Be part of something bigger and expand your Social Circle here.
Distance of walk: Five miles
Time to allow: 2 hours
Difficulty: Medium
We will be passing ancient and modern tourist attractions.
Styal sleeps cheek by jowl with Manchester Airport although you would not know it. The name Styal is said to mean a secret place because when the tax officers of long ago came to check how many hectares of wheat or barley had been planted, the village was suspiciously silent and deserted.
We will start at the top of the lane where we will take a footpath on the left with a National Trust sign marking Styal Woods. A well-made fenced path leads into the woods and we are soon faced with a deep gully where we turn left, the path leading down to Kingfisher Bridge. This is where we meet the River Bollin which rises in Macclesfield Forest, flows through Macclesfield and Wilmslow, is culverted under the runway of Manchester Airport and eventually meets the Mersey north of Lymm.
Along the way, The Ship will offer a warm welcome and a cold beer to the wayfarer. The food is standard pub fare without much of a nod to locally sourced ingredients.
Leaving the pub, we will retrace our steps as far as a track on the left with a sign for Norcliffe Chapel and we take this path as far as the restored Styal Cross. Most of the Manchester industrialists were Unitarians and they preferred to do business and socialise with others of their own kind.
Samuel Greg wanted his workers to follow Non-Conformist beliefs and provided the chapel for their place of worship. It was always expected to be full for the weekly service. The Cross has a restored upper part on an ancient base, a very nice piece of work.
Kit list: hat, gloves, warm clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, walking trousers walking boots as may be slippy tea flask.
Regular walking can...
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fill you with energy and confidence
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help you beat stress
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make your heart fitter and strengthen your bones
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help you keep your weight down
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