Wed 8th March 2023
I wasn’t expecting many, if any, to attend this ride. Especially after the temperature forecast of a few days before, minus 4 or 5 but that didn’t ‘quite’ happen.
Seven of us turned up, Eric, Tish & Alan, John & Irene, John Clarke and myself. We set off from the Poynton Pool car park on South Park Drive prompt. It was icy cold but the lack of any precipitation meant it was at least dry-ish but cold. A careful crossing of the main road got us on to Vicarage Lane, past the Telephone Exchange (I forgot to mention that to anyone !) and onto a track across the ‘moss’ to Woodford Road then another track and into the back of Bramhall. From here we descended by the side of Bramhall High School into Happy Valley and ‘Reddish Woods’ I would have taken us up to the stepping stones but it’s a ‘go and return’ on the same track of half a mile. Perhaps on a warm day, we’ll try it again. A short dash down the cycle track on Bridge Road and across into Bramhall Park for a very welcome hot chocolate in the cafe, 4 miles completed. Bramhall Hall is well worth paying the fee and taking a look inside on a warm day. After paying our bills ! We dropped through the grounds on good tracks and onto B/hall Park Road over the Lady Brook and through the houses onto Tenement Lane (not many Tenements around here !) Down the track and left on the main road for a few hundred meters to The March Hare (also well worth a visit on any day) then on very good tracks along the side of Lady Brook which has now changed its name to Micker Brook down to the Demmings area of Cheadle. A short section of road then down the track between Cheadle Cemetery and Cheadle Town Football Club across Stockport Road and down to Moseley Old Hall, circa 1653 I believe. It must be one of the oldest ‘surviving’ residential buildings in Stockport and is a hidden dilapidated ‘gem’ now amongst 20th century housing. It used to have a For Sale board up and I believe was offered for around just ! £200000. I think the grade ? listed refurbishment bill would run to several millions. From here we took the tracks through Abney Hall (a more modern brick and now posh offices) out onto the cycle track down the side of Wilmslow/Manchester Road Road across the M60 orbital and onto the track along the side of the Mersey going up stream toward Stockport. We followed the good track all the way along the side of the river back under the motorway to the junction. Here we crossed the motorway on the foot/cycle bridge (no steps) then carefully using the crossing (this is the M60 junction 1) to George’s Road and into Decathalon for lunch at Lulu’s cafe. I think we swamped the lady (no it wasn’t Lulu) a little. But my Sweet Potato Soup followed by Black Bean Stew with rice was delicious and eventually hot in the microwave (that’s how they do it). It was undercover, warm and some of our party went for a look around. About 11 miles completed.
After lunch, when it had started to sleet or snow a little, we cut up past the slaughter house up the track and across the A6 on to the Belmont Way cycle ways. Negotiated the ‘complicated’ underpass under the Lancashire Hill roundabout and out onto Sandy Lane where we carefully took the ‘wrong’ sidewalk up to Willow Avenue down the side of the cemetery. Here the plan was to ‘carefully‘ decend into ‘Reddish’ Vale. One of our party wasn’t careful enough and went over the handlebars. I thought it was going to be a 999 call but after lots of TLC, a long lie then sit down, a slow get up and copious steri wipes from Irene, the un-named acrobat continued. WELL DONE. I think he will get up tomorrow/today very sore and will certainly get a talking to from his wife !
We crossed the River Tame (it’s not the Mersey until it joins with the Goyt in Stockport) via the foot bridge then a short up, by Harrison’s Weir to the TPT and through the Brinington, lighted, tunnel. After a 100 mtr (yards are pretty much the same) or so, take a right and drop down through the woods and the 3 bridges under the motorway and by the moviEscape Mill, down Welkin Road straight across (take the crossing ! ) and toward the Pear Mill onto the track almost straight ahead on the right of the HV switch station and to Bredbury Hall, right onto the Goyt Way and follow it down past Goyt Hall to Otterspool Bridge by Thunder & Lightening the Archimedean Screw, Stockport Hydro Scheme on the River Goyt. Here we took the at present broken crossing (I stood briefly in the middle of the road Policeman style) and down Vale Road through the Chadkirk Estate across the foot/cycle/horse bridge over the Goyt again and up the bank (good surfaced tracks) through the woods to come out by Marple Hall School on to Marina Drive. Through the estate, dodging school ‘young people’ not looking to cross the roads ! to Rose Hill Station (end of the line) Here we got onto the Middlewood Way and followed it to The Boars Head at Higher Poynton. It can be a little boring on old rail tracks but it covers the ground and we just wanted to get back to some warmth. Dropping down Anson Road (The Anson Engine Museum is also worth a visit if you are into old engines, check their website) into the top of Poynton almost an immediate right onto Towers Road, the good surfaced part of it. A half mile of good surface gives way to a rough surface and then you reach the left turn into the top of South Park Drive. A short journey down to the car park.
Now back at our transport many started their engines to get the heaters up to temp, have I mentioned it was cold. Approx 24 miles completed and about 900 ft of ascent. Thank goodness for my heated seat.
A good, cold, character forming ride and what a bunch of characters we are !