Manchester Weekend Walkers lead public transport walks into fantastic countryside all year round.
Train-based walk
Leader: Matthew, joining at Piccadilly Station
Ascent: 350 metres
Transport to Walk Start:
09:25 train from Manchester Piccadilly station (final destination London). Train due to arrive into Macclesfield at 09:45.
Meet Point: Near the ticket barriers at Piccadilly Station. Alternatively, meet the group on the train or at the start point.
Suggested Ticket: A day return from Manchester to Macclesfield costs £12.50 without concessions.
Walk Start: The car park outside Macclesfield Railway Station at 09:50am.
Waypoints: St Peter’s Church, Macclesfield Golf Course, Langley, Ward’s Knob, Tegg’s Nose, Windyway House, Grove Wood, Cliff Lane, B5470, Macclesfield Canal, Brook Street
Return Services: Trains to Manchester due at :06, :17, :37 and :43 past the hour every hour until 20:17. Then at 20:43, 21:06, 21:17, 22:06, 22:25, 22:47, 23:05.
Extra: There are toilets at the walk start point, but they are very low capacity so that it would be much better to go at Piccadilly or on the train (an Inter City service so, one would hope, comfortable). The lunch break is planned to be at the Tegg’s Nose Country Park Visitor Centre, which we should reach at about 12:30pm. The Centre has plenty of outdoor seating with tables, a café with indoor seating, and toilets.
I would expect the walk to finish between 2:30pm and 3:00pm, and the planned route back to the railway station takes us close to the Macclesfield Wetherspoons (The Society Rooms) and everyone is welcome to join us for a drink there. After numbers have thinned out a bit we will most likely move on somewhere else (suggestions welcome)
This route takes us out from the centre of Macclesfield to the top of a ridge about 2 miles to the east called Tegg’s Nose, and then back again. From the ridge there are great views out over Macclesfield Forest, the peak of Shutlingsloe and much of the White Peak. The ridge runs north / south, and we walk along it, so depending on the wind strength and direction on the day I may change the direction of the walk, but until then I will run with the assumption that this will be anti-clockwise.
Most paths on this route are relatively good, but there are exceptions, so proper hiking boots will be essential given the time of year. There is one very steep climb of around 200m just before lunch, but this should not make anyone nervous as there will be plenty of time to stop and rest. Outside of this gradients are less punishing, but there is still plenty of climbing overall, so people should assess their fitness levels before joining the walk.
The terrain is varied - we start off heading through town, then traverse a golf couse, then pass through the lovely village of Langley before starting the steep ascent of the ridge. The summit of the ridge is dominated by gritstone, making it very firm underfoot, and the isolation of the ridge from other high grounds makes for great views both east and west. To had back into town we head through woodland, farmland and then along the Macclesfield Canal.
