Distance - 11 Miles
Geocaches - 23
Walk Inspiration - Adventurous Pub Walks in the Peak District, Walk 8
Good Beer Guide Tick Number 353 - The Vale Inn, Bollington
This certainly was an adventurous pub walk. My guide, written in 2004, suggests the Highwayman near Rainow as the pub of choice. It's described as a Thwaites pub offering nice Chicken Burritos. It's now a private dwelling. The current supply situation of Mexican food with Lancastrian beer remains unknown.
Not to worry, I have a Good Beer Guide pub waiting for me in Bollington at the end of this superb walk across the edge of the Peak District.
It's a real cracker, offering variety, views and plenty of Geocaches - I reached my annual goal of 1000 finds, with the 23 found today. The reason that I picked this particular route was to get to White Nancy, a ridge top memorial to either Waterloo or a man's deceased daughter, that can be seen from all directions in the local area.
Early stages are along the canal - when I can find it. Bollington has a canal in the air, so even though I can see that I am close on the OS Map, I need a local's advice to climb through the "hole in the wall" to arrive at the aqueduct.
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| First cache of the day on that Information Board to the Left |
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| Canalside Mills |
The Canal is left at Bridge 30, to traverse agricultural land. The destination is quite clear, the Saddle of Kerridge is a distinct ridge, which hosts White Nancy at its northernmost end. The climb is gentle but the rewards are outstanding. Views in all directions, including Jodrell bank, the Cheshire Plain and Manchester in the distance.
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| The Cheshire Plain |
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| Manchester in the Distance |
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| The Reward - Up close with White Nancy |
Descend from the Ridge to pick up Oakenbank Lane, the very perimeter of the Peak District. More fields lead to the dead pub, where refreshment could have been found pre-2010 when Whatpub says it closed. According to them, a victim of its own Gastropub pretensions.
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| Easy Boundary Walking |
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| Not worth walking any closer to a dead pub - shown on the right |
Load of photos of the Peak District at its finest, but I'm sure you get the idea. I work my way to Pott Shrigley, where the congregation are turning up for a carol service and then drop down from on high. The canal and a disused railway line return me to Bollington.
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| Carol Singing adding a festive feel to the walk |
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| Light fading on the canal. Its midday in December |
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| Middlewood Way - a disused Railway line - 11 miles from Macclesfield to Marple |
Its not as if the walk needed any improvement but I am not going to argue with a Good Beer Guide Tick welcoming my return to civilisation.
And once again, the Bible provides great inspiration. The pub is a small, single room building nestling in a row of terraced house. You would be incorrect in thinking its not anything special.
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| The Inconspicuous Vale Inn |
Without research, you wouldn't necessarily know is that its the tap room for the
Bollington Brewing Company.
On offer are around half a dozen of their ales. I took my time in selection but there could only be one choice when I saw the pale called White Nancy. It added a certain completeness to the day.
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| 2nd White Nancy of the Day |
The pubs a real cracker - a fitting end to an exceptional walk. The beer was as good as it gets and everyone, except me, was enjoying a what sounded a superb menu. I overheard orders for Black Pudding Pies and Mustard Mash, as I sat at the bar, eavesdropping.
If only I had more time.
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