The main path across Danes Moss on a winter’s day. (photograph taken February 2015 on a much brighter day)
The starting point for this medium length walk close to Macclesfield was Bullock’s Lane Bridge at Sutton Lane Ends.
It wasn’t exactly a fine morning with very grey murky conditions and very poor visibility but a group of twelve walkers set off at 10am from Bullock’s Lane Bridge. We followed the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal at first then set out across Danes Moss before turning right and taking the field path to Mosshouses. Here we continued via Lowes Lane then a field path to Gawsworth where we stopped for our morning break in the park adjacent to the village hall where there were ample seats.
Heading west, we crossed the A536 to follow a rather busy Dark Lane and soon left this road and took field paths from Newbarn west then south before veering east to The Mount. Once back over the A536 Congleton Road, we took the field path to Gawsworth Church where we stopped for an early lunch stop. Despite it being mild, it had remained a very grey and gloomy day.
Heading east from Gawsworth we followed a field path and some notoriously muddy spots proved to be much better underfoot than expected. We later joined a lane before taking the farm track to Woodhouse Green Farm then a rather muddy path down to the Macclesfield Canal. We crossed the footbridge over the canal here work was being carried out on the bridge to replace the steps. Once over the A523, we took the path up beside Sutton Reservoir before taking the path beside the feeder channel that supplies water to the reservoir and in turn to the Macclesfield Canal. Later we veered left to cross fields to Sutton Lane Ends. In the village we took the path which reached Bullock’s Lane close to Sutton Hall. Here it was just a short walk to the cars and a few of the group ventured into Fairway’s Cafe afterwards.