Gritstone Trail
56 km / 35 miles
Cheshire, Staffs
The Trail, which now includes the former Mow Cop Trail, follows the gritstone edge providing views of the Peak District and Cheshire Plain with much of the upland walking above 1,000ft. The route takes in Lyme Park, Sponds Hill, Tegg's Nose Country Park, Croker Hill and Mow Cop. The trail ends officially at Kidsgrove station, but continuing a short way on the Trent & Mersey canal is the entrance to the 2km long Harecastle Tunnel that emerges at Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. The only Explorer maps needed for the route itself are 1 and 268 - maps 24 and 258 only duplicate parts of the route. Downloadable route description and schematic map are on the web link below.
The Trail section from Rushton Spencer to Disley is part of the E2 E-Route.
At Lyme Park the Trail connects with the Ladybrook Interest Trail Walk (10 miles and on OS mapping). It links with the Staffordshire Way near to Rushton Spencer and the South Cheshire Way at Mow Cop.
See also E-Routes (E2).
Details:
| Path Type: | Paths Marked on OS mapping | |
| Waymark: | Black bootmark & yellow letter G | |
| Attributes: | Moorland | |
| Start: | SJ972846 - Disley Station, Disley, Cheshire  |
|
| Finish: | SJ837542 - Kidsgrove, Staffs |
|
| Web Sites: | Discover The Gritstone Trail | |
| Discover The Cheshire Peak District |
Publications, Badges and Certificates:
| Paperback: | Gritstone Trail & Mow Cop Trail (Northern Eye Books Limited (Mara) - 1995) |
| Leaflet: | Gritstone Trail (Cheshire County Council - 2001) |
Maps: |
 |
| Purchase Ordnance Survey Maps (path is named on OS maps): | |
| OS Landranger: | 109, 118 |
| OS Explorer: | 1, 24, 258, 268 |
| OS Explorer Active: | 1, 24, 258, 268 |
Walking Support Providers:
| Support Providers: | Self Guided Walking and Cycling Holidays and Baggage Transfer (Byways Breaks) |
Group Accommodation within 5 Km of this Path:
| Hostel Accommodation: | Wandering Duck | 4 Km |
| Camping Barn: | Underbank Camping Barn YHA, Blaze Farm, Macclesfield | 3 Km |
| Hostel Accommodation: | Gradbach YHA, Gradbach Mill, Quarnford, Buxton, Derbyshire | 5 Km |
Connected Paths:
Downloads:
| GPS Exchange Format Route File: | Gritstone Trail GPX Exchange Format Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |
| MemoryMap Route file: | Gritstone Trail Memory Map Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |
| Tracklogs Route file: | Gritstone Trail Tracklogs Route file | Login to Download (Members Only) |
Route Profile:
| 55.9 Km (34.7 miles) 1,613 m (5,292 ft) ascent 409 m (1,342 ft) maximum height |
 |