Walk 7: An Eastern Circuit from Disley

Start: at The Ram’s Head Inn in the village centre

Distance: about 6km / 3 ½ miles

Time: about 2 hours

Terrain: numerous stiles, some steep slopes and uneven ground

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From the Ram’s Head, go down Station Approach road and turn left up the steps opposite the station buildings. This is the start of the Gritstone Trail.  At the top, turn right on to the road (Red Lane) and walk up to the first junction, turning left by the Old Vicarage.

(An alternative route avoiding the steep steps is to leave the Ram’s Head by its entrance road, and turn immediate right on to Red Lane, walking uphill behind the pub and bearing left at the top by the Old Vicarage).

Fork immediately right on to Green Lane (28) and continue for over 800 metres, admiring the fine views both of Lyme Park and the Cage on your right and of Black Rocks straight ahead. When you reach a sign by Higher Stoneridge, turn off left down Long Lane (31).

On arriving at Buxton Old Road, turn right. After 200 metres turn left (65) between two houses and through a gate.  Bear right over the field marvelling at the spectacular view of Kinder Scout ahead and follow the contour of the hillside before heading down to a gate in the wall by a white cottage.

Turn right and follow Corks Lane, then a track down into a clough to reach its junction with Greenshall Lane. (Note: this is a very stony track and an easier route is via the permissive path running parallel on the left but go carefully at the bottom where it crosses a small brook).

Cross the main A6 with care to join Lower Greenshall Lane directly opposite.  Go under a railway bridge, over the canal and under a second railway bridge, admiring its intricate brickwork. At the road turn right down Waterside Road and turn left at the speed restriction sign on to the path (44) which goes alongside the River Goyt a short way before turning left up steps and right again above the river.

The River Goyt flows on to Stockport where it joins with the River Tame, at which point they then become the River Mersey.

Cross over Waterside, through a kissing gate and up the path (47), crossing the railway footbridge and emerging onto Redhouse Lane. Turn right here and continue up until you cross the canal at Bridge 26, where you take the steps down to the far bank (42). Follow this path as far as Water’s Edge Cottage, then turn left up Sherbrooke Road (74). At the top turn right on to Hollinwood Road which will take you under yet another railway bridge to the A6.  Turn right here to return to the Ram’s Head.