So far in this series, the walks have been on the level with just a few gentle inclines. To prepare you for a 20-mile mini-marathon I have in mind, here’s one that includes a proper hill and some superb gritstone scenery. As there are few hills around Wilmslow, and little or no gritstone, we can venture to Bollington.
The village is now mainly residential, with many of the old terraced houses providing ideal first homes. Not so long ago, however, Bollington was a hive of industry with quarrying, mining, and up to 20 mills connected with the cotton, flour and paper industries – and about the same number of pubs where the workers could slake their thirsts. There’s still the canal, but the railway closed in 1971 – imagine how popular it would be now as a commuter line.
Download a full guide and map suitable for printing which you can then take with you.
"East Cheshire Walks" (ISBN 978-185058-816-0) is available from local bookshops and Amazon, priced £7.95.
Picture: Lambing starts early in Bollington.
