Please click the link below for our updated calendar. Bookings are going very well for the Port Sunlight day out on the 27th March with only 5 vacancies left.
Next event after Port Sunlight is:
THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE 17th -19th April
New events to the calendar are:
CURRY NIGHT in POTYO Wilmslow on 29th April
MANCHESTER HISTORY WALK with Jonathon Schofield 14th August
https://ramblerseastcheshire.org.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Social-Calendar-2026-v4.pdf
Hello fellow Ramblers,
It’s exciting news time! We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our brand new “Sunday Scrambles” series! These specially curated walks are designed for those looking to add a touch of adventure to their weekend outings.
Our “Sunday Scrambles” will feature Grade 1 and Grade 2 scrambles, perfect for anyone seeking a bit of a challenge without being too strenuous. Each walk will primarily be under 7 miles, making them accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of walkers. These events will be held on Sundays throughout the summer months, our first one is set for Sunday the 8th June so get it in your diary!
Keep an eye on the East Cheshire Ramblers website and our social media channels for updates and details on the upcoming “SundayScrambles.” Details about the Scrambles will appear under SHORT WALKS. So do check our Notice Board and Programme carefully.
We hope this new initiative will bring some fresh excitement to our walking program and attract even more people to our wonderful group.
We can’t wait to see you out on the trails, scrambling and enjoying the beautiful scenery!
Not sure if it’s for you? Here is a brief outline of scrambling and what you might expect on our days out. If you are still unsure or have any questions please get in touch with the scrambling leaders and they will be mor than happy to have a chat and help you make that decision to get out and give it a try!
What Exactly IS Scrambling? Unleash Your Inner Mountain Goat!
Ever looked at a rocky hillside and thought, “I wonder if I could climb that… without ropes?” Well, you might have been contemplating a scramble!
Scrambling sits in that exciting spot between hiking and rock climbing. It’s essentially un-roped climbing over steep and uneven terrain, where you’ll likely need to use your hands as well as your feet for upward progress. Think of it as a more adventurous hike, a step up in challenge and thrill from your typical walk.
Imagine this: You’re making your way up a mountain. The path disappears, replaced by a jumble of boulders and rocky slabs. To continue, you might need to:
Why is Scrambling So Appealing?
There’s a unique allure to scrambling that draws people in:
Is Scrambling Right for You?
While it’s not as technical as roped climbing, scrambling does require a certain level of fitness, agility, and confidence on exposed terrain. It’s important to have good balance and a head for heights. But most importantly take your time! This isn’t a race!
Different Grades of Scrambles:
Just like hiking trails have difficulty ratings, scrambles can also be graded. A Grade 1 scramble might involve occasional use of hands for balance, while a Grade 3 or higher could involve more sustained steep sections and greater exposure. We will generally be looking at Grade 1 initially and perhaps some easier of the grade 2 routes.
Scrambling offers a fantastic way to experience the hills in a more engaging and adventurous way.It’s about finding that flow between movement and the rock, pushing your boundaries (safely!), and enjoying the incredible views you earn along the way. So, are you ready to unleash your inner mountain goat?
Ok, perhaps a slightly exaggerated “click bait” title, but I thought I would share what drew me to walking and the Ramblers, why East Cheshire and how the group has become a home from home.
For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting me in person (or perhaps the misfortune), my name is Richard. 42 years young at the time of writing and live in sunny Sheffield but hail from Alderley Edge.
I have been lucky to move around the country with my career from London to Birmingham and now Sheffield. Slowly returning north albeit not the side of the peaks I had planned! But then what is life
By day I run a successful small datacentre looking after networks and servers for customers across the UK. So, most of my day I can be found stalking the data aisles fixing issues for customers. A self-confessed geek perhaps yes! but my passion lies out in the hills and finding the next adventure. without adventure?
As children me and my sister were fortunate enough to enjoy family walks in the Lake District and the Peaks with a New Year’s Day walk being the highlight of the year.
As for most of us, life got in the way, and my career took over and it wasn’t until my late thirties that I found walking again. I’m not ashamed to say that the extra food, beers and mostly desk work had taken their toll and my first walk from Edale over the great ridge was almost my last! It was only about 6 miles and quite possibly almost finished me off! But considering what I can only describe as a day of suffering! the views and the other people walking and of course the constant encouragement of my sister to keep going paid off.
The obsession began and I spent every day I could in the Peaks walking alone and most of my time at work planning routes (let’s perhaps keep that to ourselves and not the office). Walking alone has always been a special thing to me, I can move at my own pace for as long or as short as I wish and use the countryside and nature to recharge my batteries after a busy week in the office.
This all culminated by picking up my bag last April and walking from my flat in Sheffield over to Mum and Dads house in Alderley Edge. It took me three days to cover the distance and I opted to carry the kitchen sink, aka my tent, for some shelter. Now what I can say is there is nothing like a can of ale from the Buxton Brewery whilst watching the sunset from the tent on Shining tor!
I do not think there is anything better to lift the spirits than being in the outdoors. The amount of people I meet wrapped up in city life and chained to the laptop or iPad looking thoroughly miserable could gain so much from what these outdoor spaces have to offer.
If you have made it this far well done for putting up with the it’s all about me section!
So why the ramblers? Well, I decided that whilst walking on my own or with family was rewarding enough, perhaps I was missing out on these “Hiking groups”. Social media is currently teaming with photos of groups out walking and having what looked like a fantastic time.
My father, Peter had joined the ramblers and after a read of the website and some fact-finding, I decided that this would be the group for me and snapped up my membership joining the Sheffield group being my closest suggestion.
But this is the East Cheshire Group and hear you say. Well, yes, I did what I’m sure many a member does and carried on walking my solo walks. As those of you who have met me know I am a super shy reserved person …. Well perhaps that’s not entirely true but I do find making the first step to something new somewhat of a challenge and put off the unknown.
It was on a wet winter’s morning when I received an email from Dad saying the East Cheshire Group was looking for walk leaders and why doesn’t he offer my services. As always Dad has always been there to encourage me to do more and to always improve myself. So perhaps it’s him to blame now for my presence on the walks and I leave you to complain or praise him as you see fit next time you run into him on a walk.
I guess the rest is now ancient history, but I led my first ever ECR walk on a crisp February morning from Gradbach out to Luds Church and the Roaches with the moral support of Dad to take away the nerves. I’d like to thank Andy Davies here for showing me the ropes! Thanks, as always Andy.
At this point, I cannot thank the members of this wonderful group enough for how welcoming everyone has been and especially Anne and John for keeping the Midweek and Weekend walkers in check!
I have now transferred my allegiance to ECR full-time and aim to be on as many walks as possible over the coming years.
If you are thinking of joining the Ramblers, why not come along for a walk and say “hello”. Like me you will probably never leave!
I’ll leave you with a few pictures of my adventure walking and camping the Great Glen Way the other year for inspiration to get out there and enjoy the trails!
Hopefully see you on a walk soon. Richard.
Those of you who were at our fiftieth anniversary celebration in Lyme Park on July 15th will have seen the presentation of pictures illustrating our activities over about the last twenty years. Now everyone can view it in the comfort of their own home because it is now available on this web site under the ‘Photos’ menu.
The presentation is different each time it is viewed because the pictures are chosen at random from the 3000 or so on the web site and it will carry on until you stop it by pressing the Esc key. Start the presentation by clicking on the title page. There will be background music but if you want to view in silence hold down the shift key whilst clicking.
The pictures are the work of several of our members who have been active with their cameras on walks since about 2001. There are a few pictures from before that date but not many. I hope that the presentation will revive memories for older members and give an idea of the breadth of our activities to recent recruits and anyone who is considering joining us.
Roger Fielding
Alan Catheral, sadly, passed away in January this year. Our ECR committee recognised a wish of our members to provide some permanent recognition of Alan for his enthusiastic and comprehensive contribution to the affairs of East Cheshire Ramblers Group, both in the countryside and management. Quoting from our Chairman Jane Gay “Alan has been a member of ECR since 1985. He was an extremely strong long walker and walk leader who enjoyed the mountains. He particularly enjoyed walking with other members of ECR and chatting to them about the countryside and his latest projects. He was passionate about improving access for walkers.”
It was agreed that Poynton-with-Worth FP 27, centred at SJ 9470 8270 between Elm Wood and Ben’s Wood would be improved, and a plaque in memory of Alan would be posted there. A kissing gate and finger post would be erected at the path’s north-eastern end, a waymarker post erected at an intervisible more southerly spot. At the southern section by the canal, hawthorn trees would be cut back to improve the path’s accessibility. At the south end, plastic fingers would be restored to an existing finger post, and its ground anchorage made more firm. This post is adjacent to a footbridge leading to Hagg Farm and Poynton Coppice.
Eight members of our ECR FP Projects Team assembled on site in July and carried out this work to everybody’s satisfaction. Assembling and placing the kissing gate……..
Clearance of hawthorn tree obstructions on the path by the Canal……….
A finger post was erected by the gate, and the fence meshed to the gate……..
Incidentally, we have adopted a protective system for posts against rotting, whereby a bituthene sleeve is wrapped around the post at its most vulnerable rotting zone (100 mm above, and 250 mm below ground level), melted and rolled onto the wood………
A waymarker post was placed midway………..and the bridgeside finger post was refurbished……..
Soon after, a site visit was made to attach the plaque to the new finger post……
My thanks go to Janet Allan, Roger Fielding, Adrian Flinn, Ken Hobbs, Roger Jubb, Ian Wasson and Nick Wild. They contributed to a team total of more than 39 hours of work, excluding breaks.
.
By Steve Hull
As one sign acknowledging our work appears, another disappears. The photographs show the pre-ECR sign on Tewkesbury Drive in Tytherington which has now disappeared, along with the stile and the associated footpath, which is buried under the new housing estate. The pleasant field path has been replaced by a longer and uglier Tarmac path round the edge of the estate leading directly onto the Middlewood Way.
Grey sign to the right of the stile erected in 1977
On Stanage Edge.
By Michael Murphy
With improving weather, nine members of East Cheshire Ramblers ventured a little further afield on a bright March morning, for a 12 mile walk from Heatherdene Car Park, in Derbyshire. The forecast was for sunny intervals with moderate winds.
The route firstly ascended through mossy woodland, up onto Bamford Moor, where the group enjoyed splendid views across Ladybower Reservoir and the snow-specked hills beyond.
Having briefly strayed onto the wrong footpath (the distracted leader engrossed in conversation!) some “off-piste” descending was required to regain the correct route above Jarvis Clough, before stopping for our coffee break.
A long gradual climb followed, to access the rocky gritstone ridge known as Stanage Edge. What had been moderate winds in the valleys were now experienced as much stronger gusts, as the party headed South East along the jagged ridge.
Many walkers were encountered in both directions, taking the opportunity to enjoy the early spring weather, whilst using varying techniques cope with the wind.
Leaving the ridge, the group headed South West to the attractive town of Hathersage. Here they visited the churchyard of St. Michael, the reputed location of the grave of Little John, one of Robin Hood’s Merry Men.
The walk then crossed some boggy farmland to arrive at Bamford. The intended route would have used stepping stones at Bamford Mill, over the River Derwent. As these were underwater, it was necessary to extend the route to reach the Thornhill Trail. Now a bridleway, well used by walkers, cycles and horses, it was once the route of a narrow-gauge railway; built to carry materials used in the construction of the dam wall to create the Ladybower Reservoir, opened in 1945.
After walking the two-mile length of the trail, the group crossed the dam to arrive at the car park, before driving to Bamford for refreshments.
A path through the woods.
It is with regret that this weekend has had to be cancelled. For those of you that have booked accommodation please arrange to get what monies you have paid back.
This site is no longer updated please visit our new site below.
https://ramblerseastcheshire.org.uk/
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