We usually meet on the last Wednesday of each month at 9:30am by the village hall. Walks are not long or strenuous; 5 or 6 miles on average, each with a different leader. Come along to see the countryside in all its moods, sometimes bathed in sunshine, often with a shower or two, even perhaps with a carpet of snow!


Our walkers might pass stone-age remains, badger setts and tracks, and fascinating old farmhouses and cottages. They will certainly enjoy sweeping views over the Cheshire plain, Peak District panoramas of hills and dales, and gentler scenery by canals and parkland in Lyme, Alderley and Ladybrook.

You are guaranteed a friendly welcome when you join us.
Do come!

Group Leader David Burke

walking@highlaneu3a.org.uk

 

2026 Walks

28/01/2026 - Hague Bar - Mousley Bottom Nature Reserve - The Torrs Riverside Park - Goytside Meadows Nature Reserve - Peak Forest Canal .


On this bright sunny late January day sixteen people joined this 4-mile local walk.

We started from the newly resurfaced car park at Hague Bar and followed the Goyt Way path upstream to Mousley Bottom Nature Reserve. This flat section of the valley, with the River Goyt in earnest mood after recent rain, provided spectacular views in full sunshine.

 

Our onward route led to the magical Torrs Riverside Park. What a fascinating unique place this is, both geographically and from an industrial archaeological viewpoint. We strolled through this gorge, which was once at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, in wonderment. The millennium walkway facilitates amazing access to The Torrs with the River Goyt raging directly below. Well worth a visit.

 

 We had our coffee stop at picnic tables adjacent to the Torrs Hydro - the UK's first community owned and funded hydro electric scheme.

 

 In 1810 New Mills had 9-Cotton Mills,  3-Weaving Mills and several Print Works.  Initially, the Mills were water powered. The Torrs is at the confluence of two rivers - the Goyt and the Sett, so flowrate is plentiful.

 

Later, with the arrival of the Steam Age, static steam engines provided the Mills with power before the arrival of mains electricity. The Torrs area is home to the Union Bridge, a massive stone multi-arched structure, opened in 1884, it spans The Torrs gorge, linking New Mills and Newtown.

 

This whole area has an abundance of well built man-made stone structures - Factories, Bridges, Viaducts, three separate railway lines and a Canal.

 

We progressed to Goytside Farm and then onwards to Goytside Meadows where we spent a few minutes trying to tell the time on a vertical sun dial!

 

The Peak Forest Canal then provided our homeward leg towards Disley and the return to our starting point via Lower Greenhall Lane, thus ending a superb interesting circular walk blessed with sunshine throughout. Some of the team adjourned to The Ram's Head, Disley, for a celebratory drink!

 


David Burke

 

 

25/02/2026  Marple - Marple Locks - Aqueduct - Chadkirk - Peak Forest Canal


With more than a hint of spring in the air a group of 24   walkers set off from  All Saints' Church in Marple for a 6 mile walk. Following tracks alongside  the Peak Forest Canal and noticing evidence of Samuel Oldknow's influence in the area we reached the aqueduct and viaduct in Marple.

 

Continuing along the canal side  we walked over the tunnel, and further  along the canal until we reached the woods through which  we descended to Chadkirk Chapel. Plenty of seats made it a most satisfactory lunch stop but then a volunteer  opened  the chapel for us, provided drinks and gave us a most interesting and enthusiastic talk about the history of the area, including St Chad.

 

Passing St Chad's Well we then climbed back up to the canal and followed the flight of 16 locks back to the church -and the pub!  A very enjoyable day -  enhanced by the weather.

 

Shelagh Stokes

 

 


 

 

High Lane U3A Walk Report 25th March 2026

 

 A “Spring” walk in the New Mills, Buxworth and Furnace Vale countryside looking at our industrial past and its recovery by man and nature.

 

Despite the weather forecast of very cold conditions with sleet wintery showers and blustery winds  11 valiant members of our group turned up for this 6-mile walk led by Merlyn & Joyce.

 

The weather didn't disappoint: yes, it was cold, blustery with sleet and snow showers falling against our backs as we walked along; but interspersed with dry conditions and sunshine.

 

The walk started from Top Torrs carpark in New Mills. We descended down the Torrs crossed the River Sett to meet the River Goyt path adjacent to the Torrs Hydro.

 

You can see our industrial past of old water and steam powered mills and the huge Railway and Road stone bridges over the gorge. We followed the river as it meandered beneath the tree canopy with spring flowers just showing.  Onwards passing Goyt Farm we continued on a field path heading towards (Marsh Lane.)

 

A short snow storm started as we journeyed uphill on Lady Pit and Dolly Pit Lane.  We sheltered and had our coffee stop under a railway bridge followed by our first glimpse into the history of this area. Underground horse drawn tramways (Jowhole Tunnel) linking Lady Pit to the coal wharf and onwards to Gowhole sidings. We passed the site of Lady Pit, Furnace Pit, Dolly Pit and Gowhole sidings and the marvels of man and nature turning this area back to nature. Some features of our industrial past blending into the background were observed: - Pit railway embankment, mine trackways, air shaft and foundations of Gowhole railway turntable.

 

Intermittent snow flurries continued as we walked downhill to Buxworth Basin. Lunch on dry picnic tables under a large canopy at the closed Navigation Inn proved an ideal venue.

 

The route back was along the canal towpath to Furnace Vale marina, down to the river Goyt bridge and retuning back via the Torrs.

 

David thanked Merlyn and Joyce for the well-received walk on behalf of the group members.

 

 Merlyn & Joyce Young

 

Walk 29/04/2026 : Chadkirk - Woodbank Park - Vernon Park - Pear Mill - Bredbury Hall


Four of us met at 09:30 at High Lane Village Hall car park to car share. We then proceeded to the main walk meeting point at at Chadkirk Chapel car park for 09.50, where we met the other 6 people who were to participate.

After our usual briefing and apologies for absence etc, we set off in the sunshine via the old Hare and Hounds pub down a country lane passing a field with some basking cows and headed up a footpath towards Offerton Green.

From here we turned right along the main road for a couple of hundred yards, past Offerton Sand and Gravel, then turning down Holiday Lane and the wooded area of Poise Brook valley reserve.

We then turned West to follow the higher path above the river Goyt to the park and playing fields of Little Moor where we stopped for a coffee break.

After coffee, we continued into Woodbank Park and then on into Vernon Park, where we took advantage of the sunken garden to shelter from the strong wind whilst having lunch.

After lunch we descended via the Vernon Park gardens to pick up the Alan Newton way near Pear Mill and started to head back East via Bredbury Hall and the very attractive Goyt Hall Farm.

We eventually returned to the Chadkirk car park, passing by the Stockport Hydro Archimedes Screw power generation project.

Total distance 6.5 miles

.
Rick Hedley