Sunday 21 July 2024 - Around Bollington

I've agreed to try to update some walk descriptions in Tony Bowerman's guidebook entitled 'Walks in Mysterious Cheshire and Wirral', originally published in 1990.

I'm in separate correspondence with Tony, but I hope the pictures in this posting may supplement my observations on the text.

This walk, number 14 in the book, starts from the Bulls Head in Kerridge. A suitable 'what3words' starting point is: filed.rank.votes

A sign is passed near where the Redway Tavern used to be a starting point for mid-week evening walks that provided a break to our working week. After one post walk visit with a number of friends I recall being accosted at work the following day with the words "You hijacked our quiz!" After encouraging us to take part, regulars were upset when we deprived them of their weekly freee drinks vouchers.

The former tavern has been converted to private housing, beyond which a braided concrete track leads steeply to a cattle grid.

Beyond the cattle grid the Gritstone Trail is joined. Our route ascends steeply to the right, all the way up to the 'White Nancy' monument, erected early in C19 to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo. I've written about White Nancy many times before, and references can be found here, as well as on page 146 of Tony's book.

Beyond the monument, it's a short walk along the ridge to a kissing gate.

Looking back to White Nancy

Looking forward to the kissing gate from the same spot

The path follows the ridge for some way, with quarries to the right, until the Saddle of Kerridge is reached. Where the path veers steeply down to the right, we go through the gate pictured below, after which we leave the Gritstone Trail in favour of ascending to the highest point of the ridge, some 313 metres above sea level.

There's a trig point at the summit, from where some of the highest points in Shropshire such as The Wrekin, can be admired in the distance.

Looking back from the trig point in the direction of White Nancy

Our path along the ridge now descends, with a good view of Rainow to the left.

The bright yellow coconut-scented gorse that welcomes visitors in springtime has by the end of July been replaced by ragwort and brambles, not to mention swathes of rosebay willowherb.

Sticking to the main path heading downhill through gates and wall gaps, we eventually reach a red and white post that warns of a nearby gas pipeline. Just before this post, our past turns left at an acute angle. This will take us back along the base of Kerridge Hill.

Looking back from the red and white post

The path contours, passing through gates and rejoining the Gritstone Trail. A series of gates and stiles follow an ancient paved route.

Where the paved path angles right, and into the woods, our path takes a higher line, across a field in which mushrooms can sometimes be found. It eventually arrives at a gate and stile by North End Farm.

The marked path skirts the farm and emerges by a sign for White Nancy onto the Independence Way track.

We return via another cattle grid to the grid from which we climbed to White Nancy earlier. Situated between the two grids is a stone bench that affords views towards Bollington.

After that, we simply rejoin our outward route and descend to the fleshpots of the Bulls Head on Oak Lane.

This is a lovely 5km outing, with not much more than 100 metres ascent, taking 1.5 to 2 hours.