Today I booked a rail ticket to the dark side of The Pennines, intending to ramble around some of Manchester's southern suburbs. I boarded the 10.21 at Dore & Totley station only to find that it was packed - standing room only.
Five stops away at Edale, it seemed that half the passengers left the train. It made me wonder if there was some special event happening in Edale but it was more likely that they were just city dwellers out to enjoy the countryside in October sunshine. Anyway, it meant that I could have a seat and read another chapter of my book.
I disembarked at Reddish North which is a couple of miles south of Manchester Piccadilly. I had maps with me so I knew where I was going even though I had never before walked in Reddish, Brinnington, Denton or Bredbury.
Horse conference by Ross Lave Lane
Soon I was in countryside, trudging up Ross Lave Lane to Hyde Hall and the underbelly of Denton. I popped into "The Fletchers Arms" for a latte and a bag of cheese and onion crisps (American: chips). Then down to The River Tame with its long riverside walk known as The Tameside Trail - a lovely green corridor away from traffic. I reached Humes Wood Weir and as I was taking a photograph of the water cascading I spotted a grey heron standing on a nearby rock. He or she may not have noticed me for these distinctive birds are normally very skittish and fly off before you can remove your lens cap.
Not far from there a young Polish man asked if he could help me. He had seen me studying my map. Kindly he directed me to The Peak Forest Canal constructed in the 1790s.
The highlight of that stretch was probably The Woodley Tunnel - 176 yards long and no electrical lighting inside it. Then I climbed a flight of steps hoping they would lead me to street level. But at the top it was a place for floundering with brambly briars and security fences - there was no way through - so back down the steps.
Emerging from Woodley TunnelI reached Bredbury Station forty minutes before my train home was due so on Stockport Road, I entered "The Rising Sun" and ordered half a pint of cider.
At first the train home was less than half full but when we reached Edale again a hundred people got on and three women in their late thirties joined me at my four person table. They had met at The University of Durham twenty years earlier and reunite three or four times a year even though they now live far apart. They were pleasant, kindly and intelligent and it was nice to chat with them.
Garden Tiger Moth mosaic by The Peak Forest Canal
- Made entirely from plastic lids and bottle tops
The owl mural and the tiger moth mosaic are both lovely pieces of public art!
ReplyDeleteWhat’s happening Neil ?
ReplyDeleteI can’t comment on cro’s blog! I’m devastated
Grey heron was your epiphany. Mine too.
ReplyDeleteAny long tunnel is my Room 101 (1984). Scutter of rats even worse.
The Tiger Moth mosaic is very well done. I'm glad you have maps to help you get around. I haven't had cheese and onion chips (crisps) in years.
ReplyDeleteShould I consider you brave to cross The Pennines?
ReplyDeleteFirst horse to the dam gets the clean water to drink. Imagine wild horses stepping in our high country peat bogs, that at most had only ever felt a small animal soft paw.
Looking at the tunnel photo blog sized, it appeared to be an empty oval shape. It became clear with enlargement. A tunnel empty of water with a towpath didn't make much sense.
The man who asked whether you needed help was kind. I had a similar experience in Reiselfingen the other day, two women in a car stopped next to me and asked whether I needed help or was looking for something. I thanked them but didn‘t need directions or any other help, I was just strolling about in the village while my husband was performing with the village band (still within earshot).
ReplyDeleteThe river trail sounds interesting, and I‘m glad you had nice company on the train back.
Apart from the standing room only, it sounds like a lovely day out.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of herons in our local park - the one where I do the rota for the information centre. We get the RSPB come down once a year to take photos and record the numbers
ReplyDeleteThe mosaic is a great use of discarded plastic. Attractive too.
ReplyDeleteKeep this up and you'll have walked all over England!
ReplyDeleteA delightful day out. You could hire a narrowboat and spend a week on the canals.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved Herons. We have one or two in France, who fly over, but mostly we have their little white cousins the Egrets. There are lots of those!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvelous walk. I love your adventurous spirit!
ReplyDeleteLooks like it was a fine day for an interesting walk, Neil.
ReplyDeleteI would never have imagined that Edale would be such a popular destination! Love the moth artwork.
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