East Lancs on their travels


Along the Trail Start of the Gritstone Trail
Gritstone Trail

On 3 June, 5 experienced trail walkers and 1 novice met at a pub near Macclesfield to walk the Gritstone Trail – 37 miles of waymarked path marking the border between the Cheshire Plain and the Peak District. The route took us over 2 days from Disley Railway Station to Kidsgrove through some spectacularly beautiful countryside.

Day 1 commenced with a switchback taxi ride to the station at Disley from where the trail commences. The route took us through Lyme Park where we walked past a herd of deer who obligingly stood still and posed for as many pictures as we cared to take; after lunch (and a most welcome brew from a handily placed relative of one of the walkers) we climbed to White Nancy, a distinctive folly overlooking the town of Bollington and apparently built in 1820 to commemorate the battle of Waterloo. The trail continued along Kerridge Edge and through some beautiful broadleaved woodland to Tegg’s Nose Country Park, which is situated in the remains of a Gritstone quarry and includes informative posters about the local geology and some rather dangerous looking quarrying equipment. Because of the way the gritstone was laid down it is also at the top of the ridge and has some dramatic views.



After 15 miles, we reached our overnight stopping place which is ideally situated up a grass track about 50 yards from the trail! Food and accommodation were both great and the following morning we set out on the second, longer, leg of the walk. By lunchtime we had climbed through flowering rhododendrons to the summit of The Cloud in glorious sunshine and could see both where we had been and where we had still to go. A section of the trail follows a disused railway line, and we had the pleasure of seeing kingfishers on the opposite bank of the river below the embankment. The last features of the trail were the gritstone pillar called the Old Man of Mow and the dramatic folly of Mow Cop, built in 1754 (as a ruin!) to enhance the view for the local gentry. From there the trail drops down to pick up the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal back to Kidsgrove where we enjoyed a well deserved pint before taking the taxi back to where we were staying.



It was a fantastic walk, well marked, easy to follow and through ever changing scenery. Thanks to the organiser who put so much careful planning in to it, and to my fellow walkers who provided so much great company.
At White Nancy Celebratory Finishing Drink! Mow Cop Strolling Along The old man of Mow Trig point at Cloud