The St Cuthbert’s Way walking tour is getting ever closer. So it was, after a brief rest following our Macclesfield and Gawsworth cycle ride earlier in the day, Sarah and I met up with Neil and Nicholl for another late afternoon walk. This time we would walk out to Linnet Clough.

We met at the Townley Terrace car park in Marple. It was raining. From there, we turned into Station Road and then into Lockside and walked up along the Marple flight of flocks on the Peak Forest Canal.

At the junction with the Macclesfield Canal, we took the path on the left and continued to follow the Peak Forest Canal.

This section forms part of both the Midshires Way and the Goyt Way.

After following the canal for approximately three-quarters of a mile we took a path down to Strines Road.

We then briefly followed Strines Road before turning off and taking some steps down into the River Goyt valley.

This was quite a tricky section and some of the steps were quite steep.

Thankfully, once at the bottom, we could enjoy the River Goyt.

We crossed over the River Goyt using the Roman bridge near the Roman Lodge.

Then, having joined the Cown Edge Way, and following a track for a few hundred yards, we took the public footpath Jubilee Walk, on the right.

This path followed the railway track which we soon crossed.

We continued to follow the path up the hill towards Mellor and Townscliffe golf course.

We skirted around the edge of the golf course for a little bit.

Before heading westwards towards Mellor.

We briefly stopped a couple of ducks playing a round of golf. They seemed to have forgotten their golf clubs …

Then crossed a small channel and briefly followed the path alongside a wall to Linnet Clough Scout Camp.

We left the Cown Edge Way at the Scout Camp, and began our descent of the hill along a track at the end of Neilds Way.

We had originally planned to visit Linnet Clough Reservoir but decided against it given the wet conditions. 

Clearly, not everyone makes it back down the hill …

At the bottom of the hill, we joined Lakes Road.

We then followed Lakes Road through Roman Lakes. 

Roman Lakes Leisure Park now covers an area and the surrounding valley was originally the site of Samuel Oldknow’s Mellor Mill. The Lakes provided water for the mill. At the end of the 19th century, after the mill was destroyed by fire, Roman Lakes was reinvented as a leisure park. Today, there are many ongoing archaeological excavations taking place.

Finally, we walked up Lakes Road, a stiff climb, and back into Marple.

Our walk had covered approximately 3.5 miles and was another exploration of an area we weren’t familiar with. It had been a bit wet, and an experience!

You can view our Linnet Clough walk route below: