Walk Leader: Stephen Martin

Number on walk: 4

Distance: 21 miles

Weather: Warm & dry

Nice warm and dry day, four set off from Sale Water Park (Cafe and WC) around 08.30hrs after leaving a car at the end of the walk at Jackson’s Brickworks car park. (Ample free Parking at both ends). Following a rough line of the River Mersey and Trans-Pennine Trail, we took a diversion to see Chorlton Water Park. After about 6 miles we stopped for a quick coffee at Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens. From there it was onto Abney Hall Park with its house, ponds and waterfall. From there we passed through the odd golf course and continued east, soon reaching Cheadle, home to St Marys Parish Church with two peculiar clocks facing the road, one saying ‘Timeisflying’ and the other ‘Forgetnotgod’. Continuing on following the rough line of Micker Brooke and Ladybrooke Valley, we soon reached Bramall Hall with its Tudor Manor House, shop, cafe and WC. Here we broke for lunch. Continuing on along Lady Brooke and the Happy Valley we approached Poynton Lake and Park which had a great variety of ducks and geese. We then headed off through Rabbit Burrow Farm and across to Norbury Brook which we followed to Middleton train station, Middleton Wood and Macclesfield Canal back to Jackson’s Brickworks finishing around 16:15hrs. A great, flat, easy walking day with plenty of open spaces, meadows and water.

Sale Water Park to Middlewood Highlights include:
– The wildlife and greenery of Chorlton Water Park
– The trees and birdlife of Kenworthy Woods
– An especially pretty meander of the River Mersey and the Trans Pennine Trail
– An old country lane near Didsbury village
– Fletcher Moss Park , one of the most attractive and varied areas of parkland in
Manchester.
– A riverside and woodland link route between Didsbury and Cheadle villages via
Abney Hall Park with its waterfall and ponds
– The Grade I-listed St Mary’s Church in Cheadle village, dating back to 1530
– Quiet paths along the tree-lined Micker Brook
– The 70-acre Bramhall Park , with its woodland, ponds, play area and cafe
– Bramall Hall , a superb Tudor manor house (Grade I-listed)
– Carr Wood Local Nature Reserve , a beautiful area of semi-ancient woodland in a
gorge-like valley.
– Bramall Hall , a superb Tudor manor house (Grade I-listed) surrounded by
landscaped parkland
– Happy Valley , the very first of Stockport’s local nature reserves
– The shores of pretty Poynton Pool within the 21-hectare Poynton Park
– The little-known jungle-like valley of Norbury Hollow. – Colourful forest paths in
Middle Wood and Disleybank Wood
– Sections of the pretty Macclesfield Canal and Peak Forest Canal