Mid-Shires Way (Part 3)

 

8^th May 2009

 

 

Introduction

 

Last year Mike and I had used the Mid-shires Way to get from Market Harborough through the North Midlands. Time had not allowed us to get quite to Buxton. We abandoned the trip at Sparklow some two miles short of Pomeroy. So our April Trek this year was resumed with a return to the Royal Oak and a relatively short day into Edale using the Mid-shires Way to Chelmorton and then the Pennine Bridleway.

 

My own particular association with the Mid-shires Way began in 2007 (Ref. Mid-shires Way Part I). I had taken a train to Princes Risborough and walked to Market Harborough in preparation for the continuation with Mike in 2008 (Mid-shires Way Part II). The first day of our 2009 walk (Ref. Pennine Way Part I) had added the 4 mile section to Chelmorton but I still had unfinished business. There was still 30 miles to go so I needed an early start. There was no early bus to Chelmorton so I left my car in Buxton and took the 7am bus to Pomeroy where it would be at least 32 miles to the finish.

 
 

Friday 8^th May 2009: Early Bird

 
 

The bus driver dropped me at the point where the Mid-shires Way crossed the main Ashbourne road. So I was on-route just after 7.10am on a cold clear morning. I was glad that I had thrown in my fleece. I needed this for the first 3 hours. The wind across the limestone plateau was biting. It seemed a long way back to Chelmorton before I could definitely declare to myself that I was again on new territory. After the initial easy of flattish tracks, the drop into Deep Dale came as a shock. It was a steep slippery descent with a brutish climb out the other side up to King Sterndale. The church was covered in scaffolding and even at this very early hour, work had started. It was not far now into Buxton although the entrance into the town through the caravan site and run down farm is not particularly attractive. I passed the site of the old CEGB management centre as I started down into the town centre.

 
 

Buxton looked most attractive in the early morning sunshine. I was tempted to call into a cafe for a breakfast but I had a big day ahead of me and it was far too soon to indulge myself. The road section was long and boring stretching all the way up Long Hill and the Roman Road. One is almost at White Hall before the road becomes a rough track but then there are good views of Coombs Edge before the big grassy descent into Erewood. Quite unbelievable I crossed the Long Hill road at the very moment that Jo Miles, my LDWA companion of many walks, was cycling passed on her training ride. Then it was down into the Goyt, the river that I was to follow for the rest of the day.

 
 

Off came the fleece as the lower ground gave shelter from the wind. An easy section took me on a high contour into Taxal and Whaley Bridge. I found a good route down passed the dam and through the park into town. Whaley is not famous for its tea shops so I had no temptation as I rounded the canal basin and set off on a long section of tow path. It began to rain, but it only proved a shower. It persuaded me to press on and I ran for a couple of miles to bridge 29 and the turn off. The footbridge over the Goyt was not easy to see but I eventually located it and crossed just as the rain came back with a vengeance. I stood under the railway viaduct for a few moments whilst I donned my waterproofs. I grabbed my butty at the same time and set off into the rain chewing smoked salmon. The Tors are a fabulous section of path and the new millennium bridge is spectacular. Then it was a dreary walk through the pastures and meadows beside the river before the route turned uphill and over to the Fox Inn. The rain was still lashing down as I took the steep and slippery track to Strines Station but the sun came out again as I reached Roman Lakes. I was tempted to turn into the leisure park to see whether the café was open but everything looked dead so I walked on. I was soon back on the canal towpath but not for long. The Maple locks involve a descent by road. Eventually, just below lock 2 a stile to the right took me back onto water meadow and the confluence of the Etherow with the Goyt. The only problem with this section was that just appeared so unnecessary. A short continuation along the canal saves 2 miles and 40 minutes. However I did see something of the Etherow Valley before rejoining the canal for a short section through a narrow cut. A notice caught my eye. ‘Tea shop at Hyde Bank Farm’, right on route. Would it be open? Not only open but popular. A pot of tea and a slice of coffee cake and I came out flying. I ran much of the flat and downhill for the next hour. I needed to because I was falling behind schedule.

 
 

It was a surprising good path right into Vernon Park. Then a long climb up to the museum was followed by a steep descent down to a bridge across the river. The last mile was disappointing, through an industrial estate and under the M60. Before I reached the disused railway I came to a road back into Stockport. I was late and tired and suddenly realised just how far out of town I was. So I abandoned the route and turned for Merseyway and the railway station. As I dashed up the approach, the Buxton train was just pulling out so I had almost half an hour for a coffee in the buffet. Then it was back to Buxton and the car, a drive over Cat and Fiddle and a quick meal before the annual beer festival. Quite a day. But I have got the Mid-shires Way out of my system. Not the greatest route but I have certainly had a tour of the country.

 
 

Pomeroy dep. 07.11

Tea Break Hyde Bank Farm

Stockport Station arr. 16.10

GPS: 33.77 miles in 8hrs 44.36