The Stiperstones
1 SO357978 The Stiperstones are quite special, and at first glance these rocky tors might well remind you of Dartmoor. But here the outcrops comprise rough jagged quartzite which offers short entertaining scrambles. This walk starts at The Bog (you won’t forget that name!), where there is plenty of parking and an excellent visitor centre. Turn right on the lane from the car park and, at the hairpin bend, go through a small gate on the left. Walk up the side of the field to the next gate, continue to a farm gate and join a grassy bridleway between fences. Go through a gate at the boundary of National Nature Reserve and walk ahead on the path, through heather, to the next gate. Follow the track ahead to another gate and continue as this bends left.
2 SO361992 Cross a track, with a small underground reservoir on the right, and after 200m take a small gate on the left. Go right to cross a stile and then trend left to walk steeply downhill on a grass path. Keep ahead through trees and continue down to a stile at a fence.
3 SO359998 Don’t cross the stile – turn right through trees. The path becomes more distinct and twists downhill to farm buildings. Go over a stile and continue to a track. Turn right for 350m to a gate leading onto Open Access land, with spoil heaps from old lead workings on the right. Continue uphill through the valley, known as Perkins Beach, and go left at a clump of large hollies next to a ruined building. The holly trees on Stiperstones are thought to be some of the oldest in Europe. At the top of the valley, by more mining spoil, turn sharp left to walk out to Green Hill.
4 SJ367001 Return to the main path and turn left around the head of Mytton Dingle. Fork left by an enclosure, with some hedges, and walk out to flat-topped Oak Hill, with the banks of an Iron Age hill-fort 300m to the north. Retrace your steps and turn right on a good track, leading south through heather. Keep ahead, over a couple of tracks, to join the rocky path along the main Stiperstones ridge. Pass the outcrop known as the Devil’s Chair (over the years, this has attracted plenty of legends) and continue to the high point at Manstone Rock, where the trig point can be reached by clambering to the top.
5 SO367986 Walk ahead for another 350m and fork right on a narrower path past Cranberry Rock. Descend to two small gates at the lane. Go over, through a gate, and head right across the field to a gate by conifers. Walk downhill for 400m to a kissing gate in trees to return to the start. You should have time to explore the lead mining remains at The Bog and call in at the visitor centre (seasonal opening times) for cakes and lots of local history.