Walks

The walk starts at 10am from the main car park on The Street beside the twin reservoirs Errwood and Fernilee, opposite the sailing club.  Post code SK17 6GJ.  There are alternative ways to get there, depending on where you start from and how much you dislike driving on single track roads.

NB the post code covers a wide area and can be misleading. Please use the directions below.

Either:  Take the A523 and turn towards Adlington on Brookledge Lane.  After 1.6 miles go right onto Shrigley Road.  After 0.8 miles go left onto Bakestonedale Road.  After 2.2 miles go left on the B5470 to Kettleshulme.  On the outskirts of Kettleshulme take a sharp right onto Side End Lane.  After 2 miles go left on Embridge Causeway which becomes The Street.  You come to the reservoirs after 1.3 miles and the parking is on the right immediately after having turned right. 

Alternatively (probably longer, but easier roads) take the A6 to the turning for Whaley Bridge.  At the Whaley Bridge roundabout take the A5004 towards Buxton.  After 6 miles take a sharp right onto Goyt's Lane.  The reservoirs are after 1.6 miles.  Cross the causeway between the reservoirs and turn left and then immediately right into the carpark.

The carpark is free but there are no facilities.  Please note, there are two car parks on this side of Fernilee Reservoir. The one we are meeting at is nearest the junction with The Street and the causeway between the 2 reservoirs.

We walk along the west bank of Fernilee Reservoir, then beside the River Goyt to Taxal. (There are loos in the churchyard at Taxal.) From Taxal we climb fairly steeply up to Taxal Edge and on to Windgather Rocks and Cats Tor.  From Cat's Tor we drop steeply down on a rocky path towards the ruins of Errwood Hall and hence back to the car park. 

PLEASE NOTE:  The path back down to Errwood Reservoir is steep and stony, so you may find a pole(s) useful. 

A circuit that touches only the very eastern end of the Roaches ridge and circles round to include Ramshaw Rocks and Hen Cloud. While some of the paths are undoubtedly boggy this route covers unusual ground including a section of the Churnet Way.  There are dramatic views to the north over the Black Brook Nature Reserve, to the east over the MoD Upper Hulme firing range and south over Tittesworth Reservoir.

Start: Roadside parking on Roach Road, Upper Hulme, Leek ST13 8UB. Lat/Long 53.156320, -1.995437. OS Explorer map : The Peak District - White Peak Area. Grid Ref: SK 00402 62132.

Difficulty: A long stroll with wet bog and muddy paths. Waterproof boot with gaiters strongly recommended.

Route: Roadside parking on Roach Road, Don Whillans Memorial Hut (Rockhall Cottage), Hazel Barrow, Ford, Lower Stake Gutter, Churnet Way, Ramshaw Rocks 460m,Ferny Knowl, Well Farm, Hen Cloud 410m, The Roaches House, roadside parking on Roach Road.

Outdooractive route details and map

Walk starts at 10.00am at the Derbyshire Bridge car park. Make your way to the Cat & Fiddle pub (Post code SK11 0AR isn’t helpful as it covers a huge area) on the A537 Macclesfield to Buxton Road. Very soon after the pub, fork left on to the road which takes you down to the car park. It is is free and there are toilets.

The walk heads north following the River Goyt before turning to the west over Goyt’s Moss, then south to Axe Edge Moor. We follow the Dane Valley Way to Danebower. Next way mark is the Cat & Fiddle before dropping down to the start.

Mostly moderate 8.5 miles.

Outline: A loop that gives two quite different perspectives of Derbyshire,  of the mining industry and of an exquisite ravine. There are superb views from a height over the enormous Tunstead Quarry as well as travelling through the quarry on a well marked footpath.  The quarry is not a pretty place, but it is magnificent in scale and highly unusual to to have a public right of way footpath. Two sections of stepping stones in the River Wye provide access through a stunningly beautiful hidden valley floor.

Difficulty: This route involves some ascent and descent over over rough terrain on footpaths and stretches of stepping stones in the River Wye.

Walk start: 10:30hrs, Wye dale Car Park, Topley Pike, A6, Buxton SK17 9TE. Lat/Long 53.249226,-1.846590. OS map OL24, Grid Reference SK 10333 72474.

Parking: Wye Dale Car Park - pay and display / card only (chip and pin & contactless), sadly no free car parking nearby.

Route: Wye Dale Car Park, Blackwell Mill, Cowlow, Hardybarn Lane, Green Fairfield Farm, Tunstead Works (Limestone), stone railway footbridge, Tips (dis), Hassop Farm, Wormhill Springs, Chee Dale, Blackwell Mill, Wye Dale Car Park. This route involves walking on remote traffic free roads for about 1.5miles.

Outdooractive details and map

Details to follow

Walk starts at 10am at Adlington Road cark park, Bollington SK10 5JT

Directions to start:  go to Silk Road and head towards Macclesfield, turn left at first roundabout towards Bollington. Drive most of the way through Bollington, at the Vale Inn, turn left at Adlington Road and left into car park 100 yards down that road. There are toilets but opening is uncertain.

NOTE:  Adlington Road Bollington remains closed. The alternative route is through Adlington village and left after the Middlewood Way and canal bridges on to Sugar Lane, which brings you evetually to the car park

The target of the walk is the top of Nab End with its trig point.

The walk heads south along Middlewood Way then on to the canal, across fields to the path up to Kerridge Ridge, left to White Nancy. The walk goes downhill to the outskirts of Bollington and then to Nab End, with great views in all directions. The walk returns the same way and then back on to the canal and the Middlewood Way. There is an ascent up to the Kerridge Ridge and descent from White Nancy and the steady climb up to Nab End.

This is the third attempt to lead this walk in dry weather, the first attempt we shortened and the second we gor very wet.

Details to follow

Details to follow

The walk starts at 10am from the car park in Eyam, opposite the Eyam Museum on Hawkhill Road (S32 5QP). The bottom car park is pay and display but the top car park is free. There is an honesty box. There are public toilets at the car park.

Directions to start

From Wilmslow, get onto the A6 from the A555. Follow the A6 past  Chapel-en-le-Frith and at the next roundabout turn left onto the A623, signposted Chesterfield. After 10 miles turn left, signposted to Eyam Village, on the B6251. After 700 yards, at the first junction, turn left onto Church Street. Follow the road for about half a mile and turn right into Hawkhill Road. Approximate distance from Wilmslow 34 miles.

The walk

We leave the car park and walk through the village of Eyam, perusing the numerous plaques outside the cottages which record the number of deaths within each cottage during the Eyam Plague of 1665! On a more uplifting note, we climb out of the village, over the Sir William Hill Road onto the moors high above Eyam. Following tracks and fields, we arrive at the Barrel Inn, the highest pub in Derbyshire, where, on a clear day, you can see five counties. (Answer: Derbyshire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire.) We descend to the pretty little hamlet of Foolow, with its duck pond (and hopefully some ducks) and pub. We then walk across fields back to Eyam. 

Poles may be useful, especially on downhill stretches.

Outline: A walk past Greenbooth and Middle Naden reservoirs to Knowl Hill 419m and through the middle of the Scout Moor Wind Farm - the second largest onshore wind farm in England. This is comprised of 26 large wind turbines on windy and exposed moorland with magnificent views to the North and to the South over Manchester.

Difficulty: A moderately long stroll over an exposed moorland with mostly good tracks all the way. 

Start: 10:30hrs at Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park, Forsyth Lane, Rochdale OL12 7TB. Lat/Long 53.641787,-2.213069, OS Explorer Map 1:25,000 OL21 - South Pennines. OS Grid Ref. SD 85991 16174. This location is just north of Rochdale so it is further away from Wilmslow than the average WGWG walk. 

Transport Route Issue: The Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park is very hard to find. The postcode for Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park displayed on Google Maps as OL12 7TL and is incorrect, as this postcode is for a large area to the West of Greenbooth Reservoir about 2 miles away from the actual car park. If you accidentally use OL12 7TL you will most likely find yourself driving up Greenbooth Road or Over Town Lane and you will be in completely the wrong place and a long way from your intended destination. The nearest building to the Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park is Brown Hill Farm, Woodhouse Lane, Rochdale, OL12 7TB, which is 264 metres south from the car park. The best way to navigate to the Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park is to go to Brown Hill Farm near the north end of Woodhouse Lane and then keep driving up the hill. Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park is 80 metres west (to the left) from the northern tip (the top) of Woodhouse Lane on Forsyth Lane. The start of Woodhouse Lane is itself hard to find, it links to Edenfield Road next to a miniscule triangular park with a stone cross and flagpole opposite the Easy St. Personal Training, 605 Edenfield Road, Norden, Rochdale OL11 5X. Woodhouse Lane is a 1.25 mile long steep road with large patches of enormous cobblestones worthy of a 1973 Hovis advert.

Route: Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park, The Rochdale Way, Naden Middle reservoir, Dixon's Brow, Knowl Hill 419m, Top of Cheesden Pasture, Hail Storm Hill, Cowpe Moss, Mary Towneley Loop, Rossendale Way commemorative stone, Reddyshore Top, Greenbooth Reservoir Car Park.

Outdooractive details and route map

Poor Weather Alternative: Scout Moor Wind Farm is great in high wind but is not a fun place to be wandering around in bad weather. If it is raining and cloudy an alternative route has been planned which involves visiting just one wind turbine, Knowl Hill 419m and a  full circuit of Naden Lower Reservoir, Naden Higher Reservoir and Greenbooth Reservoir.  it starts from the same place and at the same time as the normal walk. Poor weather alternative: Outdooractive  details and route map

Walk starts at 10am at Curbar Gap Car Park SK262747, £5 all day parking fee, but free for National Trust members. Nearest postcode S32 3YR, which brings you to Bar Road on hill up to car park after left turn off A623 at Calver. 

Directions to start: Make your way to Whaley Bridge and take the A6 Chapel en le Frith bypass. Turn left onto A623 and continue through Stoney Middleton to Calver. Just past the Derbyshire Craft Centre (on your left) turn left signed Froggat and Curbar. In a few metres bear right up Curbar Lane towards Curbar village, then onto Bar Road. Follow the steep uphill road for about a mile, passing laybys on the left. At the top of the hill turn left into Curbar Gap Car Park. From Wilmslow the journey is about 33 miles and should take approximately an hour. The car park can be busy and I'm willing to give 3 people a lift from Hazel Grove Park and Ride if anyone is interested. 

Walk description: This walk is on the easier side of moderate. There are a few undulations but it is generally easy walking on good moorland paths and estate tracks. The views, weather permitting, are very scenic. The route follows White Edge, Longshaw Estate, the Grouse Inn, Froggat Edge and Curbar Edge.  Lunch will be at Longshaw, where there are toilets, as well as picnic tables and a walled garden with benches. 

Details to follow

The walk starts at 10.30am (slightly later than most walks due to distance to the start) from Mill Street Car Park, Llangollen. Sat Nav LL20 8SD (Mill Street Car Park, Llangollen)

NOTE later walk start time

Travel details
53 miles. Approximately 60 minutes. (Travelling M56/M53/A55/A483/A539)

Find your way to Llangollen. As you approach Llangollen on Mill Street (A539) watch out for the Health Centre on the left. In two hundred yards you will see the Ponsonby Arms pub on the left. Turn left just before the pub into the car park. Park on the bottom tier near the River Dee. The car park is pay and display and is £4 for the day.

Walk Description

This beautiful and varied walk starts from the centre of the bustling town of Llangollen and, after a steady but gentle climb, we drop down to the legendary Chain Bridge (thought to be the oldest chain link bridge in the world) which crosses the River Dee by the side of the Llangollen to Corwen steam railway line. We meander past Horseshoe Falls where Thomas Telford designed the Llangollen Canal to feed water from the River Dee into the canal network. This area is a designated World Heritage Site. Passing the picturesque church at Bryntysilio, we proceed through the idyllic Valle Crucius Abbey, before turning towards (but not up!) Panorama Walk and returning to Llangollen, where some may wish to partake of an ice cream on the canal towpath.

You may find poles useful, although much of the walk is on track or quiet roads.