diarist will be absent, on a hastily arranged break to Istanbul.

Old Glossop

OLD GLOSSOP, GLOSSOP LOW, LONGDENDALE TRAIL, HADFIELD, PADFIELD

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Chilly and overcast but bright sunshine and warm on the tops.

Walkers: Peter Beal, George Dearsley, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Julian Ross, Micky Barrett, Colin Davison,Tom Cunliffe, Jock Rooney and Tips,

Apologies: George Whaites (Moreira), Phil Welsh (DIY)

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

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Wheatsheaf, Old Glossop

Starting Time: 9.56am. Finishing Time: 2.45pm

A challenging walk, which afforded the Wanderers stunning views, bright sunshine, weird cloud formations and, for those drinking, decent beer.

There was a late start after Mr Hart suffered from geographical amnesia and took a wrong turning in Marple Bridge.

The group duly left the car park opposite the Wheatsheaf at 9.56am, shortly after a slightly larger band of male and female walkers whom, bizarrely, we never saw again.

We went up Blackshaw Road and through some flats on the right to pick up a trail that led past some farm buildings.

Mr Hart was then insistent that your diarist captured – photographically - two peacocks grazing in a field.

But by the time the shutter had clicked we had lost the group and Mr Hart made his second wrong decision of the day, taking us up a path to the left (which we were to revisit much later on).

Actually, the errant route might well have eventually linked us back with the other Wanderers. But we decided to re-trace our steps and within a few minutes had caught up with the tail end of the group which had, in fact, carried on along the path and through a five bar gate on the left.

This took us to a farm, which seems to be collecting bales of either paper or cloth, it was difficult to be certain.

Here we turned right and began a fairly long ascent towards Glossop Low, with an area called Peaknaze Moor in the distance to our left.

                                   Mr Peacock but no sign of Mrs Slocombe’s pussy

As every schoolchild knows the word low comes from the Anglo-Saxon Hlaw which means rounded hill and was often applied to a hill with an ancient barrow or tumulus on its summit.

Incidentally, in the North the word became “law” hence place names like Tow Law. Law is commonest in Northumberland and Durham but rare in Yorkshire, where the Viking word Howe predominates in place names like Ainderby Quernhow and Carlin Howe.

At 10.44am the sun began to appear to our right.

At what purported to be the top of the climb we turned right and went through a gate. To our right was the Cock Hill trig point.

In fact the rise continued a little further and brought us to a path bathed in bright sunshine but with a strange cloud inversion on our right, evidence by my snapshot below.

Here was also a sign saying “Recovery Roof Project”, a long track of solar panels planted about 18 inches off the ground and beyond that a wind turbine.

                                       Tom Cunliffe with his head in the clouds as usual

It transpires that this boffinry is all about climate change and pollution. Certain kinds of pollutions, damaging to upland areas, have fallen dramatically since the 1980s. For example, sulphur dioxide from burning fossil fuels like coal has fallen by 60% since the mid-1980s.

But other pollutants have remained high. For example nitrogen oxide emissions have increased with the rise in the number of vehicles on the road. Nitrogen oxides react with other chemicals in the air to produce ground level ozone and nitrates, which are bad for human health as well as damaging crops and natural communities.

Climate change is - allegedly - bringing changes in weather patterns and increased temperature, which will also impact on upland areas and will affect the ability of these habitats to recover following pollution.

The Recovery Roof project, therefore, looks at how fast and how well our moorlands will recover from pollution and how this will compare with changes brought about by climate change.

The Peak District, it turns out, is historically one of the most polluted upland areas, mostly because of its proximity to large cities like Manchester and Sheffield.  So the experiment, set up on Peaknaze Moor, replicates future predicted changes in pollution levels and climate to large areas of the moor.

Researchers aim to see how the plants, animals and the soil react to less pollution and the changes in climate that we might see over the next few decades. The hope is to identify any changes that come from climate change and falling levels of pollution.  This is important for land managers, who have to decide when to act to preserve these habitats.

It’s all being run by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, presumably funded by Wanderers’ and other people’s taxes.

Or, as Mr Rooney might say, “what a load of bollocks”.

Pie Time was declared at 11am and taken in a rather decrepit stone built erection, which at one time was – we guessed – a shelter for grouse shooters or Shooting Box.

Pie Time

My snap managed to include a rather earnest chap in blue on the horizon, armed with camera and binoculars, who duly enthused about the views we would later enjoy looking over towards Bleaklow on the right. He was not exaggerating.

                    Bright sunshine and blue sky….but you can have too much of a good thing

                                                                   Tips on the Top

During Pie Time Mr Davison made the radical suggestion that we amend the walk to stay in the sunshine on the tops, rather than descend to the cloud and cold, albeit eventually to reach the Anchor pub.

Although there appeared to be eight votes in favour and only one against (Mr Hart), the motion was duly defeated and we resumed our trek across the moor, covered in thick heather, the colour of an old welcome mat. (The moor that is not us).

                                                             Heather but no Mills

Soon we were to find ourselves on what looked like the rim of a great cooking pot, the “steam” being replaced by inverted cloud.

This, said Mr Beal, was actually part of the Pennine Way.

Just for the record, the Pennine Way is a National Trail running 431 km (268 miles) from Edale, in the Derbyshire Peak District, through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park, ending at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border.

The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes described as the "backbone of England".

                                         Strange halo effect…and a rainbow (pic by John Laverick)

Although not the United Kingdom's longest National Trail (this distinction belongs to the 1,014 km - 630 miles - long South West Coast Path), it is according to the Ramblers' Association "one of Britain's best known and toughest".

The path was the idea of the journalist and rambler Tom Stephenson, inspired by similar trails in the United States of America, particularly the Appalachian Trail. Stephenson proposed the concept in an article for the Daily Herald in 1935, and later lobbied Parliament for the creation of an official trail.

The walk was originally planned to end at Wooler but eventually it was decided that Kirk Yetholm would be the finishing point.  The final section of the path was declared open in a ceremony held on Malham Moor on 24 April 1965.

Our descent from the sun kissed summit was a little tricky but accomplished without mishap.

At 11.49am we reached a metalled track and a sign pointing back to where we had come from saying “Bleaklow Head”.

We turned left onto the track and a few minutes later crossed a main road to join the Trans Pennine Trail turning left at a sign which read “Hadfield 3 miles”.

This, if I’m not mistaken, is also part of the Longdendale Trail.

The trek into Hadfield is flat and without a great deal to observe, but we were passed by a woman with a three legged greyhound, which I’m sure many of us have bet on in the past.

We reached Hadfield at 12.48pm and were in the Anchor pub by 12.51pm.

Mr Cunliffe, who I believe is on a New Year’s Resolution diet, ordered a giant baguette containing enough cholesterol to block the Mersey tunnel.

Tetley’s Bitter was £2.60 and in good fettle.

Hadfield, of course, was the real Royston Vasey in the television sitcom The League of Gentlemen.

Naturally, Glossopdale residents weren't thrilled that their locality was portrayed as an insular community of weirdos, sadists and secret cannibals.

But eventually they rose above it and Hadfield later had a Cafe Royston and a butcher's shop advertising "human flesh" sausages.

We left the Anchor at 1.40pm, retracing our steps to return to the Longdendale Trail.

After a while we took a path on the left and walked into Padfield, once home to Bez (real name Mark Berry) and Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays.

There was a moment’s hesitation before we took a road on the right called Peel Street. This led us over four stiles onto a road where we turned left (although some Wanderers went right).

The main body of walkers came to Little Padfield Farm where we took a path to the right.

We passed a farm, came onto a road and turned right. Just 30 yards later we turned left and took a very short lunch break, from 2.16pm until 2.24pm. In fact, I believe the slaves used to get longer on a Roman galley. By this time we had been rejoined by the breakaway walkers.

We were soon alongside Swineshaw Reservoir and trudging on a muddy path which, according to experienced Wanderers, has the consistency of lumpy porridge even in summer. This brought us back to the muddy descent your diarist and Mr Hart had visited early in the walk.

By 2.45pm we were back at the Wheatsheaf car park and after de-booting we enjoyed a libation in the nearby Bull, the Wheatsheaf itself being closed. Robinson’s Bitter was £2.85 and Mild £2.50.

The B team were driven by Geoff to Brabyns Park from where they crossed the Peak Forest Canal, passing Marple Cricket Club and The Railway at Rose Hill, joining the final section of The Middlewood Way and crossing Marple Golf Club to return to the canal.

After two pints of Robbies in the Ring o' Bells at Marple, they walked back along the canal to Brabyns Park. They concluded their five-mile walk with further refreshment in The Royal Scot at Marple Bridge.

There’s a lot of Dick and Cock in next week’s walk, which will begin from the Soldier Dick in Furness Vale at 9.30am. We propose to visit the Dandy Cock pub as the half way point around 12 noon to 12.15pm, finishing back at the Soldier Dick.

Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, CRACKEN EDGE, OLLERSETT MOOR

Distance: 9.9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Mild with Occasional Showers

Walkers: Peter Beal, George Dearsley, Alan Hart, John Laverick, Gavin Hill

Apologies: Colin Davison (Holding hands), George Whaites (Moreira), Jock Rooney (Family commitments), Tom Cunliffe (Post New Year celebration fatigue), Micky Barrett (Lake District), Lawrie Fairman (Flu), Phil Welsh (Virus).

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

Leader: Beal Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: The Cock, Whaley Bridge

Starting Time: 9.36am. Finishing Time: 2.17pm

A Happy New Year to all Wanderers.

This week’s walk was marred by mist and showers but offered a welcome chance to dislodge some turkey, Christmas pudding and a few mince pies.

Despite more cry offs that Roy Hodgson gets for an England friendly against Estonia away, a quintet of Wanderers braved the elements for a perambulation which m’learned friend Mr Beal’s computer clocked at an impressive 9.9 miles.

For once we turned right not left out of the Cock’s car park and immediately set a new Wanderers all-comers record by taking a wrong turning within about 250 yards.

Order restored, we duly picked up the correct path, which took us onto a stretch of the old Cromford to High Peak railway line.

As every schoolchild knows, this line was completed in 1831, to carry minerals and goods between the two destinations.

It was the brainchild of Josias Jessop, who, with his father William Jessop and their former partner Benjamin Outram had gained wide experience in building tramways where conditions were unsuitable for canals.

Even so, as almost the first long distance line at 33 miles, it was a bold venture. To reach its summit at Ladmanlow, it would have to climb a thousand feet from Cromford, making it one of the highest lines ever built in Britain.

The railway was laid using so-called "fishbelly" rails supported on stone blocks, as was common in those days, rather than timber sleepers, since it would be powered by horses on the flat sections.

On the nine inclined planes, stationary steam engines would be used, apart from the last incline into Whaley Bridge, which was counterbalanced and worked by a horse-gin.

The engines, rails and other ironwork were provided by the Butterley Company. It would take around two days to complete the journey.

With its corkscrew curves, it has been described as "being laid out by a mad Archimedes endeavouring to square the circle".

The line was initially under-capitalised because many of the subscribers did not meet their dues, and it was mainly funded by the Butterley Company which was its main creditor.

The final cost was £180,000, more than Jessop's estimate of £155,000, but still much cheaper than a canal.

Nevertheless, the line never achieved a profit. Francis Wright, the Chairman was later to say, in 1862:  "We found ourselves getting into difficulties from the third year of our existence." and added it was clear in retrospect that the line "never had a remote chance of paying a dividend on the original shares."

Clearly the Chunnel of its day.

We went straight on over a bridge to the right and on reaching the canal we traversed a pedestrian bridge which brought us to the other side where we turned right following a sign marked “Goyt Way”.

Sticking to the canal towpath, we went under Bridge 36 and on reaching Bridge 31 we went up a ramp to the right and found ourselves on the road (Marsh Lane) just down from Furness Vale.

We headed as if towards New Mills but having negotiated a bend we took a path immediately on our right.

This brought us out onto a road and we turned left.

We followed a path on the right passing some huge electricity pylons.

We negotiated two stiles and turned left before taking a path on the right.

This brought us through some renovated farm buildings and onto a metalled road which we followed until we reached a T-junction where we turned right.

At the top of an incline we went straight over onto Ollersett Moor.

In 1831, George William Newton JP of Ollersett Hall obtained a private Act of Parliament to supply the farms of his estate and various parts of New Mills using springs from the Moor.

Apparently, "powerful and constant springs of water" were present on Ollersett Moor and their height provided a sufficient head of water to supply farms and much of New Mills by gravity.

                           Library picture of the view from Ollersett Moor on a sunny day.

                                                                Er….what we saw.

We stopped for Pie Time at 10.55am before a stiffish climb, setting off again at 11.09am.

By 11.25am we had reached the large rock where the above photo opportunity presented itself.

This, I believe is Cracken Edge, famous for its quarrying.

The Cracken Edge Quarries were exploited for gritstone in the nineteenth century and probably earlier. There is very little published on the history of the workings.

It was noted for the production of paving stones and roofing slates, and remained open until about 1930

Quite a lot of the output was despatched by train from the goods yard at Chinley, with a first peak in the 1890s when about 16,000 tons per year went via train, declined slowly after then, but there was a brief second peak in 1929 of 11,000 tons for that year.

The Cracken Edge Quarries are noteworthy for the extensive vertical faces created along the edge, where there is good stone. 

Banks of spoil divide a series of working areas, and extensive waste heaps built up as debris was tipped down the steep slope.  There are access tracks and signs of an inclined tramway with a pulley wheel on stone supports at its upper end.  There were also underground stone mines behind the faces, now mostly collapsed, although entrance approach routes between spoil-heaps retained by dry stone walls remain.

Library picture of the quarries

Getting down from Cracken Edge was slightly tricky, given the steepish slopes and slippery stones but we achieved it without incident.

We eventually reached a metalled road where we turned left and at around 12.30pm (alas I did not record the exact time of arrival) we reached the Old Hall Inn at Whitehough.

The three B-walkers were already there, having taken the 199 to Chapel and meandered via Bridgeholme Green and the Tramway Trail to the hostelry.

The highly palatable Marston’s Bitter was £2.70 but it did not tempt your diarist whose annual New Year Resolution (since 2004) is to abstain from alcohol in January.

We left the pub at 1.20pm (without the pleasure of bumping into Edwina Currie, whom we met last time) and went down the hill.

We turned left and stopped for lunch at 1.33pm, resuming our walk at 1.42pm.

While we munched a man emerged from the woods with a dog, holding a mug of tea,  (the man that is, not the dog).

We passed a pond where we spotted three black swans.

Swans

The British Trust for Ornithology claims there are just 65 black swans living in the wild across the UK, compared to around 74,000 mute swans. Although I suspect the three we saw do not qualify as “living in the wild”.

Although indigenous to Australia black swans -Cygnus atratus - were initially brought over to the UK to brighten up ornamental wildfowl collections. The birds used to have their wings clipped but the practice was discontinued a few years ago, allowing some of the swans to escape.

Over the years the birds have managed to thrive alongside native swans, ducks and geese and slowly the population has started to expand.

We reached the canal and followed it until we came to the footbridge we had crossed in the morning.

We re-traced our steps passing Tesco on our left and the several narrowboats until we reached Whaley Bridge, arriving at the Cock at 2.17pm

Next week’s walk will begin from the Wheatsheaf in Old Glossop at 9.45am. We propose to visit the Anchor pub as the half way point around 12.30pm, finishing back at the Wheatsheaf.

Poynton

POYNTON, LYME PARK, HIGH LANE

Distance: 10 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Mild with Occasional Showers

Walkers: Peter Beal, Julian Ross, George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Alexander Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Alan Hart, Micky Barrett, George Whaites, John Laverick

Apologies: Colin Davison (yachting in the Caribbean)

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, Jock Rooney, Ken Sparrow, Graham Church, Gareth Roberts, Mike Walton,

Non Walking Drinkers: John Eckersley and Frank Dudley

Leader: Hart with occasional guidance from Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Mr Hart’s house

Starting Time: 10.04am. Finishing Time: 1.38pm

The lure of a Harty breakfast (see what I did there?) meant that the traditional Christmas walk was better attended than for many a year.

Neighbours of Mr Hart, alerted by the aroma of bacon and the queue at the door may well be checking the local authority’s planning department this week to see if a covert café (or a food bank) has been opened in their leafy road.

There were hot mince pies, too, adorned with cream laced with Baileys, mulled wine and even Pimms and ginger ale.

No wonder there was a reluctance to don boots and start walking.

The bacchanalia over, there was just time for a photo opportunity, the image below superbly captured by Mr Welsh’s 13-year-old son Alexander.

The Wanderers

Leaving Mr Hart’s drive we turned left and at the end of the road went straight ahead on a path that for a while runs parallel to London Road. Poynton Pool, of course, is on the left.

After a few hundred yards we moved onto the pavement but soon turned left into Woodside Lane, turning right at a sign saying “Kingswood”.

At the end of this track we turned right and first left, going down some steps and seconds later down and up over some more steps.

This brought us to a golf course where we turned right, going down a slope until we met a road, which we crossed.

We passed some stables, negotiated a stile and went diagonally across a field.

This brought us out on another road by a commercial building saying “Swiftec”.

We crossed the road and took a path to the left at a sign saying “Hunting Lodge”.

We came to another sign saying “Poynton Coppice” and here we turned left.

This brought us onto the Middlewood Way.

We went under Bridge 13, eschewing all superstitions.

We turned right at Bridge 12, then left and went across the bridge.

We then went through a farmyard and turned left to cross a field.

Negotiating a stile we turned right (11.25am) and passed Simpson Lane Cottage.

At the top of the hill we stopped for a six minute breather (11.30am).

Having set off again we turned right at a Methodist Church and began a modest climb.

Up we go

We went through a gate onto a path and turned left.

After 200 yards we climbed a ladder stile.

Right would have taken us to Bowstones but would have added an unwelcome 40 minutes to our walk. As the predicted rain had now started to fall it was deemed prudent to go straight on to Lyme Park.

We crossed a stream with a sign saying Cluse Hen Restoration Project. Bizarrely there is not a single Google reference to this.

At 12.52 we climbed another ladder stile and went left and first right. We crossed a cattle grid, went through a gate and negotiated a stone stile on the right.

We climbed a path up to a railway line, crossed over and turned right and then left over a stile.

This brought us to the canal (1.20pm).

At a structure that may have once been a pill box but which was now being used as a garden shed by one of the narrowboaters we took a path on the left and then turned right to cross the canal via a bridge and come back on ourselves on the opposite side of the canal.

By 1.32pm we had reached the Bull’s Head where we left the canal to join the main road, reaching our final destination the Dog and Partridge at 1.38pm.

Reinbeer, the only draught ale, was £2.70, some of the Wanderers preferring to drink lager, although the Reinbeer was quite palatable. The Christmas carvery was priced at £4.19.

The man operating the carvery was working behind a sign which said “your carver today is Carol”.

But it transpired that he was not a transsexual. And when alerted to the fact he reversed the sign which now read “your carver today is Dylan”.

The Times they are A-changing. But thankfully not that much in High Lane.

Already in situ were the B-Walkers who had started at Princes Incline, followed the Macclesfield Canal and crossed a bridge to Platt Wood Farm before reaching the gates of Lyme Park and down a hill to reach the A6.

Within a few minutes we were delighted to be joined by Frank Dudley and John Eckersley.

The carvery was excellent and good value, especially if like Mr Rooney, you managed to fill your plate (below) with an amount of food which would have impressed Alan Partridge at the Lintern Travel Tavern.

Jock's Christmas Dinner

Some of the Wanderers tucking in to their Christmas fayre, including Frank Dudley (centre, in coat)

I’m indebted to Phil “Statto” Welsh  for informing me that Google Earth had the A Walkers completing about 10.3 miles. Total ascents amounted to 1100ft. The highest point was the second stile in Lyme Park at about 1000ft (after 6 miles). The lowest point was Harty’s house at 310ft. Our “breather” stop at top of Simpsons Lane came after 4.5 miles.

May I wish all the Wanderers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

There will be no walk next Wednesday. But the following Wednesday we will meet at the Cock at Whaley Bridge at 9.35am. Further details may well follow later.

Whaley Bridge

WHALEY BRIDGE, ERRWOOD HALL, FERNILEE

Distance: 11 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Cold and Crisp but Sunny

Walkers: Julian Ross, George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Alan Hart, Micky Barrett, George Whaites

Apologies: Colin Davison (yachting in the Caribbean), Peter Beal (having his bones checked) Jock Rooney(Christmas duties).

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

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Car park at the Cock, Whaley Bridge.

Starting Time: 9.40am. Finishing Time: 2.27pm

With Jock Rooney unavailable for selection and therefore Tip ineligible, Mr Hart decided not to wear his cricket box as another Hannibal’s Army-style gathering of Wednesday Wanderers congregated.

We were again rewarded by good weather, even Jack Frost proving a friend as potential bogs were turned into a giant duvet filled with cornflakes.

I am obliged to m’learned friend Phil “Statto” Welsh for researching on Google Earth to reveal we walked 11 miles. No fewer than nine to the Shady Oak and another two down the valley back to the Cock.

We did 1502 feet of elevation, which is 250 less than last week, but over 30% more distance which makes it much more shallow of course.

Pyms Chair was our highest point at 1526ft (3.7 miles into the walk), Errwood Hall was at 5.2 miles, and the bridge between Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs was 6.7 miles.

The end of Fernilee reservoir was just over 8 miles. The lowest point was of course the Cock.

There were also claims of a Wanderers all-time record from the Cock to Windgather in 58 minutes. More of that later.

We set off on the familiar route past the Cock on our left and up the track, the first on the left.

The path leads to some houses and here we swung right, past a rather forlorn play area and eventually crossed the road out of Whaley Bridge to continue on the other side.

We passed the graveyard on our left at Taxal Church, turning left at the top of the hill and a few yards further on took a path on the right.

This heralds a steep climb past a tree planted in memory of rambler Terry Lardner and on to Taxal Moor Road.

Just when you think the worst is over there is a further climb to the summit, which we reached at 10.38am. A glimpse at previous diaries reveals the last time your scribe undertook this walk (in June 2012) we reached Windgather Rocks at 10.31am. However the starting time was 9.28am.

So maybe we do have to exhume Norris McWhirter.

                                                            Just reaching Taxal Moor Road

Pie Time was declared at 10.45am and held in the stone “sheep pen” which affords shelter from the winds. We set off again at 10.57am and eventually saw a road to our right which we joined.

But at 11.15am we swung left. At 11.33am we turned right following a sign to “Errwood”.

We went down a rocky track. At the bottom was a sign to “Errwood and Stakeside”.

Two more stunning views

Chapel

We turned left, following a stream and crossed a wooden

Inside the Chapel

Samuel Grimshawe (1768-1851) was a rich Manchester merchant  who, in 1835,  purchased 2,000 acres of land, including the Cat and Fiddle pub, from John Jodrell of Yeardsley Hall at Whaley Bridge and had a hall built.

Errwood Hall became the centre of a thriving estate, comprising several farms, kitchen gardens, a private swimming pool, tennis courts, a school, a private coal mine and the hamlet of Goyt’s Bridge that eventually disappeared under the waters of the reservoir.

In time, the Errwood estate was virtually self-supporting.

The Grimshawes were great travellers and met Miss Dolores while on a yachting holiday.

Apparently Dolores was never in good health and died in her 40s during a visit to Lourdes. Either she was already terminally ill or incredibly unlucky. Isn’t Lourdes meant to cure you?

The chapel’s heavy oak door is not locked and it is worth a look inside.

Just above the picture of St Joseph is a marble slab with the inscription 'Munca se le Invoca evano a San Jose prueba de gratitud' which translates to - No one asks in vain of St Joseph, a token of gratitude. The shrine is still regularly used for private acts of devotion, intercession and remembrance

Apart from Dolores the Grimshawes also brought back tens of thousands of rhododendrons and azaleas.

A few minutes later we passed the remains of Errwood Hall. Wanderers who wish to learn more about its history can check out the link below to a very informative website.

http://gerryco23.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/errwood-hall-a-mansion-on-the-moor/

We then swung left to see Errwood Reservoir below us.

Errwood Library picture

By 12.08pm we had reached the metalled road at the side of the reservoir.

We turned right where the Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs divide to cross and then swung immediately left and left again down a track.

The reservoir was now on our left and the flat pathway eventually leads onto a road which turns right up a short incline and again flattens out.

We turned left at the end of that road and at 12.57pm your diarist, now bringing up the rear, reached the Shady Oak pub a few minutes later than the main group.

Already there (since 12.30pm) were the B Walkers who had walked from White Hall outdoor centre via Buxton Old Road to reach the hostelry.

Marston’s Bitter, the popular choice and in very good form was £2.90 as was another brew called The Dog’s Bollocks.

We left the pub at 1.40pm, crossing the road and after bisecting a farm we swung left to cross a field diagonally.

We stopped for lunch between 1.55pm and 2.02pm and reached the Cock at 2.27pm.

Next week we are all guests of Mr Hart. His Poynton home will reek with the smell of bacon butties and mulled wine from 9am.

Our walk (or stagger) thereafter will take in, among other things, Princes Incline and Lyme Park.  After de-booting at Mr Hart’s house, Christmas luncheon will be taken at the Dog & Partridge.

Rowarth

ROWARTH, GLOSSOP, HARRY HUT

Distance: 9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Weather: Cold and Crisp but Sunny

Walkers: George Dearsley, Lawrie Fairman, Phil Welsh, Tom Cunliffe, Alan Hart, Micky Barrett, Tom Cunliffe, Jock Rooney and Tip

Apologies: George Whaites (working), Colin Davison (yachting in the Caribbean), Peter Beal (cruising, in the nautical sense)

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

Leader: Fairman Diarist: Dearsley

Photographs: Phil Welsh and George Dearsley

Starting Point: Car park at the Little Mill, Rowarth

Starting Time: 9.51am. Finishing Time: 2.32pm

The largest turn out of the Wanderers for some weeks was rewarded with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, which conspired to deliver excellent light for photographs.

The cadre might have been larger but road closures (due to flooding and ice) and an indecipherable Sat Nav meant Julian Ross had to return home when less than two miles from the meeting point.

There was further early drama, when Mr Hart was injured in the warm up, after being butted in the gonads by an over enthusiastic Tip.

Happily there was no need for the “magic sponge” and after some deep breaths and much cursing Harty was declared fit.

                                                                The dog…..bollocks!

Thus delayed, we left the car park at the Little Mill at 9.51am and walked away from the pub up the hill, turning right at a sign to “Rowarth”.

We walked through the tiny hamlet and turned left up what proved to be a steepish climb. At the top of the hill we negotiated a stile and went left and immediately right.

Only 26 minutes after departure it was time for the first map check.

Our route took us past Near Slack Farm. In 1983 I attempted to buy neighbouring Far Slack Farm but was gazumped by notorious financier Peter Clowes. Unfortunately he used other people’s money to purchase the property. His investment empire collapsed in 1988 with 15,000 people swindled out of millions. He got 10 years.

We went through a gate and turned left. The path dog -legs left (10.25am) and from this point we had a great view of the flight path to Manchester airport.

We turned right through a gate and the sun was now shining brightly directly from our right.

We came to a four-way intersection. There was a bridle path going down steeply ahead but we turned left over a stile.

Pie Time was declared at 10.52am at a vantage point which gave stunning views over Cheshire.

                                                                           Stunning view

We set off again at 11.05am turning right and heading eventually to the road which links the Grouse and Charlesworth (11.16am). This we crossed.

We climbed a stile, again with the sun to our right.

We then descended a steep path on which Mr Barrett was a faller and on meeting a metalled road at the bottom, we turned left.

A path to the right eventually brought us onto the road from Glossop to Chinley, opposite the O Sole Mio Italian restaurant. Well, I’m presuming it’s Italian, never having dined there.

We were on the road for only minutes before swinging left at a sign for Gnat Hole Farm. One can only imagine what was in the farmer’s mind when he so named his beloved home.

We turned onto a path to the right about 200 yards before the farmhouse. Of course, had we stayed on the road we would have been at the Grouse in about 25 minutes.

Our detour would delay our arrival by nearly 90 minutes. While affording spectacular views, it was to involve a climb Paras would have been proud to complete to the heights of the so called Harry Hut (please note NOT Harry’s Hut)

Harry Hut trig point

Mr Hart, spurred on by the thought of ale, duly set a cracking pace.

Your diarist opined: “He’s like Mo Farrah”.

To which Mr Barrett retorted: “I’m more like Mo Mowlem”.

At 12.17pm leader Fairman became a faller on the boggy heather.

As to the derivation of the phrase Harry Hut little could be found.

I can exclusively reveal that in 1980 no fewer than 1083 pieces of artefacts and tools from the Mesolithic Period were discovered here. Anyone operating a market stall selling gloves and woollen hats in this period would have been onto a “good earner”. But beyond the archaeology, zilch.

We plodded on like Napoleon’s infantry retreating from Moscow but at last reached the road again where Tom’s wife Stella arrived to end the cruelty and take him to a Nativity play.

(No, he wasn't playing the Donkey!).

One hopes the singing of the herald angels was not drowned out by Tom snoring.

By 12.55pm your diarist reached the Grouse, 10 minutes after Mr Hart. Thwaites Original was on offer at £3.

Five B Walkers were already in situ. They had gathered at the Little Mill, crossed a ford and walked via Plainsteads Farm to the Grouse.

Peacock (not a Grouse) at the pub

Leader Fairman insisted this was a one pint pit stop only and we set off again at 1.21pm.

The B Walkers left a little earlier but we soon overtook them.

Climbing the hill to the turning for Charlesworth we continued on the metalled road for a couple of hundred yards before taking a path to the right.

Lunch was taken between 1.45pm and 1.52pm. But the main body of Wanderers left Mr Hart behind. He was either taking a phone call or doing a bit of Horse Whispering to the animal in the nearby field.

Luncheon is taken

We followed a sign to “Rowarth via Long Lee Farm”.

This took us over a wall where we saw a sign pointing left to “Hayfield”. We turned right here.

We were back at the cars at 2.32pm but amazingly Mr Hart was already in the car park.

Had he ridden the horse?

At the Little Mill Banks’ Bitter was £2.70.

One further picture of today’s walk follows below.

Another stunning view

Given average walking speed today’s walk should have been around 10-11 miles. But Mr Welsh calculated it via Google at 8.5 miles, which may well be correct given the climbing.

Although the non-walking drinkers were absent, there is good news of Frank Dudley who has recovered from a fall at home.

Next week’s walk will start at the Old Cock, Whaley Bridge at 9.35am, with a stop at around 12.30pm at the Shady Oak, Fernilee. We will finish, of course, back at the Cock.

Happy Wandering!