A Chinley-Hayfield Round

Members:  Colin Maddison, Lucie Crouch, Christine Beeston, Michelle Harvie, Kate Harvey, Laura Collier, Al Metelko, Trish Cranston, Iain McCallum, Bob Kelly

Guests: Jo Stratford

 

The meet was organised essentially as filler and at relatively short notice. There were two objectives - one to have a “home fixture” back in the Manchester area while there was an “away fixture” going on at the CIC hut.  The second was to have a meet accessible by public transport from the centre of Manchester, as Andy had representation from people who did not have cars.

So Chinley with its railway station was chosen as a start point.  As it happened one person travelled to the venue by public transport and one person partially so.

But a good crowd assembled at the start and we set off a little later than half nine.  It was one degree above freezing, overcast but dry – threatening a little light snow.  The frozen ground meant that we had good going throughout and no mud.

Crossing the railway via the footbridge just to the west of the railway station we then headed up onto Cracken Edge.  I had intended to follow the eastern edge, but after a short while I noticed the letters “K.M.C” written in a patch of snow.  Spooky – I thought – a message or a warning?  But it did cause me to the scan the horizon.  I spotted a well known red coated figure – no not Santa – but Iain McCallum. An affirmative message was received to my attempt at semaphore using trekking poles – and we took a slight deviation to join him and then followed the track via the new allotments to cross the A6015 at Birch Vale. 

The Pennine Way was followed to Lantern Pike, where a brew stop was held in a small hole, known to Iain.  Good views were had all around from the “pike”.

Crossing the Monks Road near The Grouse pub, we chose to skirt round Middle Moor rather than head over Mill Hill.  Lunch was had in another recess on the way round. to the white shooting cabin.

Down to Bowden Bridge for a comfort break.  We picked up the Pennine Bridleway again to then head up a very chilly Mount Famine.  All we then had to do was to drop down to Chinley by various footpaths – which we reached around four o’clock.

Many thanks to everyone who came for what was a very pleasant day out

 

Bob Kelly