LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I parked at 'The Wizard' in a National Trust car park, no charges if a NT member. I walked on the track from 'The Wizard' past the end of 'Engine Vein' to a footpath crossing the fields past Edge House and Hill Top Farm. The pasty was very narrow from '2' and '5' between two wire fences. Many stiles had been removed from this walk, but there were three ponds after '6', not two. The path slowly descended in the wood from '7', Clock House Wood, then became steep down steps to '9' at Waterfall Wood. The path was very muddy in places. There were interesting rock formations at '9', and thousands of rabbit burrows in Dickens Wood. I continued round the corner of the field to a disused mine entrance, with its railway tracks still in place. There were excellent views across the plain from wood clearings near Finlow Farm, before and after a steep climb to the summit of Edge. Care was required from '10' to '11' with high ground before '10', then a dip to '10' followed by a steady climb to '11' on a good path. There was another clearing at '11'  with more good views to the north. There was a small dip in the path to a beacon by a wall. It was amusing to see trees built into the stone wall. I followed the wall, then the fence to Castle Rock at '13'. There were even more good views from the top of Castle Rock, then down stone steps to a short distance on the path to Wizard's Well.  There was no water in the well during my visit. A short walk down the main road followed to Beacon Lodge and a detour back into the wood for mine workings of 'Engine Vein'. It was just a short distance back to the car park and the end of the walk.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk
Start & Finish: National Trust Car Park on B5087 between Macclesfield and Alderley Edge

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