Macclesfield Outdoors Walk 9: Alderley Edge to Bradford Lane

Start: Alderley Edge. Length: 4 miles (6 km). Difficulty: Medium

1	From the layby on the main road at Beacon Lodge, cross over the road and walk straight down the wide path through the woods.
2	Soon a wide clearing in the woods is reached. In the clearing, turn left to head under the trees, away from the clearing. There is no footpath signed here, but head towards the edge of the woods - there is an open field beyond. There is a small marker post when you reach the path at the edge of the woods, indicating a National Trust horse riding trail (a horses hoof).
3	Upon reaching the marker post, turn left along the path at the edge of the woods. This path skirts the edge of the woods, with an open field to the right.
4	Follow a few more National Trust horse riding trail marker posts, until a lane is reached. This is Artists Lane.
5	Cross straight over the lane, to follow a further National Trust horse riding trail sign along a footpath into the woods.
6	Where this footpath meets the main road, turn right down Bradford Lane.
7	At a road junction, bear right down Bradford Lane.
8	Pass the Wizard Caravan Park on your right. Bradford Lane now turns into a bridleway.
9	Follow the bridleway down past a few houses, until a footpath sign is found on the right.
10	Turn right down the narrow footpath. This follows the edge of two fields, then down through some trees, until you meet Artists Lane again.
11	Turn right up Artists Lane.
12	After a short distance, there is a footpath sign on the left.
13	Turn left down this wide path. Walk along this path until you reach a crossroads of footpaths.
14	Turn left at this crossroads. Pass over a stile next to a gate, and follow the driveway beyond. Eventually the driveway emerges onto a quiet road, where several large houses indicate the affluence of Alderley Edge. Follow this road downhill.
15	Part way down this road, there is a footpath sign on the right. Turn right down the footpath, between the boundary fences of two properties here. The footpath crosses directly over two more quiet roads before reaching the main road.
16	Upon reaching the main road, cross straight over and walk down Trafford Road.
17	Upon reaching the crossroads at the end of Trafford Road, turn right to walk along Mottram Road.
18	Soon a road off to the right, Squirrels Jump, is reached.
19	Walk up Squirrels Jump.
20	At the end of Squirrels Jump, a sign indicates that you are entering the National Trust property of Alderley Edge.
21	Walk up the footpath through the trees, where there are good views off to the left.
22	The footpath goes downhill for a short distance, before bearing to the right up stone and wooden steps. This is quite a climb, to be taken gradually!
23	At the top of the hill, the footpath bears to the left and levels out.
24	Follow this mainly-level path now, which passes just under several rocky outcrops. The first rocky outcrop is the site of the Wizard's Well.
25	The path is mainly level now as it passes under several rocky outcrops. Where it meets another path, bear left. The path passes a walled area to the right.
26	Eventually the path goes uphill to emerge from under the trees onto a wide area of bare sandstone, which is a natural viewing point. Where the path emerges from under the trees, take a sharp right turn, almost doubling back on yourself, along a path that goes back into the woods.
27	Where there is a walled area to the right of the path (the site of the old beacon), take a sharp left turn, to walk away from the walled area.
28	There is a wall off to the right, and Beacon Lodge can be seen in the distance.
29	After Beacon Lodge, turn right to return to the starting point of this walk.