This page was last updated on 02/09/2010

Walks Programme 2010

North West Associates

All will take place on Mondays

Come and join the walkers on these social outings in varied country locations.
We walk for about a couple of hours at a pace to suit all participants.

We then usually finish with a pub lunch.

On paper the distances may seem long but out there the time passes quickly with some great rewards.
Remember what we used to do?
Eight hours in the Process or FP buildings with all those stairs!
And think nothing of it!!
Folks, this is easy in comparison!!!

Details of the next walks are given below.
All walks will be around 5 to 6 miles in length.

Where a PostCode is given please verify this for SatNav use.

Monday September 6th  10:30 am
Ladybower Walk                                             

Walk No 5   This is a nice easy walk around the Derwent Reservoir, a lovely part of the Peak District.   We will start at Fairholmes Visitor Centre and walk the full length of Derwent to meet the Ladybower Reservoir.  From here we cross Ashopton Viaduct, built to carry the Snake Pass on its route from Glossop to Sheffield.  After taking just a small detour to catch a view of the Ladybower dam we back track to pick up the path along the other side of Derwent. This takes us up through some very nice old English woodland with some great views up the valley.  We then pass by what is left of Derwent village, the remainder being lost under the reservoir when it was built in the early 1940’s. From here we make our way back to Fairholmes. There are snacks available at Fairholmes for those who don't want to take sandwiches, or we can go to the Ladybower Inn just a short drive away. Fairholmes is situated off the A57 Snake Pass and is signposted to the left as you approach Ashopton Viaduct. Post-code is S33 0AQ. If you drive almost all the way up to Fairholmes there is a lay-by on the right. This is where I intend to park rather than spend £4.00 at the car park. Meeting time is 10.30 as ever, and as this is a fairly easy walk with just one set of steps and a few kissing gates to negotiate I have graded it as a ‘One Boot’.

Monday October 4th  10:30 am
Wirral Walk - based on Irby                      

At about 6 miles this is a fine and varied walk around the Irby area of the Wirral. It takes in Thurstaston Hill & Common, Royden Park and Arrowe Park.   The Thurstaston area is superb countryside by any standards with some tremendous views.

The upside of this walk is the fact that the views over the Dee and Mersey Estuaries with some very pleasant walking plus the bonus of not just one but four pubs along the route make it a worth-while walk.   Now the downside.  There is one difficult but short stretch over some rocky outcrops and one or two steep drops, so we need to help each other out at this point. The second thing is a stretch of road where there is no pavement.  We were on this road for a good ten minutes and it was quite busy, so we will need to take great care here.  I will lead wearing a hi-vis vest. All in all it’s a very nice walk but because of the rocky part and the need for care on the road it is just about a TWO BOOTER. We start from the car park in Irby.  The post-code for the Anchor Inn at Irby, which is just out of the village round the corner from the shops, is CH61 0HA.  There is parking in the main car park in the village. Irby is located between the A551 – Thingwall, which can be reached from the M53 – J3) – and the A540 at Thurstaston. If you’re up for it come along and enjoy! Best Regards Cyril.

Monday November 1st  10:30 am
Longdendale Trail Walk                                 

At about five miles our final meeting of the season is a nice easy walk along part of the Longdendale Trail in the northern area of the Peak District National Park. This covers part of the old railway from Hadfield, and used to pass through the Woodhead Tunnel.

We will be starting out from the Torside Information Centre which is on the B6105 out of Hadfield, Derbyshire. We head west from the info centre to cross between two reservoirs before heading back east on the opposite side to pass Crowden to cross back over the reservoirs via a footbridge and take a look at the site of the old Crowden Station and the coal yards that served the railway, with an interesting history of those times. We then head back towards the info centre, passing the entrance to Wildboar Clough and on to the car park.   As this the last walk of the year I hope to see as many of you as possible there, and hope that the weather is kind to us. I don't have a PostCode for the centre – map ref. SK 068983 – but will try to get one before the time.  Once you pick up the B6105 it is straightforward from there.  The centre has 'open-all-year' toilets, and a restaurant concession but the opening times for this are unknown. Best regards to you all,  Cyril Heap

Details for next year's walks will be added when available.

Walks will be graded by using a   to give an idea of how easy/hard they may be.

Don't worry, they are never going to be too hard!


Boot Grading

One Boot:	Easy and mostly flat underfoot – 5 miles or less.
Two Boots:	Moderate with some inclines and rough underfoot in parts   - 5 to 7 miles.
Three Boots:	Challenging with some steep inclines and/or descents and   tougher underfoot - up to 7 miles.
Four Boots:	Very challenging with steeper ascents/descents which   could be very rough underfoot  - up to 10 miles.

 
Also please note the following rider.

REMEMBER THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE FIT ENOUGH TO TAKE ON THE WALKS.

Please put these dates in your diary and if you can let me know that you are interested.

I look forward to seeing more of you on the walks this year.

Keep an eye on the magazine inserts and the Associate web-site for details.

Many thanks to you all,

Cyril Heap

who can be contacted on  0161 285 7833  or  07542 902851  or cyril.heap@ntlworld.com

(ph  09/2010)

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