Macclesfield Forest, Shutlingsloe and Tegg's Nose.

I've done many runs including Shutlingsloe, Tegg's Nose and Macclesfield Forest, none of those routes were compact.  They all used the bridleway down from Tegg's Nose visitor centre, an evil, hard surfaced, knee wrecker and slippery in the wet to boot.  A virtual recce., using aerial photographs and OpenStreetMap, suggested a better descent.  As it happened I found a better route still.  This route is clear on the ground, but not shown on OS maps or, previously, on OpenStreetMap.

Cheshire plains and Tegg's Nose from the permissive path, onto Shutlingsloe, skirting the southern edge of Macc' Forest.

The loose plan was to start from Standing Stone car park, take the permissive path onto Shutlingsloe, go round to the south and take the direct route up, then down the steps into the Forest.  From the Forest, take the Forest Bridleway to the Gritstone Way and the Gritstone Way into Langley and up the Nose.  From the top of the Nose, partly retrace my steps and take a non RoW path west to east across the southern flank to join Forest Road and on to Hacked Lane.  Follow Hacked Lane back to the Forest then take the Forest Chapel path to Charity Lane and the Chapel, then go a short way down the Lane to pick up the paths back to Hanging Stone.

 Shutlingsloe summit looking west, overcast, but with sunny spells, reasonable visibility and a sheep.

I ran up Shutlingsloe according to the plan, I caught another runner on the descent and we had a good chat.  We went our respective ways in the Forest where I explored, looking for a good route to the Gritstone way.  I ended up on some MTB trails that were OK, but I think there are better ways left to be found.  There is a public footpath, west, off the Gritstone Way about 150 metres before the road in Langley.  I couldn't remember seeing this path on OSM, so ran it to its end and back to get a GPS track.

I took the Gritstone Way up the Nose, running on up to the quarry before turning round.  Not far from the top, I could see a path zig zagging south east then turning north east.  This path was not on any map that I had seen and seemed a pleasant and promising way of getting back to the Forest.  This promise was fulfilled, I had a very pleasant descent and, fortuitously, the path ended at the tracks (Crooked Yard Road and Forest Road) that lead to Hacked Way.  I noted later that the RoW running west off Hacked Way to Clough House then south, has not been mapped for OSM, so have another reason for running the route again.

An unusual feature, near the start of the north east descent path.  I'll have to go and add something.

I used to follow Hacked Way Lane to Charity Lane then run east round the top of the Forest.  I was not out to maximise distance this time, so I took the first path back into the Forest and on to Forest Chapel.  As I passed the little ruined building, where the path crosses the bridleway, I spotted something new.  A small 'shrine' with a notice had appeared at the eastern end of the building.  I have included a photograph below, it was a fascinating piece of local history that touched deeply.

The eastern end of the ruined house where the Forest Chapel path crosses the Forest Bridleway, a photo I took a while back.

The memorial that has appeared at the end of the building.  The text should be readable if you click on the image to enlarge.

I have always enjoyed the Forest Chapel path and this time was no exception.  I was soon at the junction with Charity Lane, then at the Chapel.  I took the road back towards the reservoirs for a short way, then picked up the footpath south, this is soon left on a path signposted to Hanging Stone.  This last path is always over shockingly quickly, there is a bit of a clearing and then, bang, one suddenly becomes aware that the car park is in sight.  The thought of beer and sandwiches is some consolation.

I ran 9.37 miles with around 2070' of ascent.  Missing out the tracking detours and with a typical descent in the Forest to the Gritstone Way gives 8.8 miles, 1826' of ascent.  Both unmapped paths are now on OSM.

Evening on Tegg's Nose, and a morning on Chrome and Parkhouse hills

A spontaneous decision to do a run from Langley, including Tegg's Nose, turned out rather well.  This spurred an effort to 'get out more'.  A run over Chrome and Parkhouse hills the next weekend did not go at all as planned, I had a great time even though the route I ran was not the one I intended and could probably be bettered.

Langley and Tegg's Nose

I found myself working, once again, on the first weekend in August.  Tragic, especially as the weather was fine.  To make the best of it I decided to have a good run on the way home.  I had plumped on 'The Cloud' again as I knew the route and it is the most 'on the way home' (that is, not really, rather than not at all) of any real hill.  As I worked my way through my boring tasks, I decided I deserved something a little more special.

Panorama from the Langley side of Tegg's Nose.

I formed the idea of making a five and a half mile loop out of the nearest section of my old 'cooking' 28 miler.  Trouble was, I had no maps.  I did however have my Mio GPS that I had brought for logging and tracking.  I quickly drew up a route, made a .gpx and loaded it onto the Mio.  I have serious reservations about running with a GPS only, mainly because of the lack of geographical features or any route overview.  As I knew the area a little, the route was frequently crossed by roads, and Tegg's Nose was likely to be visible most of the time, I didn't really think that there were any significant risks.  I arrived in the car park by the reservoir in Langley at around half five.

 I ran towards 'Hanging Gate', peeling off south west before I got there.  I met a few walkers, who were looking for the pub, just after I crossed Meg Lane and I was able to point out the route.  I ran on until Hollin Lane and then followed it north west until the next footpath but one.  This was a new path to me and I was pleasantly surprised by an unmapped expanse of water near its end.  I ran through Langley, back through the car park then on up Tegg's Nose for an amazing panorama followed by some good descent practise.

Hidden pool at the end of the path from Ridge Hill to Langley.  Not yet shown on OpenStreetMap.

It all went rather smoothly, I found running with the Mio in my hand less of a pain than I had anticipated.  There were a few easily corrected navigational wobbles.  These were no more than I would expect where there are proximate multiple paths, even if I had been 'thumbing' a printed map.

Reservoir at the foot of Tegg's Nose and the mast at Sutton Common/Croker Hill (this image is centre left of the panorama above)..

A lovely white dog, with a wagging tail and what I can only describe as a big smile on its face, came over to see me as I finished a wash back at the car.  I was charmed by the creature's enthusiastic candour and was soon fussing my new friend.  I chatted for a while with her humans, about the lovely light, before they all went on their way.

I had brought a few sandwiches and had a 'Nanny State' that I had cooled in the fridge at work then wrapped in blankets.  After my dousing and with fresh clothes donned, I sat on a bench by the reservoir and enjoyed the rest of the evening light, my sandwiches and the still chilled 'Nanny State'.  I really can't think of many finer ways to enjoy a summers evening.

 The route (in red) - about 5.5 miles and 1080' of ascent.  Shown over OpenStreetMap, Cycle Map layer.

Parkhouse Hill, Chrome Hill and High Edge from Earl Sterndale

The success of the snatched evening at Langley, furthered my resolve to plan some better routes.  I no longer have an easy way of printing from my mapping software so it would have to be the Mio again.  I was somewhat emboldened by my last experience, so felt happy to venture somewhere new (I know Earl Sterndale well, but know the inside of the 'Quiet Woman' better than the local paths).

I took the path by the 'Quiet Woman', my route turned right almost immediately.  I could see the path straight ahead, but could not work out the route through buildings and gardens to the right.  I gave up on my path as I didn't fancy hopping through gardens without a firm idea of the way.  I knew that the other path wasn't a huge detour and it looked pleasant enough.  I would leave it to my GPS to figure out the detour back onto the route.  I was about to learn a lesson in 'hard' logic.

It all made sense at first, I followed instructions to turn right at the end of the path until I met a road.  My intuition told me to turn right here, but the device told me to carry straight on.  This was a surprise as the first hill was now on my right.  I thought perhaps the ridge was joined from the side so let it go.  After a while and when the device told me to turn left I began to smell a rat.  Then the truth dawned.  GPSs don't care about running the route, it was taking me on the shortest line to join the return leg!!

Very special view, along the ridge, Chrome Hill from Parkhouse Hill.  The ridge looks like it comes to a steep end at the knoll, it does!

I used my common sense and eyes to find my way up Parkhouse Hill, I retraced my steps back to the road so that I started at the end of the ridge.  The route was now obvious for a while.  This was just as well as the bright, but low sun made the Mio display almost invisible*.  The run along the ridge was excellent and the views very special.  The ridge looked as if it came to a steep end at a rocky knoll and indeed it did.  The descent route looked like err, interesting running.  The descent itself was very steep and the drop to the side was not one you would want to fall down.

The insane descent path off Parkhouse Hill.  Yes, those little dark marks, with a big drop to the side, are it!

I reached the road intact, if shaken, crossed it and was soon on my way up Chrome Hill, I passed a little limestone arch with views to north north east and was soon near the end of this ridge.  Again, the views were really rather wonderful.

 Just past the summit of Chrome Hill looking north west, pretty much the direction the route continues.

I descended Chrome Hill and joined a track, following it north west then turning north onto a footpath and High Edge.  I left the footpath when I was due east of the summit and headed directly west across the moor.  I soon found what I was looking for, an enigmatic World War II bunker, I managed to drop the Mio and put a tiny dink in the glass, while climbing inside.  My peace was shattered on this part of the route by loud squealing, the sound of thrashed engines, the smell of burning rubber and a pall of smoke.  It seems there was a practise session at High Edge Raceway.

Inside the bunker on High Edge, not so much a room as a very narrow corridor round a massive central pillar.

I continued in the same direction until I met the path on the western side of High Edge, turned south, recrossed the track and continued south on a footpath then track.  I got into some difficulty with navigation here, the instructions I was getting were nonsensical, I could barely see the display and what I could see was just a line in space.  I took a recommended turn and 'miles remaining' jumped from just over three to four and a half!  Something was clearly amiss so I abandoned the intended route (I had forgotten that I had stuffed the huge OL24 White Peak map in my bum bag) and put the Mio away.

I headed east past Stoop Farm to join the track I had taken to High Edge, then keeping the ridge I had come in on to my right, I ran by track, path and road, back to Earl Sterndale.  I had to reset the Mio to turn it off.  Fortunately the data was saved.  A post mortem on Monday revealed the reason for some of the errors**, but not the freeze.  My reservations concerning devices that don't show elevation and cannot present an overview (a: screen too small. b: footpaths and tracks are not shown at all at wider view zoom levels) are renewed.  I'll just have to fork out another fortune for ink cartridges.

It was a cracking run, notwithstanding the navigational failures.  I ran just under 8.5 miles and 1730' of ascent.  I do think the intended route back, to the south of the ridge would have been better and would have given very nearly 250' per mile.

The ridge run, ascents and descents were absolutely excellent, more like a mountain run than anything else.  Cheese and mustard pickle sandwiches and a chilled Nanny State finished the morning nicely.


* The Mio display is transflective, and very good in quite strong light.  It was the very low angle of the strong light that was the problem.

** Not usually actual errors.  I find that most daft GPS behaviour is caused by hard logic on tiny inaccuracies or discontinuities in the .gpx.  These are often caused by badly drawn nodes in the underlying map ways (see below).

An apparent contradiction between the turn indicator (top left) and the route, marked in green and arrowed, at a T junction.  This particular 'error' is because the T is not properly formed on the map the route was derived from.  The device is simply relaying the first of a set of instructions that say something like;  turn left, after one metre perform a U turn.  N.B. That when creating the route you may, for example, be mapping while viewing an OpenStreetMap layer, but be routed following, e.g., Google Map ways (some online mapping utilities do this).  This gives rise to errors that can be very hard to debug.

Discontinuities in a mapped way also explain the oft seen, 'in 800 metres go straight on', when there is no junction in sight.  There may be a junction in the mapped ways, effectively the device is saying 'at end of Road A part one, go straight on to Road A part two'.