EAST CHESHIRE RAMBLERS
WHILST Macclesfield bathed in some late autumn sunshine, a few miles east the hills were clad in low cloud with just a hint of drizzle in the air but this didn’t deter 17 East Cheshire Ramblers setting off on an eight mile Sunday walk from Clough House Car Park at Wildboarclough.
Kathryn Carty led the party east on the stony track which ascended Cumberland Clough before heading northeast to gain the misty moorland at Danebower Hollow.
Turning right, the party headed along the high level path towards the Danebower Quarries where shelter was found for the morning break.
The quarries have been long abandoned but spoil heaps and remains of old buildings are still very much visible.
Crossing the River Dane and staying on a high level path, the party next headed towards Orchard Farm before heading down to a sheltered valley which descended to Three Shire Heads – the meeting points of the counties of Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
This was our lunch stop and is a popular spot for picnics on a warm summer’s.
The packhorse bridge here over the infant River Dane is said to date from the eighteenth century and is grade two listed.
The party now followed a section of the Dane Valley Way, a 48 mile long way-marked trail which follows the course of the River Dane between Buxton and Northwich.
Reaching Gradbach, the group re-crossed the River Dane from Staffordshire in to Cheshire before taking the delightful hill path via Bichenough Hill and finally descending via quiet lanes back via Wildboarclough to the end of the walk.
For more details of East Cheshire Ramblers’ programme of weekend and midweek walks ranging from 4 to 15 miles in length, go to ramblerseastcheshire.org.uk.