Macclesfield Circular via Teggs Nose and Kerridge Hill Walk

24.7 km (15.4 mi), with 866m ascent/descent. For a shorter or longer walk see below Walk Options.

8 out of 10, with 6 ¾ hours walking time.

This is a varied route out of the historic Silk Town of Macclesfield through the Tegg’s Nose Country Park and the Macclesfield Forest, across lonely pastures with views into the Dean Valley and past the Lamaload Reservoir then back along the 2 km long Kerridge Ridge with its picturesque folly, the White Nancy.

You climb steeply out of town along residential roads to quickly emerge amongst pastures and rolling hills and ascend further to Tegg’s Nose, a formerly quarried hill, with its handful of fine viewpoints into the surrounding valleys, from where you descend through the valley of the Walker Barn stream and rise again through Macclesfield Forest to the isolated Forest Chapel. From there, cross undulating pastures with views to the stark high moors separating Dark Peak and White Peak and to Cheshire’s highest tops, Shutlingsloe and Shining Tor, eventually descending towards the remote Lamaload Reservoir in the Dean Valley.
The Kerridge Ridge dominates the view for a while until you ascend it at the White Nancy end and enjoy a casual return back to Macclesfield, first along the ridge, then downhill through sloping pastures and lastly along a quiet stretch of the Macclesfield Canal.

The first 9.2 km of the walk to Forest Chapel (and a full 15.4 km – all the way to Shining Tor – on the Long Walk) are identical with the sister walk Macclesfield to Buxton.

Bus Line 58 (Macclesfield – Buxton via Cat & Fiddle), with an hourly service Monday-Saturday and five buses on Sundays and Bank Holidays, offers various stops close to the route toeither shorten the walk by cutting out a stretch at the start or for starting or finishing the Long Walk by The Cat & Fiddle pub/distillery (about half-way). See the route map for the location of the stops.
A - Forest Cottage stop (cut 2.0 km and 54m ascent), the last stop within Macclesfield: continue in the same direction uphill, in 100m continue in the same direction along Buxton Old Road, where the A road curves to the left. Follow this road uphill, in the later stages without a pavement. In 750m the walk route joins from the right along a car wide gravel track. Continue in the same direction and pick up the text at the asterisk *) on page 5.
B – Walker Barn stop (cut 4.9 km and 257m ascent), the first stop outwith Macclesfield (and without shelter or signpost): go back along the road to turn second left along Buxton Old Road, signed for ‘Tegg’s Nose’ (i.e.: not first left, Crooked Yard Road). In 750m, by the entrance to Teggs’ Nose Country Park’s visitor centre and tea room, the walk route joins from ahead along a gravel path. Turn left and pick up the text at the double asterisks **) on page 7.
C – Cat & Fiddle PH stop, 14.1 km into the walk.

Bus Line 60 (Hayfield – Macclesfield) enables an earlier finish from Rainow, Robin Hood PH (15.8 km) or Kerridge-end (Bus Stop Rainow/Calrofold Lane, 20.6 km). As of 07/2021, the bus runs hourly in the afternoon Mon-Sat, with the last one at 18.32 Mon-Fri and 17.35 Sat at Robin Hood PH and 2 mins later at Calrofold Lane.
A longer route via Shining Tor is 31.1 km (19.4 mi) long with 1099m ascent, and rated 10/10.
An easier route in the Chest Hollow open moorland within that long route avoids the very steep ascent to the Cat & Fiddle.

OS Explorer: 268 (Wilmslow, Macclesfield & Congleton) – just for the urban start – andOL24 (The Peak District – White Peak Area)
OS Landranger: 118 (Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield) and 119 (Buxton & Matlock)

Macclesfield Station, map reference SJ 919 736, is 237 km northwest of Charing Cross, 133m above sea level and in Cheshire East. It is on the Stafford to Manchester branch line off the West Coast Main Line from London Euston (hourly service). Travel time from London is from 101 minutes Mon-Sat (but 2 ¼ hours on Sun).

Saturday Walkers’ Club: The walk is doable as a daywalk from London with a train no later than 09.20 hours.

Tegg’s Nose Tea Room Tegg’s Nose Country Park, Buxton Old Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 0AP (07955 532 703). The Tea Room is located 5.8 km (3.6 mi) into the walk.

The Forest Distillery Chambers Farm, Bottom-of-the-Oven, Macclesfield Forest, near Wildboarclough, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK1 0AR (01260 253 245). The distillery is located 530m off route, 9.8 km (6.1 mi) into the main walk and 11.3 km (7.0 mi) into the Long Walk.
The Stanley Arms Hotel Ankers Lane, Bottom-of-the-Oven, Macclesfield Forest, near Wildboarclough, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK1 0AR (01260 252 414). The Stanley Arms is located 740m off route, 10.0 km (6.2 mi) into the main walk and 200m off route, 11.5 km (7.2 mi) into the Long Walk.
The Robin Hood Church Lane, Rainow, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 5XE (01625 574 060). Located 100m off route, 15.8 km (9.8 mi) into the walk.

The Cat & Fiddle Buxton New Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 0AR (01298 73711). The Cat & Fiddle is located 150m off route, 14.2 km (8.8 mi) into the walk. Built in 1813, and long England’s second highest pub, it closed in December 2015 with an uncertain future. Robinson’s Brewery have recently sold it to the Forest Distillery though, who intend to open it as Britain’s highest altitude distillery, with a pub attached.
Peak View Restaurant & Tea Room Buxton New Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 0AR (01298 22103). The Peak View is located 14.0 km (8.8 mi) into the walk, if cutting out the direct ascent to The Cat & Fiddle, or 250m off route and 14.6 km (9.1 mi) into the walk, if not.

The Robin Hood Details as above. The Robin Hood is located 100m off route, 9.1 km (5.7 mi) from the end of main and long walk options.
The Three Crowns Rainow Road, Hurdsfield, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 2PF (01625 348 237). Located 2.2 km from the end of main and long walk options.
The Puss in Boots 198 Buxton Road, Macclesfield, Ches., SK10 1NF (01625 263 378). Located 900m from the end of main and long walk options.
Plenty of options in Macclesfield’s Centre, the ones en route are mentioned in the text.

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National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Oct-21 Thomas G