Stunning village, picturesque scenery and winding towpaths make this one of Greater Manchester’s prettiest winter walks
Bugsworth Basin(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Check the thermostat this morning and it’ll struggle to climb above four or five degrees as the winter chill sets in. As we approach the New Year, the landscapes around us undergo a makeover with frost engulfing the leaves, trees and hills around us.
When its bright and dry, and there’s that notable chill in the air, the conditions are ripe for a wintery walk or perhaps a New Year’s Day wander. Fortunately, there’s plenty of inspiration, with beautiful walks, scenic views and plenty of pubs and stop-offs to warm up afterwards.
On the cooler, crisp days, the network of canals that run around and through Greater Manchester are some of the best for a winter walk, especially when the water is frozen after a heavy frost. For those in Stockport, there’s a go-to canal walk, but when you’ve got the whole day off, it’s worth extending it beyond the borders of the borough.
Marple Locks in Stockport (Image: Manchester Evening News)
The walk from Marple on the edge of Stockport to the Bugsworth Basin, at Buxworth, is one of the most scenic stretches of canal you’ll find, especially at this time the year. Along the way, walkers can admire the impressive Marple Locks and soak up the wonderful countryside views.
The Peak Forest Canal played a vital role in Greater Manchester’s industrial past, serving as a transport route for limestone quarried in Derbyshire. Following its decline after the railways took over, it now welcomes narrowboats, walkers and cyclists at all times of year.
Bugsworth Basin near Whaley Bridge, is a historically significant canal basin, once Britain’s busiest inland port, and famous as the unique surviving interchange with the Peak Forest Tramway for transferring limestone from quarries. Today, it’s a peaceful spot for walking, boating, and history lovers, with remnants of its industrial past like limekilns.
The lower basin at Buxworth (Image: Manchester Evening News)
At around seven miles long, the towpath walk is lengthy but straightforward to follow, taking around three hours to complete, depending on whether you make any stop-offs. The route takes you from the edge of Greater Manchester all the way to the borders of the Peak District, arriving at the picturesque Bugsworth Basin.
The route starts at Lockside in Marple, where the Marple flight (16 locks in total) connects two sections of the Peak Forest Canal. The lower sections joins the Ashton Canal which heads towards Manchester, while the upper canal head into the edge of the Peak District at Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth Basin.
Head North and you will come across the Marple Aqueduct – England’s tallest aqueduct – but to get to Bugsworth Basin you need to head south along the towpath. Follow the canal through Marple as it runs parallel to the River Goyt.
A walk along the Marple Locks (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Keep following the canal southwards and the scenery becomes more rural as you head deeper into the countryside. You’ll pass the village of Strines to your left and then Disley to your right. Strines is also home to the drinking spot Strines Nightingale with has an impressive selection of local beers and wines as well as live music – should you want to stop off or bookmark it for another time.
If you keep going, you’ll next reach New Mills, passing its marina along the way. You might even be able to smell the sweets like Palma Violets and Love Hearts being made at the Swizzels factory, which is located in the town. New Mills is also another good stop to make if you want food and drink with a range of pubs, restaurants and coffee shops.
Day-trippers also flock her to see the stunning Millennium Walkway and Torrs Riverside Park. It’s around the walkway that you’ll find Torr Vale Mill and its own bar – Torr Vale Tap – which serves a variety of pies, toasties and tapas as well as locally sourced beers and drinks.
The town in High Peak is a gateway to the Peak District (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
For this walk stick with the canal and keep going south, through Furness Vale. Eventually you’ll reach a split; the right takes you to Whaley Bridge while the left will lead you to Bugsworth Basin. If you head into Whaley, you’ll find a variety of places to eat and drink plus wine shops, antique shops and gift stores.
Follow the path left and you’ll arrive at the basin, once a bustling interchange with the Peak Forest Tramway. In the past, limestone was milled in the surrounding hills and transported to the basin where it was cooked in kilns into quicklime, which would then be processed and then transported around the country.
Although the pub that sits there (The Navigation Inn), has now closed, you can still enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the spot, before heading up the road to Chinley, where you can either catch a direct train back towards Stockport, or stay for a while and head to The Old Hall Inn & Paper Mill Inn for a proper roast or a well-deserved pint.