Walks from The Vale Inn around Bollington
Three walks are presented here, all starting and ending at the Vale Inn, which is situated on Adlington Road in Bollington. Please choose the short walk or medium walk or long walk.
If travelling by car, take the Bollington Road exit from the roundabout on the A523 where the Silk Road becomes London Road, by Tytherington Business Park. Bollington Road continues onto Henshall Road, then Wellington Road. Follow this road for approximately 1.4 miles (2.2km). Shortly after the Kay Metzeler head office site on the left, the Middlewood Way footpath bridge passes overhead approximately 500 feet (50m) before the turning for Adlington Road. Turn left onto Adlington Road. Follow this road, past Bollington Insurance, and the National Trust Middlewood Way car park. Car parking is available in the Middlewood Way car park, which is on the left just before the Vale Inn. The Vale Inn is on the right, just before a sharp left-hand bend in the road. Inside offers an open, friendly feeling – a touch of the original 1980s refurbishment remains with the original slate bar and a taste of the new with a redesigned back bar. A real fire completes the homely feel. The fresh food menu combines a mixture of dishes which are changed regularly rather than just having a set menu with a specials board.
The Vale serves real ale brewed in the Bollington Brewery. The brewery was launched in 2008, almost 80 years after ale production ceased in the town at the Heavers Brothers’ site on Dyers Close. With just 150ft between the Bollington Brewery Company’s base and the Vale Inn, landlord and chief brewer Lee Wainwright says his new business venture is working a treat. A wide range of ales are brewed at the brewery (10 at the last count, but still growing), at least 3 of which are always on offer at the Vale.
| Fact File - Short Walk | |
| Distance: | 4 miles (6 km) |
| Terrain: | Lanes, footpaths and bridleways. Two steep, but short, climbs. |
| Maps: | OS Explorer Map 268 |
| Start: | The Vale Inn, Adlington Road, Bollington. |
Route Guide
The walk is a circular route, beginning and ending at the Vale Inn.
In Bollington, near to the start of the walk, there is a short climb up a steep lane. There is also a short climb up Kerridge Hill. Apart from this, the walk is fairly easy. Strong shoes or walking boots are essential - there are some potentially muddy footpaths. Two hours should be allowed.
Firstly, the walk leads to the north side of the Happy Valley (as Bollington is known locally). There is quite a steep climb up the lane out of Bollington, but this is quite short, and is worth it! From the lane (Long Lane), a footpath leads across fields (from where this photo was taken). This view is from the highest point of the north side of this walk, over to Kerridge Hill, to the south (the White Nancy monument may be seen on top of Kerridge Hill). The higher hill up to the left of the path is Nab Head, but this is not accessible from our route. The walk then descends back down to, and crosses, the main road out of Bollington to Pott Shrigley (Shrigley Road).
After walking around the edge of the grounds of Savio House (a retreat centre), the walk now follows part of the Gritstone Trail. The Gritstone Trail is a long-distance footpath running from Kidsgrove in Staffordshire to Disley in Cheshire. The trail is well marked using a mixture of finger posts and yellow waymark discs with a ‘G’ in a footprint. After emerging onto a lane, the Gritstone Trail leads you up the side of Kerridge Hill. Before walking up Kerridge Hill, a short and worthwhile diversion leads to Waulkmill Farm, and this picturesque waterfall on the River Dean. The River Dean flows from Rainow, and over this waterfall before passing through Bollington.
The Gritstone Trail leads you past the base of Kerridge Hill, where a short diversion up to the White Nancy is recommended. The White Nancy is an 18 foot high Grade II listed landmark standing on the top of Kerridge Hill overlooking Bollington, and is visible for miles around. White Nancy was actually built as a summer house by the Gaskell family, who lived below the hill at Ingersley Hall, in about 1815. It is stone built with external rendering and regularly painted white in order to maintain its visibility. It is thought that it may have been built to commemorate the battle of Waterloo. Internally there is a seat all round the wall with a large table in the centre. The table is circular, cut from a single piece of stone. Before White Nancy was built the site was occupied by a beacon which was a small rotunda of brick. Such beacons were erected on high points across the land in which fires could be lit to warn of invasion. It was white-washed from the beginning, but painted green during World War II so as not to provide a landmark for enemy aircraft. The boundary line dividing Rainow and Bollington passes through the middle of the building, placing White Nancy in both parishes. There is no settled reason for the name Nancy, it has been suggested that it was the name of the horse that lead the team dragging the building materials up the hill.
After descending into the village of Kerridge, the walk leads down to the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal. This takes you past both of the majestic mill buildings: Adelphi Mill and then Clarence Mill. The Swindells family made their lasting contribution to the town’s architecture when, with partners the Brooke family, they built Clarence Mill in 1834-38, then Adelphi Mill in 1856, taking full advantage of Macclesfield Canal (newly opened in 1831). These magnificent industrial buildings have now been converted into flats and business units. The Swindells family was a major force in transforming Bollington from an agricultural village of 1,200 people in 1801 to an industrial town of 4,600 people by 1851. Once you have reached the canal towpath opposite Clarence Mill, a path takes you back down to Bollington recreation ground, and then back to the Vale Inn.
Route Directions
| 1 | From the Vale Inn, walk up Adlington Road (turn left with the pub behind you), and turn left into the recreation ground. Walk along the right hand edge of the recreation ground, with the River Dean to your right. Cross the bridge over the river, and turn left to follow the river. At the end of the recreation ground, bear right to walk up to the main road. |
| 2 | Turn left along the main road, to pass under the canal bridge (it is probably best to cross to the pavement opposite). |
| 3 | Keep straight on at the traffic lights, to continue along Palmerston Street. |
| 4 | After a church on the left, turn left up Beeston Brow. This is a steep, cobbled lane uphill past several houses. At the end of the houses, Beeston Brow takes a sharp right turn. A little further on, bear left up Long Lane. |
| 5 | Eventually, Long Lane becomes less steep. Look out for a footpath on the right. Take this footpath, which heads across fields, with fine views to the right across Bollington to the White Nancy. |
| 6 | At the end of the footpath, and just past a few buildings on the right, turn right down a lane. |
| 7 | A short distance down the lane, take the paved footpath downhill to the left. This footpath has a wooden handrail on the right, which is useful as it is slippery in places. |
| 8 | The footpath descends past some houses on the left, where it becomes a lane. Continue straight on down past more houses to the main road (Shrigley Road). |
| 9 | Cross straight over the main road, into a short cul-de-sac. At the end of the cul-de-sac, take the footpath that continues straight on down hill. |
| 10 | Follow the footpath across a field, and then up to a road (Ingersley Road). Turn left along the road. |
| 11 | Keep following the road as it bears round to the left and passes the Poachers Inn. There is a pavement on the left hand side. |
| 12 | A short distance further on, a crossroads is reached. Turn right along Oakenbank Lane. You are now following the Gritstone Trail - follow the signs with a yellow waymark disc with a ‘G’ in a footprint. |
| 13 | Having passed some houses on the left, look out for a footpath off to the right, signposted as the Gritstone Trail. Follow the footpath downhill. |
| 14 | Keep following the Gritstone Trail uphill again, where it follows a wall to the right (this is the edge of the grounds of Savio House). Having crossed a stone stile, turn right at a crossroads of paths, with the grounds of Savio House still to the right. |
| 15 | Follow the Gritstone Trail as it descends through a few kissing gates, and eventually emerges onto a lane. Turn left along the lane. |
| 16 | Soon the Gritstone trail (and our route) turns right uphill at a junction. However, it is worth taking a small detour to see the waterfall - keep straight on at the junction instead, towards Waulkmill Farm and the waterfall. |
| 17 | Retrace your steps back to the junction, and follow the Gritstone Trail (now a bridleway) uphill. |
| 18 | At the top of the hill (Kerridge Hill), and off to your left, you will be able to see the White Nancy. It is worth a small detour from the route to follow the Gritstone Trail signs to walk up to the White Nancy. Retracing your steps, return to the bridleway and continue on down to a road (Redway). Turn right along the road, which takes you into Kerridge. |
| 19 | At the end of Redway, turn left, then fairly soon after take the bridleway off to the right. This is signposted as a Private Road (to Beehive Cottage amongst others). Follow the bridleway downhill. |
| 20 | Bear left at the bottom of the lane (to the left of Beehive Cottage), crossing the canal over a bridge. Turn right straight after the bridge, down some steps and along the canal towpath.. |
| 21 | Continue along the canal towpath, passing Adelphi Mill on the left. Eventually, Clarence Mill is reached (on the right). |
| 22 | Turn sharp left, directly opposite Clarence Mill, down a bridleway. |
| 23 | The main road is reached at the bottom of the bridleway. Turn right along the main road, and then immediately right into the recreation ground. |
| 24 | Cross the recreation ground to Adlington Road. Turn right down Adlington Road to return to the Vale, for a well-deserved drink! |