{"id":1002687,"date":"2020-10-01T16:38:46","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T15:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1002687"},"modified":"2022-11-04T17:48:27","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T17:48:27","slug":"shutlingsloe-wildboarclough-and-forest-chapel-near-macclesfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1002687","title":{"rendered":"Shutlingsloe, Wildboarclough, and Forest Chapel, near Macclesfield"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today’s adventure started badly after leaving home at 9.25.. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I planned a hike up the Peak District’s third highest peak, Black Hill, from Crowden on the A628, Woodhead Pass. As I passed Stockport on the M60, the overhead gantries burst into life….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A628 CLOSED AFTER A57<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I reached Denton Island, round I went, and returned home. I always leave a route plan with Caroline, so that I can be rescued in the event that I don’t come home! So, I found the retained copies of a great walk I’d done in June 2019, and started out again at 10 o’clock, dropped a copy of the walk with her at her mum’s house in Bramhall and headed off to Macclesfield!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Fresh Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Travel time 35 minutes each way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walk time 3 hours including a 20 minute lunch stop; the walk is 6 miles, with 1300 feet (400m) of ascent. There’s a fair amount of walking on minor roads, and through sheep fields, so perhaps not the best for dog walkers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weather – mainly cloudy, but occasional bursts of sunshine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL24<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parking – free at the top car park of Macclesfield Forest (past Leather’s Smithy, up past the Visitor Centre and Trentabank Reservoir, and the car park’s on the left at the top of the hill) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Route<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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A Misty Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There was an eerie damp feel to the weather as I set out on the path heading south from the road junction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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However, the mist was clearing, and views soon emerged in stunning fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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View to the south east<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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View west across Trentabank & Ridgegate reservoirs to the Cheshire plain. The dish of the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank is just visible on the horizon at the left of the photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taking the “walkers only” path to the left up Buxtors Hill, the summit of Shutlingsloe soon appeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Summit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fifteen minutes later and the ascent is completed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n