Monday Walk - Cat & Fiddle to Macclesfield via Kerridge Hill (or Full Walk or Full Extended Walk)

Length: 17.6 km (10.9 mi) [shorter and longer walks possible]

Ascent/Descent: 400/742 m

Net Walking Time: ca. 4 ½ hours

Toughness: 4 out of 10

 

For the suggested Short Version of the Extended Walk, starting at the Cat & Fiddle, or for a medium length walk from Tegg’s Nose Country Park:

Take the 10.15 Bus Line 58 from the Bus Station, arrives Forest Cottage 10.25, Walker Barn 10.28 and Cat & Fiddle at 10.36

 

For the Main Walk (24.7 km/15.4 mi): 10.15 Start at the Train Station

For the Extended Walk (31.8 km/19.7 mi): 09.15 Start at the Train Station

 

This is a varied route out of the historic Silk Town of Macclesfield through the Tegg’s Nose Country Park and the Macclesfield Forest, across lonely pastures with views into the Dean Valley and past the Lamaload Reservoir then back along the 2 km long Kerridge Ridge with its picturesque folly, the White Nancy.

You climb steeply out of town along residential roads to quickly emerge amongst pastures and rolling hills and ascend further to Tegg’s Nose, a formerly quarried hill, with its handful of fine viewpoints into the surrounding valleys, from where you descend through the valley of the Walker Barn stream and rise again through Macclesfield Forest to the isolated Forest Chapel. 

From there, cross undulating pastures with views to the stark high moors separating Dark Peak and White Peak and to Cheshire’s highest tops, Shutlingsloe and Shining Tor, eventually descending towards the remote Lamaload Reservoir in the Dean Valley.The Kerridge Ridge dominates the view for a while until you ascend it at the White Nancy end and enjoy a casual return back to Macclesfield, first along the ridge, then downhill through sloping pastures and lastly along a quiet stretch of the Macclesfield Canal.

The first 9.2 km of the walk to Forest Chapel (and a full 15.4 km – all the way to Shining Tor – on the Long Walk) are identical with the sister walk Macclesfield to Buxton.

 

Walk Options:

Bus Line 60 (Hayfield – Macclesfield) enables an earlier finish from Rainow, Robin Hood PH (8.9 km from the end) or Kerridge-end (Bus Stop Rainow/Calrofold Lane, 4.1 km from the end). Departs 12.35, 14.35, 16.45, 17.35 and 18.32 at Robin Hood PH and 2 mins later at Calrofold Lane.

Bus Line 58 (Macclesfield – Buxton via Cat & Fiddle), offers two stops close to the route to shorten the Main or Extended Walks by cutting out a stretch at the start. See the pdf or the webpage for more details and the route map for the location of the stops.

A longer route via Shining Tor is 31.8 km (19.7 mi) long with 1115m ascent, and rated 10/10. 

An easier route in the Chest Hollow open moorland within that long route avoids the very steep ascent to the Cat & Fiddle.

 

Lunch: Picnic 

Tea  

The Three Crowns Hurdsfield. Open all day every day. Food served all day every day. Located 2.2 km from the end of main and long walk options.  

The Puss in Boots Macclesfield. Open all day every day. Located 900m from the end of main and long walk options.  

Plenty of options in Macclesfield’s Centre, the ones en route are mentioned in the text.  T=swc.382.a 

 

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here.