SAVE THE 60 PART 2

My comments on the threat to the 60 bus route occasioned the following unsolicited leaflet:

" Say No to More Bus Cuts

• Your Sunday bus service, No. 60, will be withdrawn in December

• This bus serves …*Langley* – Sutton* – Macclesfield – Hurdsfield – Higher Hurdsfield – Rainow – Kettleshulme – Taxal - Whaley Bridge – Furness Vale – New Mills – Disley *on Sundays only*

• The weekday service could be next under threat

• What can you do?

1. Write to Councillor John Burke at County Hall, Chester, CH1 1SF or e-mail John.Burke @cheshire.gov.uk He is the Member for Transport.
2. Contact your local councillor - see below
3. Contact Transport 2000 Cheshire e-mail : chris-dale@talktalk.net or ‘phone 01625 428379

Your Councillors

In Cheshire :

Macclesfield Forest : Langley, Sutton, Macclesfield South :
Barrie Hardern, Turks Head Farm, Leek Old Road, Sutton, Macclesfield, Cheshire. SK11 0HZ.
e-mail : Barrie.Hardern@cheshire.gov.uk

Macclesfield : Bollington and Disley : Higher Hurdsfield, Rainow, Kettleshulme, Disley :
Sylvia Roberts, 18 Cedar Way, Bollington, Cheshire. SK10 5NS.
e-mail : Sylvia.Roberts@cheshire.gov.uk

Macclesfield Town : Hurdsfield, Town Centre and East :
Nell Carter, 39 Middlewood Road, Poynton, Cheshire. SK12 1TX.
e-mail : Nell.Carter@cheshire.gov.uk

Macclesfield West :
Ken Edwards, 48 Hurst Lane, Bollington, Cheshire. SK10 5LT.
e-mail : Ken.Edwards@cheshire.gov.uk

Macclesfield Prestbury and Tytherington :
Paul Findlow, 48 Hurst Lane, Bollington, Cheshire. SK10 4BR.
e-mail : Paul.Findlow@cheshire.gov.uk

Macclesfield Broken Cross :
David Freear, Brook House, 126 Prestbury Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire. SK10 3BN.
e-mail : David.Freear@cheshire.gov.uk

In Derbyshire

Whaley Bridge and Blackbrook :
Beth Atkins, Derbyshire County Council, County Hall, Matlock.
DE4 3AG.
e-mail : Beth.Atkins@derbyshire.gov.uk

New Mills :
Barrie Taylor, Derbyshire County Council, County Hall, Matlock.
DE4 3AG.
e-mail : Barrie.Taylor@derbyshire.gov.uk"

Good luck with the campaign guys!

SAVE THE 60!

Sunday's walk began with what must be the most charming bus ride in the county.
Beginning with a few local stops providing a vital service to the town, the bus then climbs into the hills to the charming village of Rainow, then higher still to Kettleshulme with breathtaking views from Charles Head on the way. The route then edges into Derbyshire with a visit to the small town New Mills, finally slipping back into Cheshire to the terminus at Lyme Hall where much of Pride and Prejudice was filmed.
And they want to cease the service!!

From Lyme Hall we took a steady climb to the Bowstones, shrouded in myth and legend but probably the shafts of a double Anglo-Saxon cross. Four paths converge here, and we struck out along the ridge looking down towards Manchester airport and Runcorn on the right with the swooping hills and valleys on the left. This follows the Gritstone Trail with some additions and embellishments by the Bolllington Drop-In Centre - including the appearance of a wooden mole by the side of the path. (The Drop-In Centre is also under threat!!)

As the light was fading we dropped down into the village of Bollington to a warm welcome at The Poachers, a friendly pub with a good selection of ales and very pleasant staff.

Saturday 14th October offered an unscheduled visit to the Wrenbury Apple Festival - a wonderful rural event in a charming village. A local (amateur!) grower gave cooking and juicing demonstrations and the renowned Eddisbury Fruit Farms had a large display of different varieties all available for tasting and purchase. The village green had stalls set out for children with face painting and apple-bobbing (removing floating apples using only teeth) and the church had a display by local artists.
We then visited the amazing Bhurtpore Inn, managing to overcome distaste for its provenance (Viscount Combermere built this and the now-departed Salamanca Inn to celebrate hsi victories in India and Spain) to admire the wonderful menu and taste the magnificent selection of well-kept ales.
A charming day.

1st October

Sunday's walk was a challenging 12 mile walk from Upper Hulme, a charming village sitting at the foot of The Roaches to Sutton, a village outisde Macclesfield.
There were some pretty stiff climbs but the 11 walkers thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. We were jubilant that the weather forecast (rain!) had been proved wrong as we strode along the ridge towards Wincle, where a planned refreshment stop was enjoyed at The Ship a country pub with excellent real ales and good food that has not usurped a well-kept and wide-ranging cellar.
After lunch the sky became more menacing, and with little or no warning the heavens opened and rain fell like stair-rods, lightning illuminated the hills, thunder crashed around us and hail stung our faces - we were drenched.
We battled on over Croker Hill with its sci-fi telecoms tower and along the ridge to Sutton where after a quick half we caught the bus to Macclesfield and a welcoming fire in the Waters Green Tavern.
A great day out.

The Current Programme


Greenwalks: Late Autumn 2006

Greenwalks offer a chance to walk with others in superb countryside. We are not a walking club as such … the best way to describe it is that we are a group of people who meet up now and again for casual walking. The walks are based in the Macclesfield area and there will be a leader for each walk. We use local buses and follow point-to-point walks. Bring a small snack for a break but if the opportunity arises we’ll call into a local pub en route or at the end. Walks are usually on the last Sunday of the month or the Sunday before.

Sunday 1st October 2006: The Roaches to Langley/Macclesfield
Meet at Macclesfield Bus Station at 1020.
Catch the 1030 (58) bus to Buxton and on to Upper Hulme [connection at Ladmanlow] for a fairly hard walk over The Roaches to Wincle where there’s a pub stop and Stuart recommends the hot sandwiches!
Approx 12 miles with climbs. Finishes in Langley/Sutton or Macclesfield depending on progress-at about 1800 or in time for bus at 1843. Back in Macclesfield for 1900.
Leader: Stuart

Sunday 29th October 2006: Lyme Park
Meet at Macclesfield Bus Station at 1250.
Catch the 1300 (60) bus to Lyme Park then a walk back to Bollington.
A moderate walk with one main climb- approx 6 miles. Back in Macclesfield about 1730 or 1830. Leader: Helen and Tom

Sunday 12th November 2006: Kettleshulme to Whaley Bridge
Meet at Macclesfield Bus Station at 1250.
Catch the 1300 (60) bus to Kettleshulme for a moderately easy five-mile walk to Whaley Bridge. Back at Macclesfield for approximately 1815. Leader: Les

Wednesday 29th November 2006: Social at St Dunstan, Langley-celebrate two years of rambling!
Meet at Macclesfield Bus Station at 1840 or 1940.
For those who fancy a 1.5 mile torchlight stroll along pavements meet at the bus station at 1840 for the 1845 (14) bus to Langley. Bring a torch! Leader: Les

For later arrivals catch the 1945 (14) bus to Langley for a social event where we will check Nick’s pics and talk over next year’s programme. Leader: Chris

Sunday 3rd December 2006: Langley to Bollington
Meet at Macclesfield Bus Station at 1210.
Catch the 1220 (60) bus to Langley for a moderately hard walk to Bollington via Rainow. Climbs at the start of the walk- approx 6 miles. Back in Macclesfield approx 1630 or 1730. Leaders: Les and Stuart

Sunday 10th December 2006: Macclesfield Forest
Meet at Macclesfield Bus Station at 1210.
Catch the 1220 (60) bus to Macclesfield Forest for a walk to Langley.
An easy walk-3 miles. Back in Macclesfield at about 1600. Leader: Les



Greenwalks is organised by T2000 Cheshire. These are informal gatherings-walkers attend at their own risk as no liability can be taken by T2000 Cheshire or the walk leaders.

Two years of Green Walks

We are now coming up to the end of our second year of Green Walks and will be celebrating with a social evening on Wednesday 27th November at the St Dunstan pub in Langley.

These walks originated with a group of Transport 2000 members who would gather in the Waters Green Tavern discussing how to improve public transport in the Macclesfield district.

The idea of the walks is to use public transport, bus or train, to begin and end a walk (not necessarily circular) and more often than not to include a country pub towards the end of the walk.

Numbers on the walks vary from just 3 or 4 to over 20 and are not limited to Transport 2000 members or even regulars at the Waters Green Tavern. They are for people who love and respect the countryside, value public transport and might even like a pint.

Pictures of some of the walks can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/nickpeck and I think it is now time to add a little detail to the walks, the route, the conditions etc.