Rainow, Walker Barn, Forest Chapel, Lamaload Reservoir

Back to Plan A from last week! With good weather expected I headed out to Rainow, between Macclesfield and Whaley Bridge.

Rainow is just a half hour drive from Cheadle Hulme.

The weather was beautiful! Not since the 2nd December had I seen such a consistently sunny day.

The walk was 7.5 miles, but quite strenuous with 1460 feet (445m) of ascent. It took about 3 hours, plus 15 minutes for lunch.

This is a good dog walking route, with lots of enclosed tracks and very minor roads, but there were a few sections of farmland too.

I was able to park on the main road on the Macclesfield side of the walk’s starting point.

Roadside parking was fairly straightforward in Rainow. Holy Trinity Church is on the Whaley Bridge / Kettleshulme side of the starting point, and has the postcode SK10 5TZ .

The walk is on OS Explorer Map OL24.

Rainow To Walker Barn

From the main road I took the road signposted Lamaload WTW and a short distance along took the Gritstone Trail path off to the right, and I soon had a lovely view down into the village of Rainow.

The low sun made for difficult walking conditions, but I wasn’t complaining!

I could always turn and take a look the other way.

And the view over the wall wasn’t too shabby either.

Gulshaw Hollow gave views all the way up my route to Charity Lane and the trees of Macclesfield Forest on the skyline.

Walker Barn to Forest Chapel

After crossing the main road, I made my way up Charity Lane, and I was now almost at the high point of the walk.

The view from here over Teggs Nose Country Park was spectacular.

From here, my route took me along the forest edge, always in the shade of the trees. It’s quite remote, but you can’t escape a mobile phone signal station.

The track runs downhill now, and I was soon arriving at the pretty chapel of St Stephen’s.

Forest Chapel to Lamaload Reservoir

The next section of the walk looked like a simple stroll over a few fields. However I found there are two steep valleys to cross, so quite a lot of hard walking with elevation changes before crossing the main road. The walk profile shows the elevation changes just after the halfway point.

After the main road I soon came into sight of the reservoir.

The approach to Ballgreave Farm was sculpturally littered with derelict machinery.

Sadly, the farmhouse was equally derelict.

At the reservoir, I found a nice seat on a stone wall and stopped for lunch.

Lamaload to Rainow

I had a final glimpse of the reservoir below a gorgeous afternoon sky.

It’s downhill now to Snipe House Farm, with White Nancy gleaming in the sun at the end of the Kerridge ridge in the centre of the picture.

At Snipe Farm, I always take a picture of the signpost!

I headed This Way, along the United Utilities road which runs high above the River Dean, from the reservoir back to my starting point. That Way gives the alternative of walking across the field to the riverside and down the opposite bank to Rainow.

Another lovely spot in the January sun.

So, a hugely enjoyable walk

And Finally….

As I was passing Walker Barn, I was mentally transported back to the early 70s and the Motown songs of the brilliant saxophonist Junior Walker. This is the soul classic Walk In The Night.