Walk from Prestbury to Mottram and Hare Hill
The walk starts and ends in Prestbury village. There are several car parks in the village. There are also several pubs and restaurants in the village. There are toilets near to where the high street passes over the River Bollin. Despite being a relatively long walk, it is fairly easy. However, three hours should be allowed.
| Fact File | |
| Distance: | 6 miles (10 km) |
| Terrain: | Mainly footpaths and bridleways, a few small inclines, can be muddy in places. |
| Maps: | OS Explorer Map 268 |
| Start: | Prestbury, Bollin Valley Way. |
Route Guide
The walk begins and ends in the village of Prestbury. Prestbury began as the administrative centre of a large rural parish. During the nineteenth century it became involved in the silk industry. During the twentieth century it developed into a residential area with a reputation for affluence. From Prestbury, the walk heads out through farm land, crosses over the main Prestbury to Wilmslow road, then onto the village of Mottram St. Andrew. Mottram St. Andrew is a small, charming village, but note that there are no shops or other facilities there. After leaving Mottram, the walk skirts around the area known locally as Daniel Hill. This offers views across open countryside and back over to Mottram. The path from Daniel Hill to Hare Hill has several clear signposts to "Hare Hill".
Hare Hill is a charming woodland with a delightful walled garden, spectacular rhododendron and azalea displays, and a holly collection of national repute. The previous owner of the garden was a great rhododendron enthusiast and steadily introduced them into the garden from 1960 onwards. In the spring there are snowdrops, daffodils, a huge clematis montana, Skunk Cabbage and magnolia to see. If you have the time, it is worth breaking the walk for a look around the garden (at step 15 below).
After Hare Hill, the walk follows roads and footpaths back to Prestbury.
Directions
| 1 | Leave Prestbury village on the Bollin Valley Way. Where the high street crosses the river, walk down Bollin Grove, with the river on your left. The river disappears from view for a while. Eventually the road becomes a bridleway. Follow the bridleway as it crosses the river. |
| 2 | Where the bridleway reaches a house (Spittle House), follow the footpath to the left of the house. The footpath skirts around the left of the house. Keep to the right hand edge of the field. |
| 3 | Eventually you will come across an unmarked stile on the right. Cross the stile and follow the footpath now to Lower Gadhole Farm. Follow the footpath as it passes to the left of the farm buildings. |
| 4 | The footpath emerges onto the driveway to the farm. Turn left along the driveway. Pass to the left of the imposing gates over a stile. |
| 5 | The driveway then meets the driveway to Woodend Farm. Cross straight over the driveway to a footpath. |
| 6 | Follow the footpath down across fields (following the yellow arrows). Ignore the footpath which leads off to the left. The footpath eventually leads up a grassy slope to some houses. |
| 7 | Follow the footpath through a gate, between houses, to meet a driveway. Then follow the driveway. This passes Legh Hall, and to the left of a large pond, before meeting the main Prestbury to Wilmslow road (A538). |
| 8 | Cross over the road (looking out for fast cars) to the narrow lane opposite. This lane (Hunters Pool Lane) is marked with a footpath sign. Walk down the lane. |
| 9 | A short way down the lane, take the footpath on the right. Follow the footpath now, which passes to the right of Hunters Pool. After crossing a stile, bear left to cross a footbridge over a stream, and follow the footpath as it winds through a wooded area. Eventually the footpath crosses over a driveway to a house, then shortly afterwards meets a road (Priest Lane). |
| 10 | Turn left along Priest Lane, and walk up to the village of Mottram St. Andrew, passing the school on the right. Walk straight through the village, ignoring the roads off to the left and right. |
| 11 | After the centre of the village, and after walking down hill past houses, turn left along a footpath between houses. The footpath emerges in the corner of a large playing field. |
| 12 | Turn right to follow the footpath down past the back of some houses. At the bottom of the hill, the footpath crosses a footbridge. Then it rises uphill. Follow the right hand edge of the field now. |
| 13 | At the top of the hill, ignore the footpath over the stile and bear left as the footpath keeps following the right hand edge of the field uphill. Cross the stile, and walk up the path a little further. You should now see the wooden signpost to "Hare Hill". |
| 14 | Follow the signs to "Hare Hill" through the woods. This area is Daniel Hill. There are several signs to "Hare Hill". Follow these as you emerge from the woods, walk along the left hand edge of a field, walk down hill through more woods, across a bridge over a stream, then emerge into the grounds of the Hare Hill estate. |
| 15 | Keep following more wooden "Hare Hill" signs as you cross the Hare Hill estate. You will pass through a metal gate. Eventually the signs take you uphill, to emerge into the car park for Hare Hill gardens. |
| 16 | Cross the car park and follow the driveway back to the road (Prestbury Road). |
| 17 | Turn left along the road. Prestbury Road becomes Chelford Road. Ignore the roads off to the right. Ignore the road off to the left (Oak Road). A road sign indicates that it is 1½ miles to Prestbury - walk in this direction, along Chelford Road. |
| 18 | If you like, you can just walk straight back to Prestbury along Chelford Road. Otherwise, take the SECOND footpath to the right. |
| 19 | Follow the footpath down hill, keeping to the right hand edge of the field. At the bottom of the hill, cross a footbridge and a stile. |
| 20 | Walk up hill, through the middle of a field, heading to the left of the house. At the top of the hill is a pond (marked on the map as Harebarrowlake). |
| 21 | Bear left past the pond, and walk down hill, along the left hand edge of a field. |
| 22 | At the bottom of the hill, cross a stile (take care, this is not easy to cross). Walk down through some woods, across a footbridge, then straight up hill, to another stile. |
| 23 | Cross the stile, emerging from the woods, and head straight on, where you will meet the edge of Prestbury Golf Course. Walk a short distance along the edge of the golf course, and take the footpath off to the right. |
| 24 | The footpath heads up to Fallibroome Farm. As you reach the middle of the field, under some trees, you can see the farm ahead. The footpath bears left just before the farm. Pass through two metal gates. |
| 25 | You are now in the corner of a field. Follow the right hand edge of the field, heading away from the farm. Eventually there is a stile to the right, over to a rugby pitch. |
| 26 | Bear left, and walk around the perimeter of the rugby pitch. After passing the rugby pitch, turn left after a house to head down a wide avenue between two hedges. |
| 27 | Cross straight across the driveway to walk down another footpath. |
| 28 | When you meet the next driveway (which is the driveway up to the Prestbury Golf Club clubhouse), turn right. Walk to the end of the driveway. |
| 29 | Turn left down the main road, to return to Prestbury village. |