Stockport Walking & Outdoor Group

Eleven intrepid group members and one guest (Les' friend Dave Joule from Ulverston) set off at 10.10am from the Grouse public house at Chunal in hazy sunshine. Sunscreen and floppy hats being much in evidence! We proceeded easterly up Mill Hill passing an aircraft wreck and with a view to our left of the white trig point at Harry Hut. Good progress was made and elevenses were taken near the junction of the Hayfield to the Snake path. Group members appreciated the ease of this approach to Kinder, especially in the warm conditions. The morning's route proceeded steeply at first up towards Sandy Heys and then along the broad path towards Kinder Downfall. This route afforded us with good views down to Mermaids Pool and beyond to Kinder Reservoir.

 

By this stage we had encountered several other happy hikers also making their way along the broad trail. We paused briefly at the Downfall (which was in fact merely a trickle) to allow Dave to take some photos, this being only his second venture into the Dark Peak. Lunch was taken at 12.40pm on some large rocks at Red Brook. After lunch, and the application of more sunscreen, we took the gently descending and contouring path south westwards above Cluther Rocks and the Three Knolls to the Access point below Kinderlow End. We continued westerly over green pastures to Tunstead Clough Farm with good views of Mount Famine and South Head on our left. Mention of the pub stop at the Sportsman beyond Bowden Bridge put a spring into some of our strides, especially Scott's!

 

The pub was reached at 2.40pm and the beer garden provided a nice break. Howard  seemed to do his impression of Greta Garbo ("I vont to be alone") by sitting away from the rest of us! After availing ourselves of the toilets we proceeded in the direction of Hayfield, passing a kilt clad scarecrow which reminded us of Campbell, before turning right (north) on the Snake path. Eventually we crested the ridge and could see the white Shooting cabin besides Middle Moor. Soon the narrow descending path  westwards towards Park Hall was taken. It was pretty warm by now and the trees on the edge of the estate provided a brief but cool sanctuary. We continued through the Park Hall estate passing the derelict former open air swimming pool on our right.

 

Care was taken crossing the busy main road and we headed in the direction of the Lantern Pike Inn. Pam F was daunted by the thought on more hills to climb and stopped to consult the bus time table at the Lantern Pike stop. Incredibly a No.6 bus appeared out of thin air and Pam and Pete Hudson gleefully leapt on. Unfazed by this the remainder of us climbed the steeply slanting path across the flanks of Lantern Pike. A final stop for refreshments was taken after this ascent and Colin looked like he would have loved to snooze there for hours. After cresting the ridge we headed northwards by a series of farm roads and paths towards Near Plainsteads. The vista of the Kinder plateau to the east looked spectacular from this final leg of the hike - it was hard to believe we had travelled so far!

 

On reaching the Charlesworth road at Near Plainsteads we turned right and carefully made our way back to the Grouse. We had had a beautiful 11 or 12 miles hike in glorious conditions accompanied much of the time by a gentle breeze. Boots were removed and final refreshments were taken in the pub at 5pm.

 

Thanks to Helen & Peter, Colin & Helen, Jack, Tricia, Howard, Scott, Pam F and Pete for supporting my sunny Sunday hike.

 

I am part of a Stockport Council Team entering the Manchester 10k Race on Sunday 18 May to raise money for the Mayor of Stockport's Charities which are Beechwood Cancer Care Centre and Stockport MIND (a mental health charity). I have not done any running since school over 30 years ago so the training for this has been quite hard but I am confident of running the race and not walking it.

If you would like to sponsor me please click the link below, this will also enable the charity to claim 28% extra as a tax bonus.

 
Thanks in advance
Paul Davies

 

 

 

Sue T