Furness Vale

November 9, 2016.

FURNESS VALE, RINGSTONES CARAVAN PARK, HIGHER DISLEY, LYME PARK, LYME CAGE, THE DANDY COCK AT DISLEY, THE PEAK FOREST CANAL, NEW MILLS, FURNESS VALE MARINA AND THE SOLDIER DICK AT FURNESS VALE

Distance: 8-9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Cold and misty but dry.

Walkers: Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tips and George Whaites.

B Walkers: Phil Burslem, George Fraser, Tony Job, Terry Jowett and Geoff Spurrell.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (foot injury), Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe (w*^king), George Dearsley (in Turkey) and Julian Ross.

Leader: Hart. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Car park of The Soldier Dick at Furness Vale.

Starting time: 9.36am. Finishing time: 2.02pm.

Weather warnings of snow and rain the day before had been downgraded to fog and mist by the morning of this walk. In the event it was a dry day with no fog and very little mist so The Magnificent Seven and The Famous Five were rewarded for their attendance.

There were two late cry-offs. Tom (Mr Reliability) Cunliffe found he had a pub to run while Colin was obliged to look after Angela, who was suffering from chest pains. After various ribald and predictable offers to rub or kiss the affected area better, your diarist was instructed to pass on our best wishes.

Much of the talk this day revolved round the surprise choice of Donald Trump as next president of the USA. None of the polls had suggested this was likely so it is clear that many voters would not admit they were planning to vote for the brash Republican candidate. We had all seen the noisy trumpeting Trumpers at his rallies. The pollsters clearly had not realised there were so many silent Trumpers out there. No wonder it has caused such a stink.

For reasons beyond my comprehension, this walk starting and finishing at The Soldier Dick, calling at The Dandy Cock en route, has been nicknamed The Phallic Route. It involves a long stiff climb at the start, reaching its climax at Lyme Park, followed by a slow descent and a flaccid finish.

From the car park we turned right towards Buxton along the A6 and turned right just after The Imperial Palace Chinese restaurant into Yeardsley Lane. This was the start of a steady ascent, swinging right at the entrance to Ringstone Caravan Park (9mins). We entered a farmyard and went through a gate by the side of a stable (12mins) and carried straight ahead into a field.

We turned right keeping a drystone wall on our right (14mins) and trudged uphill to a road. Half a mile to the right is The Murder Stone, as previously documented, but we turned left (26mins) for 60 yards. At a gate marked “No Sledging” we went right over a stone step stile (29mins) and followed the path signed with a marker post. This led us to a wooden stile on our right (37mins).

A few yards further downhill are the “Dipping Stones,” where rocks had been chiselled out to provide two depressions in which money could be left in vinegar. During the Great Plague of 1665 villagers in contaminated areas such as nearby Eyam left cash in the disinfected bowls alongside shopping lists and later collected food and other essentials brought in exchange by sympathisers from unaffected villages.

We crossed the stile and then a stone step stile (45mins) followed by a ladder stile (52mins). The path led us across a farm track with a cattle-grid on the left (56mins). We went straight on to the right of the cattle-grid and followed the path across a wooden footbridge, through a metal kissing gate, across a road and up a flight of wooden steps (61mins).

Heading upwards through a boggy field we went over a ladder stile and crossed a lane (66mins) to follow the path through fields. This involved crossing three more wooden stiles until we reached the wall outside Lyme Park (79mins) which we entered via a stone step stile and a ladder stile leading into a wood. Here we paused for pies and port.

Resuming we went through and emerged from the wood over a ladder stile (90mins). We turned left and aimed towards Lyme Cage, a landmark on the top of a ridge which has served as a hunting lodge and a poachers’ cell over the centuries. After crossing a wooden stile (94mins) and nearing the Cage, we saw a stag party a few yards to our right. Six impressively-antlered males were presumably the losers during the rutting season as there were no signs of any females. After trying in vain to stare us out, they wandered away, perhaps in search of a lap-dancing club.

We reached the Cage (108mins) and turned right downhill with Horsecoppice Reservoir coming into view on our right. We took a path to the right of the entrance hut and emerged by the East Gate exit (120mins) to enter Red Lane. With St Mary’s Church, Disley, on our right, we left Red Lane (134mins) by the side of The Ram’s Head and crossed the A6. This brought us to The Dandy Cock on our left (138mins) where we enjoyed pints of Robbies’ Unicorn for £2-95.

Leaving the pub we turned right and right again to walk under the railway bridge before turning left into Sherbrooke Road (141mins). This brought us to the right bank of the Peak Forest Canal, where we turned right (144mins).

The construction of The Peak Forest Canal was promoted by Samuel Oldknow, authorised by Parliament in 1794, financed by Richard Arkwright and engineered by Thomas Brown and Benjamin Outram. It was completed just six years after it had been approved despite the fact that Britain was now involved in the Napoleonic Wars.

The seven-feet wide canal is 15 miles long and contains 16 locks which raise it 209 feet at Marple. It runs from the Ashton Canal at Dukenfield through Newton, Hyde, Woodley, Bredbury and Romiley before crossing the River Goyt via Marple Aqueduct. After Marple Locks it goes through Strines, Disley, New Mills, Furness Vale and Bridgemont, terminating at Bugsworth Basin, with a branch to the centre of Whaley Bridge, which once connected with the Cromford and High Peak Railway.

Trains brought about the decline of canal traffic. In the 1920s the Peak Forest Tramway and Buggy Basin closed. By the early 1960s Marple Locks fell into disuse and banks deteriorated to make many parts impassable. But the Peak Forest Canal Society and the Inland Waterways Association campaigned for restoration. The canal was dredged, restored and reopened, mainly for pleasure craft, in 1974. Buggy Basin was reopened in 2003.

When we reached Bridge 26 we crossed and swung round to the left bank, went under the bridge and stopped for lunch at a bench with the canal now on our right (148mins). Continuing we marched along the towpath for two miles, passing the Swizzels-Matlow sweet factory in New Mills (179mins)

The firm, which makes Love Hearts and Parma Violets, stated life as a market stall in Hackney in the 1920s run by the Matlow brothers. As a result of Hitler’s Blitz of London in 1940 it relocated to its present site, which was a disused wick factory. It now employs 500 people and has an annual turnover in excess of £50million.

We continued along the towpath, passing Peter Beal’s narrowboat, Hot Metal, at Furness Vale Marina before exiting at Bridge 31 (201mins). We turned left to reach the road and turned right across the bridge and the level crossing, emerging back on the A6 (204mins). We turned right and crossed the road to reach The Soldier Dick car park (206mins)

After de-booting we entered the pub to find the S.O.B. team, including debutant Wednesday Wanderer Phil Burslem, a friend of Geordie George and former neighbour of WW legend Ivor Jones,, already enjoying pints of Wainwrights’ cask bitter for £2-85. We are delighted to welcome Phil to the fold and hope to see him again.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am from the road outside The Cock at Whaley Bridge. We anticipate reaching the Old Hall at Whitehough for a livener around 12.15pm, returning to The Cock about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !

Barber Booth

November 2, 2016.

BARBER BOOTH, CHAPEL GATE, RUSHOP EDGE, LORD’S SEAT, MAM TOR, EDALE, RIVER NOE, THE NAG’S HEAD AT GRINDSBROOK BOOTH, COOPERS CAFE, THE OLD DAIRY AND THE ROEBUCK AT CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH

Distance: Eight miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Crisp with blue skies and sunshine.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp, Jock Rooney with Tips, Julian Ross and George Whaites.

S.O.B. walkers: George Fraser, Tony Job and Ken Sparrow.

Apologies: Micky Barrett (in Truro), Tom Cunliffe (sore back), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Terry Jowett and Chris Owen (w*^king).

 Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Parking area at Barber Booth, Edale.

Starting time: 9.58am. Finishing time: 2.24pm.

If it be true that the sun shines on the righteous, then Peter and George W must have already booked their places on the Stairway to Heaven. The birthday boys enjoyed an exceptionally sunny November day in one of the prettiest parts of the Hope Valley.

Walking conditions were perfect as the morning chill prevented us from overheating while we climbed steadily from Barber Booth to Rushop Edge. When we reached the cool high points, the sunshine kept us warm and gave us magnificent views in every direction (with the sole exception of that blot on the landscape: Hope cement works)

Owing to a miscalculation, Peter had chosen the most expensive pub outside London for his birthday round, and was obliged to shell out an eye-watering £3-75 a pint for his chums at The Old Nags Head. He confessed this was an oversight and fears he may lose his status as a Yorkshireman. George had the better of things in The Roebuck, where the Tetleys’ cask bitter was in excellent form at £3 a pint, but there were three B-teamers added to the cast list. We understand the celebrants shared the outlay and Steve kindly chipped in with a bountiful supply of crisps.

The day was not without its problems, however, with Peter delayed near his home at Birch Vale while he waited in vain for a promised lift from Tom. It transpired that Tom, suffering from a sore back, had sent a text the night before informing Peter he was hors de combat .Tom appears to be unlucky with his use of modern channels of communication, having once claimed to have received only part of an email from me, thus preventing him from placing an order correctly. As he seems to be cursed with ill luck, perhaps we can suggest Tom uses phone calls or telegrams in future.

We were 13 minutes late when our leader arrived which meant we were behind schedule at the first watering hole. This caused as much concern as the whereabouts of Tom, who remained impervious to all our efforts to contact him.

A plaque informed us at our starting point that Barber Booth was one of five booths in the Vale of Edale – Upper, Grindsbrook, Ollerbrook and Nether being the others – which had grown up around the temporary shelters (or “bothies”) used by shepherds.

From the car park we headed back under the viaduct (4mins) and turned right over a wooden stile (5mins) to enter a field. This brought us first through a wooden gate on the right and then three more wooden stiles in the space of three minutes. Another wooden gate (16mins) took us through thick mud before we headed towards Chapel Gate – a path over the shoulder of a distant hill.

After going through a wooden gate sandwiched between two more wooden stiles (21mins), we could see the ventilation shaft of Cowburn Tunnel on our right in the middle distance.

Cowburn Tunnel on the Hope Valley railway line is more than two miles long (3,702 yards) taking the line west out of the Edale Valley to Chinley. It was built in 1891 by the Midland Railway. On one occasion the headings filled with water to a depth of 90 feet and work carried on in a diving bell. Nevertheless when the headings met they were less than one inch out in the vertical and exact on the horizontal !

When we reached a drystone wall we turned left (52mins) and followed the path with the wall on our right until we reached a marker post and stopped for pietime (62mins). Continuing, we crossed two more wooden stiles to reach Lord’s Seat (64mins).This is the highest point on Rushop Edge at 1,804 feet and should not be confused with a fell and two hills of the same name in The Lake District.

From here we began our descent, crossing a wooden stile (71mins) and reached a road (83mins). We crossed it and took the path leading to Mam Tor, but after 20 yards went left along an alternative path which skirted the summit.

Mam Tor is 1,696 feet above sea level and its name means Mother Hill. It is also known as The Shivering Mountain because unstable layers of shale often cause landslides. The A625 linking Sheffield with Chapel-en-le-Frith was blocked many times and finally closed in 1979.

The path brought us to a gate (99mins) where we continued our descent along stone flags. The main party continued before taking a path on the left to head more steeply downhill. After going through a gate marked with a yellow arrow (118mins) we crossed a bridge over the River Noe. This brought us to a road (130mins) which we crossed and followed a wooden public footpath sign,

At a wooden gate we went diagonally left along the well-trodden path (133mins). At a gap stile (137mins) we repeated this manoeuvre and went through a wooden gate to follow a path made of flagstones (139mins). Another gap stile brought us to a bridge where we crossed the Noe again and turned right along a road with Edale Parish Church on our left (144mins).

The present church was consecrated in 1886 on the site of the first chapel built in 1633. We are indebted to our learned friend Mr Beal for the information that before this date the villagers were obliged to take the coffins of their dear departed over Hollins Cross to the nearest church in Hope. It thus became known as “The Corpse Road.”

This route brought us to The Old Nags Head (146mins). Pedants may have noticed, as I did, that there is a missing apostrophe in the pub’s name. Blame the sign-writer, not your diarist, for this outrageous grammatical error which also applied to the term Hikers Bar above the door. It was hard to fault The Farmers Blonde (no apostrophe: you have to admire their consistency) or The Black Sheep apart from the price of £3-75 a pint.

On leaving we turned left in the direction of Edale railway station and followed a road with Coopers Cafe on our right. The track was marked with a yellow arrow. We turned left at a wooden public footpath sign (150mins) and went through a wooden gate marked with a yellow arrow (152mins). After passing through another wooden gate we paused for lunch (157mins) and watched a group of paragliders riding the thermals off Rushop Edge.

Resuming we crossed a stream and headed diagonally left across a field. Two wooden gates either side of a footbridge led us into another field (161mins) and we followed a fingerpost for Barber Booth through a wooden gate (165mins). We crossed Bridge 58 (171mins) and passed The Old Dairy on our right (173mins).

After crossing a bridge we turned right at a fingerpost for Upper Booth (175mins) and this road took us under the railway viaduct and back to our cars (182mins). After de-booting we drove to The Roebuck at Chapel and joined the B-teamers.

Next week’s walk, known as The Phallic Route, begins at 9.30am from the car park of The Soldier Dick at Furness Vale. After a climb into Lyme Park we plan to descend to Disley for a stiffener at The Dandy Cock around 12.15pm. From there we will walk along The Peak Forest Canal back to The Soldier Dick, expecting to arrive at about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !

Rudyard

Rudyard

October 26, 2016

CAR PARK AT MINIATURE RAILWAY AT RUDYARD, STAFFORDSHIRE WAY, LADDEREDGE COUNTRY PARK, CALDON CANAL, HOLLY BUSH INN, STONELOWE HALL, DUNWOOD, BRADSHAW, DEVIL'S LANE, RUDYARD

Distance: 11 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Mild and mainly sunny

Walkers: Peter Beal, Micky Barrett, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Laurie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Steve Kemp, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip

Apologies: Alan Hart (caring duties), George Dearsley (still living in Turkey), George Waites (unspecified)

Leader: Fairman​Diarist: Beal

S.O.B. Walkers: Tony Job, Terry Jowett, Ken Sparrow

Starting point: Miniature railway car park at Rudyard

Starting time: 10.02am​Finishing time: 3.24pm

Rudyard Lake marks probably the most southerly starting point of all Wednesday Wanderers expeditions. And as befits southern climes, our nine walkers were rewarded with mild weather and, despite a hint of rain around pietime, largely sunny skies with some fine views of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Our journey was slightly longer than usual but with easy walking, despite a large number of stiles, and an excellent pub at halfway. During the course of our travels a passing young lady cyclist apparently referred to us as 'an interesting group of men'. This might have been because we appeared to be lost at the time.

Sadly Alan was an absentee today, having to look after the lovely Elaine, who he wryly describes as his carer. Elaine, a very experienced walker, was alone on Coombs Moss above Chapel, one of the Peak's less-frequented moorlands, on Monday when she fell, came to a halt above a steep drop, and broke an ankle. Fortunately she was able to ring 999 and the Mountain Rescue reached her two hours later and as darkness fell stretchered her down to a waiting ambulance near the Beehive Inn. She expects to be in plaster for six weeks. The Wanderers wish her a speedy recovery. 

Our starting point was the car park of the miniature steam railway that runs alongside Rudyard Lake. It should more properly be called a reservoir, as it was built in 1797 to supply the Caldon Canal, which we were to walk along later. At 168 acres and over 2.5 miles long, it was probably at the time the largest of its kind in Britain.

It also gave its name to one of our most famous storytellers. Stoke-on-Trent architect and illustrator Lockwood Kipling got engaged to his girlfriend Alice MacDonald there in 1863 and when their son was born in Bombay two years later they named him after the spot. Who has not heard of Reservoir Kipling?

We left the car park to the south and headed along the course of the disused North Staffordshire Railway, which in its 19th century heyday used to bring thousands of trippers to the Lake, earning it the title of the 'Blackpool of the Potteries'.

We reached a concrete bridge (7 minutes) and descended steps to the right, crossed a small stream, and turned immediately left to join a path running alongside the small feeder stream which carries the water supply to the Caldon Canal.

We followed this for the next 50 minutes, along a track that was muddy at first but improved later, crossing a series of stiles. Leek golf course came unto view below us to the left and shortly after we crossed a wooden footbridge on our right.

We turned right almost back on ourselves on a path up a steep grassy hill but before reaching the top slanted left and downhill to reach a picnic table where pietime was declared (55 min).

Resuming after a leisurely 14-minute break, despite Tom's presence, we continued downhill and turned left over a substantial footbridge. We went uphill on a path with a series of wooden steps and emerged at houses on the main A53 Leek to Stoke-onTrent road (62 min). A sign told us we had been in the Ladderedge Country Park.

We turned left and walked on the pavement. Some familiar confusion reigned here over where we should turn off. Colin at one point resorted to the old Indian trackers' trick - of asking an elderly couple in a car (66 min). They were no help.

We ended up a good distance down the road before turning (74 min) right across a cattle grid on a track. We were in fact here only a stone's throw from the point where we had left the feeder stream for our diversion in to the country park.

We crossed  a concrete bridge on our left and took a grassy path alongside our old friend the feeder stream to where a sign on a kissing gate declared it to be a wildlife habitat (of unspecified nature) (80 min).

We soon came to another bridge that marked the end of the Leek branch of the Caldon Canal and a large stone sign proclaiming 'Welcome to Leek'. We were truly in the Midlands.

The Caldon Canal, which leaves the Trent and Mersey in Etruria, Stoke, was opened in 1779 to carry limestone from Cauldon Low quarries near Froghall to the Potteries. The Leek branch opened 18 years later. It was restored to leisure use in 1974.

We turned right along the well-surfaced towpath, with the canal on our right, and followed this tranquil stretch of canal for the next 44 minutes. Before we reached a low tunnel, which we by-passed on a flight of steps, we watched a large hired narrowboat attempting to turn round, with difficulty, in the narrow channel.

We finally reached a bridge (124 min), where we turned left down a lane to reach the welcoming Hollybush Inn on the nearby main branch of the Caldon Canal (132 min).

We sat outside the attractive pub, once a flour mill, with narrowboats moored alongside and were soon joined by SOB walkers Tony Job, Terry Jowett and Ken Sparrow. They had parked at the pub, walked along the canal to Cheddleton, and returned by footpaths for a walk of around 4 miles.

Wainwright's bitter was on offer at a reasonable £3. But your temporary diarist has to report that a pint of lime and lemonade was an eye-watering £2-50. He is now off the wagon again as a result.

We restarted at 1.20pm and turned right along the canal, under an aqueduct carrying the Leek branch, and reached a flight of three locks and a white former lock-keeper's cottage at the point where the two branches of the canal divide. As we searched for a footpath sign Mark struck up conversation with a passing lady cyclist on the flimsy excuse of asking directions. That was when she made the 'interesting group of men' comment. Mark reports a definite hint of disdain in her voice.

We located the well-hidden footpath next to the house and turned right on a footpath (138 min).

We crossed an open railway line and crossed two stiles across marshy gound to join a stony path uphill. We turned right over a stile in to a field and reached a lane where lunch was taken opposite a house called Bank End (153 min).

We turned right up the lane and almost immediately turned left at a footpath fingerpost. We crossed the A53 again via two stiles, through three fields and up a track to reach Stonelowe Hall, a converted 17th century farmhouse, now a Grade Two listed building that Laurie reported had featured recently on TV's Grand Designs (205min).

We took a grassy footpath at the side of a pond at the left of the hall and followed a high hedge across a series of fields before going right over a stile to reachy a minor road (215 min).

We turned right and at the crest of the hill (228 min) taking a track on the right signed Summerhill Farm. At a right-hand bend we carried straight on along a footpath (232 min) and continued over stiles through fields to emerge on the drive of a large private house whose front gate brought us out on the road called Devil's Lane (243 min). Research shed no light on the origin of the name.

We turned left and at the crest of the hill turned right through a gap in the stone wall (250 min). A pleasant walk through field with stiles too numerous to detail followed with excellent views from the high ground we were now on.

Bosley Cloud and Croker Hill could be seen to the left and front of us and on the skyline to the right the distinctive outline of the Roaches and Hen Cloud. We followed the footpath signs to drop steeply downhill to reached the railway track at the point where we had left it to join the feeder stream on the outward journey (309 min).

We turned left along the track and shortly afterwards reached the car park (324 min).

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am at the National Park free car park near Barber Booth in Edale. To reach this turn right off the Chapel to Castleton road to Mam Nick, next to Mam Tor. The road drops down in to Edale and just before Barber Booth is reached at the bottom a minor road goes left. Go under a railway viaduct and the lay-by car park is around 200 yards further on.

En route refreshments will be at the Nag's Head in Edale, and afterwards at the Roebuck in Chapel-en-le Frith.

Happy wandering!

Poynton

October 19, 2016.

POYNTON POOL, WOODFORD, BIRCH HALL KENNELS, BRAMHALL HIGH SCHOOL, HAPPY VALLEY, BRAMALL HALL, LADYBROOK VALLEY, THE BULL’S HEAD AT POYNTON (OR THE BOAR’S HEAD AT HIGHER POYNTON) AND POYNTON SPORTS CLUB

Distance: 6-7 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Warm and sunny.

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, John Jones, Steve Kemp, Jock Rooney with Tips and George Whaites.

S.O.B walkers: Tony Job, Ken Sparrow and Geoff Spurrell.

Non-walking drinker: Pete Morrall.

Apologies: Peter Beal (visiting whores), George Dearsley (in Turkey).

Starting point: Poynton Pool car park, off Anglesey Drive.

Starting time: 9.35am. Finishing time: 2pm.

This was described by the leader as a journey into the unknown. Some wags unkindly suggest that this is always the case when your diarist takes charge – and so it proved.

Using the birthday boy’s customary privilege, I chose this route because it may be a last chance to see some of the beauty of Happy Valley in Bramhall before it is transformed beyond recognition by a massive dual carriageway linking the A6 with Manchester Airport. It was also an opportunity to see at first hand some of the “progress” which is being made.

That the promise of free drink should swell our numbers, that the leader should lose some of the group, and that much derision should consequently be poured upon him was entirely predictable.

Happily, due to the flexibility which is the strength of the Wednesday Wanderers, we were able to shorten the planned route without any howls of protest. The fact that this involved a prolonged stay in the first pub went unchallenged.

From Poynton Pool car park we set off along the footpath with the lake on our left, observing swans, Canada geese, coots, moorhens and a cormorant. Just after a bench on our right (7mins) we turned right to reach the main road, where we turned left and soon right into Vicarage Lane (9mins). Where this merges with Glastonbury Avenue over cobbles at its end (11mins), we followed a path on the right of the avenue with a hedge on our left and a brook on our right.

The path took us over a bridge and we carried straight on (16mins) as the path swung right, passing Park Lodge (22mins) and Haybrook Cottage (26mins) on our left. This brought us to the main road (27mins) where we turned right and saw the first of the devastating effects of the new much-needed road on the environment.

We turned left towards Birch Hall Kennels and Cattery (30mins) and turned left at the entrance to a riding school (42mins). This took us past a poultry farm, where the farmer’s wife has been raising prize-winning cocks for many years. We saw some examples, including a pair of exotic turkeys.

The path then merged with Lytham Drive and the start of a housing estate. We made our way through the estate, bearing slightly right until we swung left with Bramhall High School on our right (50mins). Immediately after the school buildings we turned right (53mins) at a green footpath sign and the path took us down to the bank of Lady Brook and Happy Valley (57mins).

With the brook on our right we followed the path until it brought us to the main road at Bridge Lane(64mins). Instead of crossing the huge roundabout and entering Bramhall Park, your diarist-leader turned left up Valley Road, wrongly believing this would lead to the park. At the end of the road, on the left was a path into the woods (73mins) which led back to Lady Brook (75mins)

We could have turned right and started the journey back towards Poynton, but some of the walkers expressed interest in seeing Bramall Hall. 

Bramall was first described in the Domesday Book of 1086 as being held by the Masseys. From the late 14th Century it was owned by the Davenports who built the present timber-framed manor house. The Davenports remained lords of the manor for 500 years before selling their estate of nearly 2,000 acres in 1877 to the Manchester Freeholders’ Company.

This was a property company formed expressly to exploit the estate’s potential for residential building development. The hall and residential park were sold to the Nevill family of successful industrialists. In 1925 the Tudor-style hall and its 70 acres of gardens were bought by John Henry Davies.

Ten years later the hall and land were acquired by Hazel Grove and Bramhall Urban District Council. Following government reorganisation in 1974, Bramall Hall and park became the property of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. 

So, after discussion, we turned left and went along the path with the brook on our right to reach the main road for a second time. On this occasion we turned left along Bridge Lane (83mins), passed Brookdale Club and Theatre on our right, negotiated the roundabout and entered Bramhall Park (87mins).

Micky, who was suffering from a painful foot, opted to stop at the nearest bench for Pietime, his chum Steve loyally offering to keep him company. The rest of us walked uphill to the front of the hall where we sat on benches and admired the view in bright sunshine (93mins). After port and snacks we headed back to collect Micky and Steve to start the return journey.

It was at this stage that JJ was found to have gone absent without leave, having decided to spend a more solitary Pietime at the rear of the hall chatting to any pretty women he could find. By mobile phone Colin gave instructions about our route and we continued our of the park, along Bridge Lane and turning right back into Happy Valley (99mins) with Lady Brook now on our left.

At a wooden bridge we crossed to the opposite side of the brook and encountered a muddy section just before crossing a wooden stile (126mins). After 15 yards uphill we turned right over a wooden stile and dropped into a field where we turned left.

This brought us to a wooden stile leading to Woodford Road (136mins) where we turned right  and then left into Mill Hill Hollow (138mins). This path led us across a track where land was being cleared in connection with the new road. We kept going until the path emerged via a metal kissing gate to London Road North, Poynton (144mins)

We crossed the road to reach Poynton Pool again, where we waited for the stragglers (not including the wounded Micky) to catch up (154mins). It was decided that The Boar’s Head at Higher Poynton was now a pub too far, so contingency plans were discussed and approved. Those with vehicles drove to our final destination, Poynton Sports Club, from where they walked to The Bull’s Head. Those without cars walked alongside the lake, again on our left, to the end of the footpath at South Park Drive (164mins). 

We then turned right on to London Road North, crossed it and entered The Bull’s Head on our left (166mins) to enjoy pints of Theakstons’ Original for £3-30. While there we received a call from the S.O.B. team who were in The Boar’s Head.

As planned we were all reunited at Poynton Sports Club,400 yards from The Bull’s Head on the opposite side of the road, along with ex-walker and one-time Spanish emigrant Pete Morrall, for pints of excellent Black Sheep cask bitter at £2-90. We also tucked into plates of plentiful chilli, chips and rice.

Next week’s walk will start at 10am from the car park next to the miniature railway station near Rudyard Lake, Staffordshire. It is anticipated we will call for a bracer at The Holly Bush in Denford around 12.15pm and finish the walk at about 2.15pm prior to de-booting and driving to The Knott Inn at Rushton Spencer around 2.30pm.

Happy wandering !

Taddington

TADDINGTON, FLAGG, DUKE OF YORK AT POMEROY, THE CHURCH INN AT CHELMORTON, BANK PIT SPRING, SOUGH TOP AND THE QUEENS ARMS AT TADDINGTON

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Warm and sunny at the start but cloud and light drizzle at the end.

Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Steve Kemp and George Whaites.

Apologies: Tom Cunliffe (in Anglesey), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (cruise lecturing) and Jock Rooney (on Isle of Man).

Leaders: Beal and Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Road outside The Queens Arms, Taddington.

Starting time: 10.05am Finishing time: 2.10pm.

This walk was suggested the previous week by Tom and it will come as no surprise to those following our excursions to learn that he did not attend. It has become a habit for Tom to suggest a route, win the approval of his companions and then send in an apology for his absence.

Happily this did little to dampen the spirits of The Magnificent Seven as we set off in warm sunshine beneath a blue canopy of sky. The day was not without incident however as our pietime was interrupted by a large herd of cattle stampeding down the road. On another occasion a small group of Friesian cows took a shine to George and followed him from one side of their field to the other as if he was The Pied Piper of Hamelin. This was accompanied by the sound of distant gunfire. What an exciting life we lead !

The decision to appoint joint leaders also paid off as we found our way to Chelmorton and back, arriving at both pubs within the allotted time. There is no room for complacency, however, as next week your diarist will be responsible for the journey.

We passed The Queens Arms on our left heading downhill before turning right into Dokindale Road and heading uphill along a stony track (1min). This brought us to a road (10mins) where we turned left and then headed right at a wooden public footpath sign (13mins).

The path led us over a stone step stile (17mins), through a wooden gate (21mins) and a gap stile (24mins) to reach a road and turn right (30mins). We went left at a wooden public footpath sign (31mins), crossed a wooden stile (35mins), a stone step stile (39mins) and another wooden stile (42mins).

We then crossed a stone step stile on our left (43mins) on our left and headed right. This took us past Flagg Hall to a road, which we crossed and paused for pietime (47mins). No sooner had we settled in a convenient bus shelter than a large herd of cattle poured past us on their way back to the farm at Flagg Hall. They appeared to you diarist to be cows, but one of our group shouted “Bullocks.”

When we resumed we walked down Mycock Lane past Flagg Nursery School and where the road swept left we carried straight on at a wooden public footpath sign (50mins). This took us over two stone steps stiles which brought us to a lane where we turned first left and then right at a wooden public footpath sign (62mins)

After walking through an open gateway we headed diagonally left through a field (66mins), crossed a stone step stile (73mins) and went through a metal gate (75mins). Another stone step stile brought us to a road where we turned right (77mins).

We immediately passed the Duke of York at Pomeroy, but there was no sign of Bev’s Baps on the car park. It was thought that this mobile catering establishment had closed down for the winter and we hoped Bev would be producing her tasty baps again in the spring.

As the road swung left we went to the right down steep steps towards a marker post with a yellow arrow (80mins). We crossed a stone step stile (87mins) and looked back to see a herd of cows following George, while the sound of shotguns could be heard in the distance.

We headed diagonally right through an open gate to reach crossroads (92mins) where we turned right along a track. This brought us to a road where we turned right (112mins). We turned right again at the next road (114mins) and this took us into the pretty village of Chelmorton.

Here we turned right with the Church of St John The Baptist on our right and The Church Inn on our left (122mins). We chose to rest in the latter and enjoyed pints of Original for £3-30.   

On leaving the pub we turned left uphill, passing the well called Bank Pit Spring, more memorably known by its former nickname of Illy Willy Water (for reasons lost in the mists of time). We swung left and walked steadily uphill until we reached a footpath crossing where we paused for lunch (132mins) by a sign for Five Wells Chambered Tomb.

Resuming we took the footpath which dog-legged right and then left to head for Taddington. We then crossed a series of eight stone step stiles before reaching a post with a yellow arrow which steered us to the right of Sough Top (149mins)

Passing the Trip Point at 438 metres on our left, we headed diagonally right to a wooden public footpath sign which led the way back to Taddington (152mins). This involved crossing a stone step stile, a wooden stile, crossing a road through two gap stiles and clambering over one final stone step stile to reach the village (159mins).

After squeezing through a narrow path next to a tall hedge, we swung left and then right to pass St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Taddington, on our left (162mins) before reaching The Queens Arms on our left (166mins) for pints of Doombar at £3-40.

Next week’s walk will be held on my 71st birthday, so I shall be leading us at 9.30am from the car park next to Poynton Pool off Anglesey Drive at the end of the road leading to my house. We hope to walk along the bank of the lake before heading towards Bramhall Park and performing a figure-eight as we return to The Boar’s Head at Higher Poynton at about 12.30pm.

After a pint there, we will return to Poynton Sports Club at 2pm, where I have arranged for the bar to be open.  I will buy you all a birthday drink followed by some hot food. I hope you can join me.

Happy wandering !

Little Hayfield

5 October 2016

Little Hayfield, Birch Vale, Peep 'O Day, Bowden Bridge , Twenty trees, Little Hayfield 

Distance:10 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Sunshine

Walkers: Greg Barret, Micky Barret, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Steve Kemp, George Whaites.

B walkers: none

Apologies: Alan Hart, Peter Beal (stuck in concrete?), Laurie Fairman (Letching on a cruise ship), George Dearsley ( stuck in a Turkey), Jock Rooney ( stuck in aMan)

Leader: Cunliffe 

Diarist: Davison

Start point: Lantern Pike Inn

Starting time: 9.40am. 

Finishing time: 2.20pm. 

Despite Mr Cunliffe's usual tardiness, our party assembled roughly on time .

The route:

We set off downhill past the Mill and turned left along the bridleway known to the Wanderers as the Giggle Gaggle Way to the back road between New Mills and Hayfield. Here we turned right.

After 100yds we climbed a stile on the left and followed the path to a track where we turned right. 50yds further on another stile on the left led us down across a field to the Birch Vale Mill Lodge. We crossed the dam and the Sett Valley Trail to emerge in Birch Vale on the A6105.

Directly across the road, Moorland road stretches straight up Ollerset Moor for half a mile. We followed this to a gate and continued upwards over moorland, pausing briefly for pietime, to the summit wall. Here, after some indecision on the part of our leader (half mile detour), we turned right on the far side.

We followed the ridge with a gale force side wind to the Big Stone at the head of the allotments where we turned sharp left downhill to pick up the track to Peep 'O Day. 

Over the Glossop Road we turned left and then right into the bridleway signposted to Hayfield. At the T junction we went straight ahead through a stile and followed the path which in turn became a track and a road to Bowden Bridge.

Crossing this we turned left towards Hayfield to the Sportsman Inn where the Marston’s bitter was on form at £3.25 a pint. Other beers were said to be acceptable and Mr Gibby smacked his lips over the landlord’s lime and soda mix.

Refreshed, we continue along the road to the start of the Snake Path on the right. This we followed pausing for a lunch break below Twenty Trees which, as we all know, consist but nineteen.

Passing through the gate in the wall to Middle Moor we took the narrow path straight ahead through the heather to Park Hall. Through the gate we turned left to the Glossop Road and right back to the Lantern Pike Inn.

Here the lovely Stella furnished us with the best chip butties this side of heaven until we near burst. The beer’s pretty good too but don’t tell Tom.

Next week’s walk will start at 10.00 am at the Queen’s Arms, Taddington. If the gods are with us, we shall visit the Church Inn at Chelmorton at lunchtime.

Happy wandering.