Above: This relic of a bygone age once produced lime to fertilise fields in the Goyt Valley. I only noticed the remains of a lime kiln the other day, near the southern end of Errwood Reservoir, along the track from the bottom of Old Goyts Lane, just a short distance...
Above: A photo of Dickie’s skull from Clifford’s book. I hadn’t heard of the legend of Tunstead Dickie’s skull before reading Clifford Rathbone’s ‘Goyt Valley Story’; a collection of articles he wrote for the Macclesfield...
Above: Known as ‘the human fly’, Joe was acknowledged as one of Britain’s finest mountaineers. He carved orienteering clues into rocks at 20 locations around the valley. The one above right is on the back of the shrine beside the lane leading down to...
Above: Goyt Valley Romance was self-published by Gerald (below). Gerald Hancock’s ‘Goyt Valley Romance’ was the inspiration for my launching this website back in 2012. He sadly died some years ago, and was in the later stages of his illness when we...
Above: Neil on the left interviews yours truly at the ruins of Errwood Hall. Professional photographer, Neil O’Connor, got in touch a few weeks back to ask whether I’d be happy to be interviewed for a video he was creating on a walk passing the ruins of...
Above: It will be interesting to see how quickly the landscape recovers. I’m just hoping the Forestry Commission don’t replant the fir trees. It’s great to see that the footpath along the western shore of Fernilee has finally reopened, some four...
Above: New vistas above Fernilee! I’m just hoping they’ll let the native broadleaf trees take over – as nature intended. I walked the wide track above Fernilee last weekend for the first time since the tree-felling began back in August. And what a...
Above: The murder stone lies well-hidden beside the back road between Whaley Bridge and Disley. Three young men were soon identified as the killers. But only one was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. I’ve always thought the story of William...
Above: The scene at the northern end of Fernilee Reservoir. There are similar notices at the southern end. Above: Signs say that mass-clearing will leave the woodland more varied (click to enlarge). But they seem to be planting yet more fir trees. Which I...
Above: The muck-splattered view along the old railway track from Macclesfield old Road in Burbage. This was the start of walk 12 in the series on this website. But I’ve now had to change it. The campaign to have the route along the old Cromford & High Peak...
