Introduction

The weather forecast was for fog all day in Wincle. I chose to take a chance and headed out through Macclesfield.

There was murky low cloud, but no true fog as I reached the church in Wincle. It was cool, but still, and pretty good walking weather.

It’s a 40 minute drive to Wincle from Cheadle Hulme.

The walk is 6 miles. It took 3 hours plus 10 minutes for lunch and involved 1000 feet of ascent.

Much of the walk is on minor roads and sheep pasture, so not great for dogs to run off the lead.

I walked in a clockwise direction, starting from Wincle Church.

The walk is on OS Explorer Map OL24.

I parked on the road just below the church and primary school, postcode SK11 0QH, What 3 Words ///uppermost.glassware.fists

Wincle To The River Dane

I set off down the road which crosses Hog Clough Brook and then rises to give fine views back to the hamlet, and down the clough.

It’s a very quiet lane, passing a couple of farmhouses and crossing a hill. Over the hill, at Burnt House Farm, there are views to the Upper Dane valley.

I left the lane at Allmeadows, crossing a stile that would be awkward if you have a large dog with you.

It’s a lovely path that drops gently as it turns around the hillside.

Where the public footpath heads back slightly uphill, a marked Permissive Path continues ahead and down to bring the bubbling Clough Brook into sight. The brook is the watercourse that runs through Widboarclough before reaching this point where the term “brook” doesn’t do it justice.

The path twists down the valley side to reach the brook This is a magical, tranquil place.

A little further on, Clough Brook flows into the River Dane. Here is the confluence. I spotted a pair of dippers on the rocks here.

River Dane

The permissive path now heads back up the valley side, and gives lovely views across and down the valley.

At Bartomley Farm, they are displaying a rather macabre collection of ovine skulls!

The path drops down and crosses the pretty Hog Clough.

And a little further on, ithe path drops down to Danebridge.

I crossed the road (not the bridge), and admired the still operational phone box, lovely enamel sign, and wonderful aroma of the Wincle Brewery.

The track passes a large fishing pond, unoccupied today.

At last the sky was brightening a little, and I left the path to walk right along the river’s edge. Another pair of dippers caught my eye…but not my camera’s!

And then the sun actually appeared!

My riverside walk ended at the footbridge, which I ventured onto, but not over.

Whitelee To Wincle

It’s a steep bank up to Whitelee, and the sky was quite dramatic over my shoulder.

I took the track back towards Danebridge. There are lovely views along here.

Just before the road, my route headed left up the hillside, through a copse, and a field to reach a little-used lane, along which I strolled to the ancient Wincle Grange.

Further dramatic skyscapes caught my eye.

To the left, I had good views down into and over Greasley Hollow.

From here, I crossed a couple of fields and walked down the steep road back to the church, and its neighbouring cottages.

All in all, a very enjoyable walk, especially the section alongside Clough Brook, where I’d never been before.

And Finally….

Earlier this week we saw New Zealand band, Fat Freddy’s Drop at Manchester Academy. This is my favourite track of theirs, Next Stop.