Ridgegate Reservoir

 

March 5, 2025

RIDGEGATE RESERVOIR, MACCLESFIELD FOREST, SHUTLINGSLOE, CRAG INN AT WILDBOARCLOUGH, PIGGFORD NATURE RESERVE, THE HANGING GATE AT HADDON FARM, SMALLHURST FARM, THE RYLES ARMS, LOWERHOUSE, GRITSTONE TRAIL, LEATHER'S SMITHY AT LANGLEY

 

Distance: 9.31 miles as recorded by the OS Maps App.

Difficulty: Moderately strenuous.

Weather: Clear skies and bright sunshine.

 

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Steve Brearley, Alastair Cairns, Mike Cassini, Mark Enright, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Chris Owen, Greg Owens, Julian Ross, Russell Spencer.

Alternative walkers: Jock and Keiran Rooney with Milly.

 

Apologies: Clive Rothel (supervising building works), Dean Taylor (making funeral arrangements), Alan Hart (in Stepping Hill with throat infection), James Riley (Malaga holidays), Cliff Worthington (NZ holidays), Simon Williams (awaiting clearance from Doctor before resuming walking), George Dearsley (in Turkey),Mickey Barrett (leg injury), Tom Cunliffe (knee injury), Keith Welsh (Cornwall holiday)

 

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Blease.

Starting point: Lay-by next to Ridgegate Reservoir, Sutton, Macclesfield, near Leather's Smithy pub in Clarke Lane, Sutton SK11 0NE.

Starting time: 9.55am. Finishing time: 2.45pm.

 

At the start of this popular walk Hughie introduced us to a Newbie member, Greg Owens. Greg lives in Cheadle Hulme and is not a former Policeman.

 

The group waited in the lovely sunshine for Mark E who had encountered some traffic problems.

 

Thanks once again to Alan Hart as most of this diary has been copied from his work in March 2024. 

 

After a slightly delayed start a magnificent dozen set off down the road with Ridgegate Reservoir on our right.We walked along the road, turning right towards Wincle and then heading left by a gate leading into Macclesfield Forest. This was the start of a steady climb uphill.

When we reached a six-barred wooden gate on our right a sign warned us that this had been designated for mountain bikers only. Eleven of the group ignored this path and carried on uphill but Chris wanted to enjoy the views over Ridgegate from Nessit Hill and so ignored the sign. He caught up with the main group shortly later. The main group carried on uphill, turning right at a footpath sign. The path continued uphill through a gate. The group reached the foot of Shutlingsloe, 8 deciding to turn right and head up to the Summit and Trig Point the remaining 4 choosing the easier option and went straight on to walk along the left shoulder of Shutlingsloe.

 

The group reconvened at the stile on the other side. The path then led us to a lane where we turned right. This brought us to a road where we turned right to reach The Crag Inn at Wildboarclough and stopped for Pietime at around 11:10am.

 

Resuming we immediately turned right at a yellow arrow to enter a field and followed the well-trodden path uphill through a series of gates. Several fields later we continued along a steeper path towards a drystone wall where we used a stone step stile to climb over it.

We turned left along a narrow lane with Piggford Nature Reserve on our right and joined a road emerging from our left. After passing Heron Crag on our left we turned right through a metal kissing gate at a green footpath sign.

This path took us through a wooden gate and across a footbridge. On our right was the home of George Osborne when he served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in David Cameron's Conservative government and represented the Tatton constituency.

We crossed a wooden stile, crossed a road and headed uphill through a wooden gate at a green public footpath sign. At another wooden gate we turned right then went left over a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow.

 

This path took us through a metal kissing gate where we emerged at a road with The Hanging Gate pub opposite. Sadly the pub is no longer open on Wednesday lunchtimes.

We went past the front door of the pub on our left with its separate toilets to our right, and reached a gate on our right marked with a yellow arrow.

The path took us through another metal kissing gate and down a flight of steps to a road where we turned left. After 20 yards we turned sharp left uphill then turned right towards Smallhurst Farm.

As we reached the impressive farmhouse we walked to its left following a footpath sign. It took us down steps and across a footbridge. We crossed a broken wall by the side of a ladder stile and through two metal kissing gates.

On reaching a wooden stile we turned left to reach the rear of The Ryles Arms. On entering the pub we were delighted to find Jock, Kieran and Millie the dog.

Here we enjoyed beer, lager and soft drinks. 

Suitably refreshed we retraced our footsteps to the lane leading to the back of the pub before turning right at a Gritstone Trail marker. After going through two metal kissing gates we walked through a wooden gate, climbed a stone step stile and reached a road.

We dog-legged right and left to follow the GT marker and go through a a wooden kissing gate and then a farmyard. 

Continuing to follow GT markers through metal kissing gates either side of a lane.

Another metal kissing gate brought us to a track where we turned left.

We went right through a wooden gate and crossed a wooden footbridge over a stream. The path then emerged on the banks of Ridgegate Reservoir. We turned left along the bank before reaching Leather's Smithy on our left.

 

Next week's walk will start at 9.40am from the road outside the Sportsman Pub on Kinder Road in Hayfield SK22 2LE. Mr Beal will lead us via Morland Road to The Lamb Inn on Hayfield Road Chinley SK23 6AL. We aim to be at the half way pub by 12.30pm. We will return to our cars via Dragons Back.

 

Happy wandering !

 

Eyam

February 26, 2025

 

 

FREE CAR PARK IN HAWKHILL ROAD, EYAM, THE NOOK, HIGHCLIFFE, SIR WILLIAM HILL, STOKE FORD, BRETTON CLOUGH, BARREL INN AT BRETTON, BOAR’S HEAD AT FOOLOW, FIELD PATHS TO EYAM.

 

 

Distance: ​8 miles​Ascent/descent:  1,320ft

 

Difiiculty: Moderate

 

Weather: Mainly dry with some sun. One brief shower.

 

Walkers: Peter Beal, Steve Brierley

 

Alternate walkers: Andy Blease, Russell Spencer, Keith Welsh, Jock Rooney, Keiran Rooney with Milly

 

Apologies: Chris Owen (dentist with toothache), Simon Williams (hospital scare, possible angina), Alastair Cairns and Neil Millington (Eyam rather too far), Clive Rothel (domestic work going on), Mark Enright (w@*king), Mike Cassini (away from home), Tom Cunliffe (dodgy knee)

 

Leader: Beal​​Diarist: Beal

 

Starting point: Free village car park, Eyam

 

Starting time: 9.51am​Finishing time: 2.00 pm

 

During the plague helpers would take money left in holes filled with vinegar in stones like the one above and bring food.

 

 

Sparsely-attended would be a kind way of describing the return to the once-popular starting point in the historic village of Eyam in the White Peak.

 

The only two Wanderers on the starting line at the appointed departure time were your diarist and Steve Brierley. It transpired that three other walkers – Andy, Keith and Russell – were delayed by faulty satnav directions. They were however able to join us at the refreshment stop of the Bull’s Head in Foolow, together with Jock and Keiran Rooney and Milly, and the seven of us – eight with Milly - were able to complete the return walk through the fields to Eyam.

 

The tragic history of Eyam – pronounced ‘Eem’ – is worth recounting briefly. In 1665 the bubonic plague, or Black Death, killed a tenth of London’s inhabitants. In Eyam the dead numbered 259 out of 76 families, a total population of about 350, which meant that only one villager in four survived.

 

The plague arrived in the village in cloth sent from London to a travelling tailor, George Vicars, who was lodging in a cottage near the church. Within four days he was dead. One of the village’s two ministers, young rector George Mompesson, took the initative, later questioned as perhaps unwise, to basically seal off the village from the outside world to prevent the disease spreading. The last victim died thirteen months later. They included Mompesson’s wife Catherine, whose tomb is sheltered by a yew in the churchyard.

 

We left the extensive free village car park, bizarrely sited right next to a smart pay-and-display operated by the Derbyshire Dales Council at £6 a day, turned right up Hawkhill Road and soon bore left in to the lane of The Nook, where a newly-resurfaced track took us sharply uphill to join the road running along Eyam Edge at Highcliffe.

 

Here we turned right and after around 400 yards we took a stone stile on the left in to a field. Ahead of us on the left was the towering TV mast and the trig point marking the top of Sir William Hill, at 1,407 feet the highest point of the walk.

 

No-one seems to know with certainty after whom the hill was named, but it was most likely one of four Dukes of Devonshire who bore the name William. What is certain is that it was not in honour of the well-known bookmaker of the same name.

 

Passing the mast we reached two more stone stiles taking us across a track and on to heather moorland with panoramic views of the White Peak countryside, the village of Grindleford visible below us on the right.

 

The narrow path through the heather took us past a cairn marked as of historic significance on the OS map and dropped down to Stoke Ford in the steep valley of Bretton Clough, where we paused for pietime.

 

We did not cross the ford but turned left to follow the line of the stream down on our right, along a quite muddy track for around half a mile. This brought us to a steep stream valley where we crossed on a bridge to climb the opposite bank towards two ruined buildings.

Here we bore left up the valley before the path swung right uphill and continued on firmer ground to eventually reach a distinct track.

 

We turned right here to reach two cottages where the track became tarmac and continued for another half-mile to reach the Barrel Inn at Bretton, the highest pub in Derbyshire at 1,300 feet. The views from here are magnificent and we were given clear, sunny weather to make the most of them.

 

It was too early to break for drinks, so we turned left along the road, taking an immediate left to start the downhill walk of just over a mile to the village of Foolow. At the Bull’s Head we found Andy, Keith and Russell waiting for us, having walked across country following their late arrival at the starting point. We were joined soon after by Jock and Keiran, with Milly, also having wandered from Eyam.

 

After a pleasant break with Black Sheep and Abbeydale Moonshine beers (both over £5 a pint), we left the pub, turned left on the road towards Eyam for around 100 yards before taking a stile on the right in to fields for an easy walk of some 45 minutes back to our starting point.

 

The walk was gentle but did involved a succession of some 20 stiles and small gates typical of this part of the Peak.

 

Back in Eyam your diarist, Steve and Jock and Keiran enjoyed further refreshment at the welcoming Miners’ Arms in the village centre.

 

Next week’s walk will start at 9.40am at the top end of Ridgegate Reservoir, near Langley in Macclesfield. We will climb the peak of Shutlingsloe before heading for the Ryles Arms for refreshment around 12.30pm. Further drinks can be had at The Leather’s Smithy pub at the foot of the reservoir.

 

*Please note. At the time of writing the Whaley Bridge to Macclesfield road was still closed by a landslip above the village of Rainow, so some Wanderers may need to vary their route to the start to take this in to account.

 

Happy wandering!

Bollington

February 19, 2025

 

BOLLINGTON REC CAR PARK, PALMERSTON STREET, CHURCH STREET, INGERSLEY VALE, WHITE NANCY, KERRIDGE HILL, KERRIDGE END, BULL HILL LANE, BRINK FARM, WALKER BARN, HORDERN FARM, LAMALOAD ROAD, TOWER HILL RAINOW, SUGAR LANE, FLAGG COTTAGE, VIRGINS' PATH, INGERSLEY VALE, CHURCH STREET, THE VALE PUB IN ADLINGTON ROAD

 

Distance: 8.22 miles as recorded by the OS Maps App

Ascent/descent: 1453 ft

Difficulty: Moderate with one sharp climb

Weather: Cold and overcast with intervals of light rain.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Steve Brearley, Hughie Hardiman, 

Chris Owen, Julian Ross, Keith Welsh

Non Walking Drinkers: Jock and Keiran Rooney with Milly

Apologies: Simon Williams (unspecified), Russ Spencer (decorating), Tom Cunliffe (knee injury), Mark Enwright (w***ing), Dean Taylor (domestic duties), Alastair Cairns (Keswick), Neil Millington (unspecified), Mike Cassini (strained stomach), Alan Hart (Hospital appointment), Clive Rothel (failed a late fitness test), Jim Riley (unspecified)

Leader: Various​Diarist: Blease

Starting point: Free car park opposite Bollington Recreation Ground

Starting time: 9.40am​Finishing time: 1.15pm

 

Despite quite a long list of apologies a magnificent 7 strode out under overcast skies, punctuated by occasional light rain.

To the dismay of both Jock and Keiran, who arrived at the Robin Hood pub at 12:15pm in Rainow, we didn’t call in as planned because a few of the group needed an early finish. The group decided instead to stay together and take advantage of the £3.00 cask beer on offer at The Vale. 

Fortunately the situation was rectified when Jock realised something might be amiss and called Julian. Eventually, nine of us assembled at The Vale pub and enjoyed what turned out to be free pints of beer purchased by Julian to celebrate his 64thBirthday. Alan had hoped to join us in The Vale for drinks but unfortunately his consultation at the hospital was delayed.

 

 

Once again, this diary has been cobbled together using previous diaries complied by both Mr Hart and Mr Beal.

 

We left the car park and took the familiar route under the canal aqueduct to follow the town's main street to Smith's orgasmic pie shop. It was at this moment disappointment reigned, there were fresh crusty loafs on display, the windows were slightly steamed up, indicating perhaps that baking had taken place, the door, however, was locked and the shop empty of staff. We did return later in the day where several of the group purchased the orgasm inducing pies for their wives. 

 

We turned right into Church Street and at the bottom swung left into Ingersley Vale. Shortly before the track reached the derelict Ingersley Vale mill, also known as Clough Mill, we took a signed path on the right which took us up a flight of wooden steps. We went through a gate into a field and walked up a grassy slope to reach a bridleway, that runs below the prominent monument of White Nancy.

 

 

 

We followed the bridlepath to reach the foot of rough stone steps on the left that took us steeply up the hill to reach the monument.

 

After a photo opportunity, we walked along the ridge with Hurdsfield Industrial estate on our right and the village of Rainow on our left. By taking the right fork after passing through a kissing gate we were on the higher path which brought us to the Trig point.

 

We then followed the path through a series of gates which took us down to the point where Lidgetts Lane meets the A5002 through Rainow. It was here that we enjoyed pie time.

 

Resuming, we turned right for a short distance before crossing the road to well-concealed stone steps and a stile that led us up through a path along the side of two fields. We emerged on the minor road of Bull Hill Lane.

 

We turned right uphill here for a little over a quarter of a mile before reaching the main A537 Buxton New Road. We crossed a stile a short distance along the road on the left. This led to a stile which we crossed and turned left through two fields with a stone stile in between, before reaching Brinks Farm. We passed the farm buildings and continued along a track to soon reach the main road again just short of Walker Barn on our right. This was the former site of the Setter Dog pub, which before its closure in 2007, was said to be the last pub in England also functioning as a post office.

 

After passing the building, now a house, on our left we turned left down a track and at the foot bore left down a path, crossing a stream and continuing left to join another track near the converted farm builings at Hordern Farm. A track at the other side climbed slightly before we turned left over a stile to descend through fields over a series of stiles to emerge on Lamaload Road, the road serving the Lamaload reservoir and its water treatment works.

 

Eventually we reached the main road through Rainow and made the decision not to visit the Robin Hood pub but to continue down Sugar Lane before reaching Flagg Cottage on the right Here, we took the familiar path on the right, climbing down steps across a stream and up the other side to reach the flagged Virgins' Path through the fields to the derelict Ingersley Vale mill.

 

From the mill we rejoined our outward route through the town to reach the Vale Inn, via the pie shop.

 

Next week's walk will be led by Peter and will start from the free car park (behind the public toilets) on Hawkhill Road Eyam (S32 5AD I think) at 9.50am. There is an honesty box here where users of the car park can make a charitable donation if they wish. Please note that there is also a Pay and Display car park nearby at a cost of £6.00 for the day. We will be calling in at the Bulls Head in Foolow (S32 5QR) at around 12.30pm for drinks. There is the option of further refreshments at the end in the Miners’ Arms in Eyam.

 

Happy Wandering!