{"id":1009384,"date":"2025-01-09T19:59:54","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T19:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1009384"},"modified":"2025-01-16T16:52:39","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T16:52:39","slug":"strines-mellor-cross-and-the-river-goyt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1009384","title":{"rendered":"Strines, Mellor Cross, And The River Goyt"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I woke this morning to heavy snow. This led to a change of plan as I left the car at home, and relied on Northern Rail, admittedly another risky strategy. However, today they didn’t let me down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing trains at Manchester Piccadilly I alighted at Strines Station at 1047 less than an hour and a half after leaving home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I elected to walk on familiar tracks and minor roads that I didn’t anticipate would be flooded, but there were, nonetheless, challenges underfoot!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weather was disappointingly foggy throughout, and very cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is 6.5 miles with 960feet of ascent. It took 2 hours 45 minutes. I didn’t stop at all because it was too cold, and, with just one train per hour I reckoned I could get back to Strines to catch the 1337, which I did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a great walk for the dog, being mainly on walled or fenced tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I walked in an anticlockwise direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is on OS Explorer Map OL1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If travelling by car, simply aim for Strines Station, SK22 3AL. There’s plenty of on street parking by the duck pond. What 3 Words \/\/\/farmed.microfilm.began<\/p>\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

Strines To New Mills Golf Club<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I made my way gingerly down the ramp from the platform, and headed uphill on The Midshires Way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The snow hadn’t made great inroads through the trees, but the adjacent fields were covered in the white stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The train had been very warm, so I stepped out briskly to maintain the warmth in my fingers and toes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I soon passed The Fox Inn at Brook Bottom, and continued heading uphill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Presently, the path opens onto a track, with the back nine of New Mills golf course on the right, lost in the deep snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I made my way to the clubhouse and took a look back down the 10th hole!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New Mills Golf Club To Mellor Cross<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next short section is on a minor road. The surface was treacherous, but I found a safe route by keeping to the verge. I was passed by a jogger (mad!), and a light van (equally mad!) as I continued on to the nature reserve at Broadhurst Edge. A red traffic cone confirmed that I was not using a monochrome setting on the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Turning left, I was now on tracks, Primrose Lane and Black Lane. Primrose Lane was thankfully flat which made the ice rink of a surface passable with great care on the snowy edges. Any sort of thaw, and this would be knee deep muddy water, so I guess I got lucky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Black Lane, the snow was quite deep, but not compacted by vehicles, not icy, and so, relatively easy to navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I detoured from the track to find the trig point, 1070feet above sea level with a snowman tastefully constructed on top!.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mellor Cross is huge, but actually took some finding in the fog!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I took a closer look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mellor Cross To The River Goyt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next section is steeply downhill. I passed two hikers coming up and they warned me that it was very slippery. I was very careful here as there was black ice, but I found my way down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was now at the high point of Mellor and Townscliffe Golf Gourse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I continued down the path, which was a rougher surface now, and less slippery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The path emerged on the cross hillside track which comes from Brook Bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The pins were still in the holes on the practice putting green by the first tee!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The path now became much easier. I made good progress through Linnet Clough Scout Camp, and on down to Bottoms Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Opposite the Hall, the Canada geese were finding their way to a meal through the snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A male goosander was enjoying the rapids on the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Back To Strines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The water at Roman Lakes was frozen and covered in snow, but the weir and viaduct were as impressive as ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Roman bridge is visible from the track too, at this time of year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This horse was out in the field without an overcoat, and didn’t look to be enjoying it too much!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The path again passes below the railway, before returning to Strines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Strines Station feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere and it’s easy to see how E Nesbit found the whole area to be an inspiration for her book, The Railway Children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Information Board gives further insight into how nearby buildings and structures are woven into the novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And so….. back to the hustle and bustle of Manchester Piccadilly…. such a contrast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It would have been brilliant to have the sun out, but this area is fantastic for walking. I’ve done it often in the summer, but today’s adventure was an absolute joy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Finally….<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been catching up with some new releases this week This song is ADELINE and the album is called Bruises by Total Tommy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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