{"id":1010309,"date":"2026-01-08T21:33:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T21:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1010309"},"modified":"2026-01-08T22:24:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T22:24:44","slug":"cown-edge-from-chisworth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1010309","title":{"rendered":"Cown Edge From Chisworth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

No sign of Storm Goretti just yet, so I had plenty of time for a walk in the nearby hills today. I’ve done Cown Edge a few times but it is a dramatic and easy to reach location that’s great to revisit regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chisworth is a 30 minute drive from Cheadle Hulme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took 3 hours to complete the 6.4 mile walk, but I walked an extra mile and a half due to safety concerns, of which more to follow!. So, it can be done quicker and shorter, hence my 4-6 mile classification!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not a suitable walk for dogs off lead, as it is largely on sheep pasture, and has a section adjacent to a steep cliff face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I walked in a clockwise direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

I parked on the roadside just above Bot Wood, postcode SK13 5DJ, What 3 Words \/\/\/giants.egging.manage<\/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

Holehouse, Chisworth To Close Wood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Leaving the car, I was taken by the dramatic layer of fog filling the valley of the River Etherow below me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Joining the road I could see the curve of Cown Edge ahead of me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From Bot Wood, I walked back down New Mills Road to the A626, Marple Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, the hedgerows were alive with thrushes and tits. Here is my best effort with the new phone at 24x zoom. A redwing – shame about that twig!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I made my way up towards the local Works where I chatted to one of the workers who were trying to secure the redundant buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I entered Close Wood, with its pretty stream flowing through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coombes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Within the wood, I came upon a Hoseasons Holiday lodge site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I emerged from the wood to a full view to Coombes, with Cown Edge beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As I strode up the hill, the view behind me was appearing above the trees. The mist was still hanging in the valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I walked around the farmyard, where much sheep management was ongoing and met the track heading north towards Coombes Edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the joys of this route is that for most of it, you can see nearly all of the route you’ve walked and the route still to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prove the point, I thought I could just about see my car parked away across the valley. A good test for the new camera! That’s quite impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Before reaching Coombes Edge I did a 170 degree right turn. I had to climb a locked gate, despite this being a public right of way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heading To Cown Edge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The track below the edge traverses the hillside and the views into the valley here are super.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The views up to the edge, with ravens swirling above were none too shabby either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Both the map and the walk up had made it obvious that, at the end of the traverse it was a steep climb up the rocks to the top of the edge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This frozen pool had made it evident that it would be a challenging ascent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I reached the base of the cliff and took a few steps up to enjoy the view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Then, I decided that the icy conditions were not to be risked, so I retraced my steps for half a mile and joined Coombes Edge just above The Banks. It’s a lovely gradual rise as the path curves around to Cown Edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cown Edge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This photo shows the lower track I had first traversed and the sloping rise I then walked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once at the top, the views are amazing, even on a day as dull as today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Three-quarters of the way around the edge, I came to the point where the route I’d declined to take met the clifftop. A photo can’t really show how steep it is, but it was pleasing to see a worn path that others had ascended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Descent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On the way down, I took a photo that showed the steepness of that path up to the ridge – doesn’t look too bad there in the centre of the picture!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the end of the ridge it’s still quite a steep descent, eventually arriving at Far Coombes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From here it was a pleasant straight track back to the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thoroughly enjoyed my day out – just a hint of regret that I didn’t complete the planned ascent of the ridge, but I know it was the right decision!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Finally….<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here’s something new to whet your earbuds!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is Sentry from the album Electric Hour by Sword II<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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