19/11/22 - Greater Manchester Ringway - Stage 5

Start - Middlewood Railway Station

Finish -  Strines

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4

Distance - 7 Miles

Geocaches - 1  

Walk Inspiration

2022 saw decent progress made on the Greater Manchester Ringway, a 186 mile route around the Greater Manchester Boundary.

This is Stage 5 and from a walker's perspective, the best yet.

I can prove this from the proper "Peak District" signage that highlights the paths. And all of this walk is proper "boots on" countryside.

Peak Signage

Middlewood station provides the start. The only station I can think of that is more remote is a key scene in Trainspotting. There is nothing there, but it doesn't stop a couple alighting and pulling their wheeled suitcase along the Middlewood Way. Who knows where they are going on holiday along a disused railway line.

I know where I am going - a short section of the Cheshire Ring. Inspiration for a future walk. Not that I haven't got enough inspiration to last a lifetime.

Cheshire Ring, along the Macclesfield Canal

The highlight - and majority - of this walk is Lyme Park. A National Trust property, the largest in Cheshire and location for the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Other facts available at the drop of a Google Search.

For the tourist, it's a £6 entry fee but the public footpaths are available to the bargain hunting rambler.  Up to the gates and then to the hunting lodge - the Cage - enveloped in Autumn gloom.

Lyme Park House

The Cage

Strines - the end of this stage - is somewhere below.  The fog lifts. A golf course requires traversing but the misery is alleviated by a shack selling both beer, hot drinks, soup and bacon rolls. Card accepted.

Strines and the Golf Course somewhere in the gloom

I could blame the cup of tea for me getting lost, but the golf club need to take some responsibility.  As usual, they are keen to point out where you can't walk but not so good at the signage for the public footpaths.  

And you need confidence to cross a fairway if you are not 100% sure. Eventually I find the Peak Forest Canal and need to work out how best to get to the Micro Pubs of Marple.

The bus appears more frequent than the hourly trains.