The Gritstone Trail – Sutton and Oakgrove Near Macclesfield

Introduction

After a busy and enjoyable Christmas and some wet and unsuitable weather, not to mention dealing with a burst water pipe and flood, it was great to be able to get out in the fresh air today.

It was also great to get to use my new binoculars. My last pair were 30+ years old, a gift from my parents, but they were well past their best. My new ones, a gift from my wife, are fantastic!

I walked one short stretch of today’s route earlier this year (23rd June, link below), in glorious mid-summer, but most of today’s walk was new to me.

After a day of rain yesterday, I was pleased to be out in dry conditions today. It started mostly sunny, and ended mostly cloudy. There was a strong, cool breeze on the hills.

This 7 mile walk took 3 hours, plus 20 minutes for lunch.

It’s a 35 minute drive to Sutton from Cheadle Hulme.

This walk is mixed for dog walking, with some road sections and plenty of sheep pasture. there are also some stiles to negotiate.

I parked on the road, Hollin Lane near to the now closed pub shown on the map, postcode SK11 0HL.

The walk is on OS Explorer Map 268. The walk is in two loops, and either loop can be tackled from the car park of The Ryles Arms, and I can recommend the food and the beer here. It also has boutique rooms that look to be great for anyone from further away who’d like to stay and explore the area.

Sutton To The Gritstone Trail

The first section is on a roadside footpath up Hollin Lane, which can be quite busy, but wasn’t today. However it’s an interesting walk, with good views.

Rossendale Brook runs alongside the road, and showed evidence of yesterday’s rainfall.

Soon, I left the road, through a farmyard and up a bank. More evidence here of the wet weather.

climbing out of the valley, there were good views south to Sutton mast.

And then north east to Macclesfield Forest, after crossing Meg Lane.

The narrow lane passes a fine farmhouse refurbishment, continuing downhill with views up to Tegg’s Nose Country Park.

After reaching the valley floor, the lane rises to meet the Gritstone Trail.

The Gritstone Trail Section

The path heads south now, but there are still good views to Tegg’s Nose!

The ubiquitous mast seemed quite distant now, but I was heading that way.

It’s really lovely, easy walking countryside here.

Eventually, I dropped back down to Rossendale Brook.

Resisting the short diversionto The Ryles Arms, I returned to Hollin Lane, retraced my earlier steps for 20 metres and then left the road to my left to ascend Fox Bank. From the top there is a 360 degree panorama. This is the view west over a quarry and then the Cheshire plain.

And this is looking more to the north over Macclesfield, and a distant Manchester.

I spent some time here, enjoying the new binoculars. Jodrell Bank radio telescope is easily picked out from here.

Sutton Reservoir and Sutton

I left the Gritstone Trail, dropped down past Hanginggate Farm, on a good concrete road that had been part of my walk back in June. Just as I reached the road I came across these unusual sheep.

And just along the road, some remarkably similarly coloured horses!

Regular readers may remember my picture of Sutton Reservoir in the summer drought. Here’s a reminder.

Well, there’s no drought now!

The final stretch is a pleasant stroll through a coppice, then a couple of fields with a stream.

As I entered Sutton, I passed a children’s play park.

OK, it’s winter and a bit chilly. But how times have changed in 50 years. Firstly there are no children out now, but I also noticed that the ground below the mini goalposts has a healthy covering of grass. In my day it would have been devoid of grass, and a veritable mud bath after the recent weather. And we’d still have been kicking a ball around out there!

Well, it was a bit muddy out today, but nothing that a reasonable pair of stout walking shoes couldn’t deal with. A super walk, whether tackled in one big chunk or two smaller bites.

And Finally….

Former Strangler Hugh Cornwell has a new album out, and it’s a slow burner that’s now really growing on me. The album is “Moments Of Madness” and this is “Coming Out Of The Wilderness”.