Introduction

With unseasonably warm weather forecast, I decided to take a long walk at the southern end of the beautiful White Peak.

The weather was indeed warm, but otherwise uninspiring. It was dull and misty for the first hour, then a brief spell of sunshine promised much, before more cloud rolled in for the rest of the walk.

The walk is approximately 9 miles with 1252ft, 380m, of ascent to tackle.

Weag’s Bridge over the River Manifold is a little way to the east of the village of Grindon, about an hour and a quarter from Cheadle Hulme.

The walk took about 3.5 hours plus a 20 minute lunch stop.

For dog walkers, the walk isn’t great. There either was, or could have been livestock in most of the fields. The road sections were very quiet, so OK, but the wood section was very muddy. The last section on the tarmac path is excellent for dogs, but would be disrupted by cyclists on a busy day.

The walk is on OS Explorer Map OL24.

The start is at the Weag’s Bridge free car park, use postcode ST13 7TX and the car park is to the left when you get to the bottom of the steep hill after leaving Grindon.

Having completed a similar route a few years ago in an anti-clockwise direction, I chose to walk clockwise today, saving the striking wooded valley of the River Hamps for the final stretch.

River Manifold and Larkstone Road

I crossed the bridge, stopping for a photo, and headed up the steep road.

The weather had turned misty once I was south of Leek, and the magnificent views back down into the Manifold valley, weren’t as magnificent as I’d anticipated!

So I pressed on to the top of the road , then turned off across the fields. It was a dry day, but it had clearly been wet earlier in the week.

Castern

Castern Wood Nature Reserve falls away down the side of the valley. On another visit, I hope to explore its 21 hectares with 240 plant species, and 150 insect species.

This picture looks south towards the wood on the approach path.

As I approach Castern Hall there is a brief sunny moment and the view back to Beeston Tor highlights this dramatic feature.

Castern Hall is a fine looking building, though it seemed strangely deserted today.

The footpath sign had been recycled very effectively here!

The path was downhill now, eventually reaching Rushley, crossing the river and past a farm with much veterinary activity taking place.

The Woods – Abbot’s Bank, Musden Wood and Rushley Wood

The woods climb up a classic White Peak dale. It’s muddy down here! Yet, it’s so tranquil. I took a couple of videos. The first demonstrates that tranquility for 32 peaceful seconds.

The second takes you with me on one of the easier sections of the path for 47 seconds!

Eventually, the woods thin and a fern covered bank appears. The dead ferns create a dry cushion, and so, a lunch break!

Calton to the River Hamps

Emerging onto a road at Calton, this sign was unexpected. Not for me today!

I’m soon heading back out over fields, and the signs of human activity appear across the valley to the Cauldon Works., where cement is made.

On reaching the river valley, it’s a surprise to find a good quality tarmac surface. This is because it is the bed of the former Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway (L&MVLR).

The L&MVLR ran for 8+¹⁄₄ miles (13.28 km) down the valley of the River Hamps as far as Beeston Tor, before turning up the limestone gorge that the River Manifold had formed, through to Hulme End. The line had a large number of stations in a relatively short distance, and there were refreshment rooms at Thor’s Cave and Beeston Tor. In all the line crossed the river Manifold dozens of times – including nine times in the short section between Sparrowlee and Beeston Tor where I was walking today.

The gunnera plant is prolific in this valley, and today it is in varying stages of dying off.

The absence of water in the River Hamps is disappointing, but is a regular feature here. However, the steeply sloping valley sides are a joy to see, with a little sadness for the dying ash trees.

The sign for Old Soles Wood reminds of a walk up that path about 20 years ago. Just me and Jordan – he’d be 9 or 10 I suppose (I wonder if he remembers it). It was early morning and as we went ahead a tawny owl was sitting on a low branch asleep, just a few yards in front of us. It had chosen to roost here, and we were the day’s first tourists. Eventually we disturbed it, and away it went, magnificently. You can’t buy, nor forget such experiences.

The Hamps meets the Manifold at this campsite in front of Beeston Tor, and the walk ends shortly afterwards.

So an enjoyable walk, but I wished the weather had been brighter !

And Finally….

All the way there, and all the way back I enjoyed playing the new album, How Beautiful Life Can Be” by The Lathums, from Wigan. This is “The Great Escape”.