Windy Bottom Tally-Ho! 26th Sept 2020

Here we go again….

The Trail Layers, me and Whitehead, ably accompanied by Ade, met at 11am on the appointed day in the large and already quite full car park of New Mills Golf Club.

Loaded up with more sawdust than very loaded-up trail layers, we set off west on a stony track to descend to Brook Bottom. 

Fortunately, and depending on your point of view, the Fox Inn (Robinson’s) was yet to open. With no excuse to stop we descended further, following the initially very stony Goyt Way / Midshires Way, to Strines and it’s cobbled road – treacherously slippy in the wet. Don’t ask me how I know…

Windy Bottom Farm

Windy Bottom Farm Audience

River Goyt

Heading NW and along a good track that ran (?) parallel to the railway line and the R Goyt, passing the delightfully named Windy Bottom Farm, Strawberry Hill, Roman Lakes, and then the last of the bottoms of this route, Bottoms Hall.

Bottoms Hall

Roman Lakes: Closed

A climb up Old Hall Lane took us by Linnet Clough Reservoir and another climb to join a nice track to Linnet Clough Scout Camp Site, temporarily closed due to Covid-19 precautions.

We laid sawdust on the still open public footpaths through the campsite, giving us a good insight to modern day Scout activities. How times change.

Mellor marked the beginning of the return leg of our route, we headed south, skirting the Mellor Golf Course before turning East along Black Lane, a track open to motor vehicles.

 Geoff in trail-laying mode, followed by Ade

 

Geoff & Ade at The Cross

The curious sight of a large crucifix, sited by the 327m spot height was too good an opportunity to miss, so we trundled up, scattering sawdust as we went.

A crucifix was first erected by Marple & District Council of Churches in 1970, and replaced with this very substantial affair in 2018.

Curiously, the cross isn't marked on the current 1:25k OS map, but it does appear on the 1:50k.

Crossing Mellor Moor and continuing to the end of the long straight track we turned SE-ish along the delightfully named and very runnable Primrose Lane.

A stony / rocky descent to cross a minor road and then more footpath running followed. At last we head West, via the hamlet of Whitle and then final approach to the Golf Club, tea, coffee, dinner...and fizzy beer.

Whitle's centre piece

 8.5 miles of running appeared to be well received by the 20 or so runners who attended, although the good weather probably helped colour the opinions of many. 

The Golf Club allowed us to used their changing rooms and showers, sensibly limited to a maximum of two at a time, although few took advantage of the facility.

Indifferent and not very hot meals followed, but stomachs were filled. The choice of Farmers Chicken, Fish & Chips, and a vegetarian option was, on reflection, a bad choice. A better choice would have been the more usual no choice – other than having a vegetarian option.

The beer was fizzy. I may have already mentioned that.

Whatever, it was a good day out and members seemed happy that we return to the venue in the, hopefully Covid-19 free, future. 

Where we went:

8.5 miles, 1260’ ascent. Max / min elevation: 1070’ / 300’

 

(Note that some of the photos were from the recce)