It’s home to 23 species of butterfly and also popular with stargazers
A country park in Cheshire has been hailed as ‘dramatically beautiful’ and is popular with stargazers(Image: The Nose Coffee)
The cold mornings and the early nights are just one sure fire sign that we are amidst the period of time where Autumn starts to become Winter. Whilst many of us will rightfully want to cosy up with a blanket at this time of year, some others will take it as an ideal opportunity to wrap up warm for a brisk walk surrounded in the countryside.
Whilst Greater Manchester has many beautiful parks just waiting to be explored, there’s one on the outskirts that also gets a lot of love from hikers and rock climbers – and it’s only a short drive away from the city centre as it’s located in Macclesfield.
Tegg’s Nose Country Park is described as being ‘Cheshire’s wild hill country where rock dominates the landscape’, featuring dry stone walls, barns, a 380m-high hill, and an abundance of nature. It is believed that it is considered home to wildlife including deer, badgers, birds and 23 species of butterflies, like the Green Hairstreak and Wall Brown.
In the autumn, visitors will also be able to see fungi in the lower meadow, with many brightly-coloured species including the shiny waxcap mushrooms. The 35-mile Gritstone Trail passes through the park, between Disley in the north and Kidsgrove in the south.
Tegg’s Nose Country Park spans across 54 hectares of meadows, woodlands and quarries, and is home to many species of birds, deer and butterflies(Image: Tegg’s Nose Country Park)
The Tegg’s Nose Rocks Trail is popular for those who are into their geology – with the circular walk of nearly two miles taking in the park’s summit and its many quarries over the predicted space of around an hour. A child-friendly alternative, called the Tegg’s Nose Rocks! Letter Hunt, tasks people with finding 13 letters on wooden signposts to spell out a special word. Trail maps and leaflets can be collected from the Visitor’s Centre.
A more adventurous Tegg’s Nose Trail – spanning two and a half miles and perfect for ‘an energetic half day walk’ – features 200m of descent and ascent as it ventures through woodland and reservoirs. The quarry also features a climbing wall, which can be pre-booked by groups.
The country park is also home to The Nose Coffee, a popular tearoom open seven days a week. Open from 9am to 4.30pm on Saturday and Sunday, the café serves a range of hot drinks as well as toasted teacakes, cakes and other sweet treats. Reviews online have said it is a ‘gem of a place’ with a roaring log fire on colder days and has ‘incredible views looking down on the Cheshire countryside and into Manchester’. One other hailed their fudge brownie cake as the ‘best ever’.
The Nose Coffee has been described as a ‘gem of a place'(Image: The Nose Coffee)
Venturing through meadows, woodland and heathland, the ‘dramatically beautiful’ park has ancient origins and is believed to have been inhabited since the Bronze Age. The 54 hectare site was considered a significant place of interest for quarrying between the 1500s and 1955.
This Saturday (November 29), Tegg’s Nose Country Park will also open up as a hub for stargazers with a special event from the Macclesfield Astronomical Society featuring talks, Q&A sessions and, if the weather is clear, the chance to observe the sky through a telescope or binoculars. Booking is essential, with tickets costing £5. More information here.
The country park is full of nature throughout the year, and is also popular for hikers and adventurers(Image: Tegg’s Nose Country Park)
Upcoming workshops and events also include a Card Making session on Tuesday (December 2), and a guided afternoon wander on Friday (December 5). There’s also a winter poetry workshop on December 6, an Elf Hunt from December 13 to January 4, and Christmas Crafts sessions on December 13 and 20. There will also be Breakfast with Santa events too.
The Country Park has its own dedicated car park, with prices ranging from £1.60 for an hour to £4 for up to ten hours. For those wanting to use public transport, there is a regular 58 bus service running from Macclesfield bus station that stops a short walk away from the park. The entrance to the Visitors Centre and main car park can be found signposted from Buxton Old Road, which is just off the A537 road between Macclesfield and Buxton.