Meet Leader: Jim Gregson
Members: Christine Beeston, Virginia Castick, Mark Garrod, Sandy Gregson, Jim Gregson, Michelle Harvie, Lester Payne,
Dave Shotton.
Guest ( former member): Colin Garthwaite

The weather for this day was unfortunately a typical dreary and wet/damp November day as we gathered in the Goyt Valley, a long-favoured and traditional KMC haunt. Undaunted we walked up past the ruins of Errwood Hall with a short uphill detour to take in the Grimshawe family burial ground which lies on their former family esate (for more info consult the wikipedia pages for “Errwood Hall”).  After descending the hill-top site we wound up into the valley below Foxlow Edge to reach the rather quaint-looking Spanish Shrine, erected by the Grimshawe family in memory of their children’s governess. This was an appropriate spot for us to hold the two-minute silence in memory of all of the 80+ deceased members of the KMC with a period of thoughtful and respectful commemoration of those fellow mountaineers, climbers and walkers who in their day shared our common interest in the mountains.

After proceeding onto the tarmac of The Street road for a short while, we came up to the ridge crest in quite thick fog and heavier rain to proceed along over Cat’s Tor and on to the trig point at Shining Tor. While we were paused here for a little while, the summit was approached by folks so pre-occupied with their own lives that they were filming themselves on their phones mounted on selfie sticks and even on tripods. We left them to it, after a short performance from the stowaway canine that Virginia had smuggled onto the meet in an attempt to discomfit the meet leader (who has a broad sense of humour anyway). In the chilly rain we progressed over to the cafe by the Macclesfield road where we purchased warming drinks and sat at the outside tables to partake of some sustenance from our rucksack contents.

A brief visit was made up to the Cat & Fiddle, always a gloomy-looking spot and no more cheery in its current incarnation as a distillery rather than a pub. We threaded our way back through some tussock territory to regain the track down Stake Edge before cutting down into Shooter’s Clough to descend back into the Goyt. Passing close by Errwood Hall again we reacherd the road and the carpark.

Thanks to those members who emailed the meet leader with messages of regret that they could not attend in person but who supported the idea of the meet, and a big thanks to the small but select group of KMC stalwarts who did turn out for the occasion.You all did our past members proud. Your presence added to the opportunity which was marked by much stimulating conversation and sharing of a wide range of KMC anecdotes and memories of incidents in club history causing much laughter to counteract the miseries of the weather. Would that more of the membership might have stirred themselves to join those who did.

REMEMBERING OUR MEMBERS Walk —Sunday 10 November 2024 

Meet Leader: Jim Gregson

Maps for this walk:  BMC British mountain Maps Dark Peak and White Peak both cover the Goyt area. OS OL24 1:25000 The Peak District White Peak Area gives larger scale cover (note --NOT on The Dark Peak OL1).

The walk route will take us over some very traditional KMC territory in the easy-to-access Goyt Valley ( which was regularly used each year when Club Founder Member Len Stubbs used to host a meet from his two different homes in Kettleshulme. (Len’s ashes were placed at the summit of Black Hill overlooking Kettleshulme village so in a sense he will still be keeping an eye on us!)

The meeting place for this meet will be The Street carpark close to the Errwood reservoir dam. GR : SK014756 (The Street is the road down into the Goyt from Pym Chair which is along the road from Windgather.) Road approach either from Whaley Bridge then up to Kettleshulm and on via Pym Chair, OR through Whaley Bridge then onward along the Long Hill road, A5004, then turn sharp R into Goyt’s Lane and steeply down passing Bunsal Cob to Errwood Resr. dam and the carpark. Meeting time is 09:00 to 09:15 for prompt walk start at 09:30. If the Street carpark is very busy or full, there is plenty of parking along the roadside  a bit further along the reservoir side or another large carpark - Errwood - at Gr: SK012748.
NO DOGS, please on this walk.

The route:
Proceed South along road or on roadside grass/mud beyond the Shooter’s Clough bridge to the Errwood carpark, then go uphill to join the hardcore track signed to Errwood Hall, running through mixed and rhododendron woodland.Pass just below the Hall ruins and then make a sharp L to reach the remains of Errwood Hall, which was the home for more than 100 years was the family home of the Grimshawe family, Manchester businessmen whose estate hereabouts covered over 8.1 sq. km including several farms, a school, the Cat and Fiddle Inn, a private coal mine and the hamlet of Goyt’s Bridge (see Wikipedia entry “Errwood Hall” for further info).

From the hall ruins rejoin the wide track heading W then wind up and around the hill on ther R to reach the restored Grimshawe family burial ground where several generations of the family lie. Wind back down the hill then bear R to reach a footbridge crossing the clough below Foxlow Edge, turn L and ascend the obvious path going up the clough running NNW. Higher up note the small conical building of the Spanish Shrine which was erected by the Grimshawe family in memory of Dolores de Ybarguen, a Spanish aristocrfat who was the teacher at the estate school and governess to the family (she had died during a visit to Lourdes). The shrine is unlocked but please be respectful if you look/go inside (and close the door on leaving). Climb back to the main path then go up to the road (The Street) which follow up towards Pym Chair. Get onto the ridge which runs S over Cats Tor and Shining Tor for 3km to the trig point at Shining Tor, 559m.

Somewhere along this ridge, at 11:00 we will stop for a two-minute silence in memory of all those KMC Members who have died since the founding of the Club in 1944 (see full list of names which should be in a recent KMC Newsletter). This silence should coincide with the national two-minute remembrance for the fallen of two world wars).

Descend SE from Shining Tor then up to the main ridge, turn R and after a short distance go through a small gate on the R to descend again passing Stake Farm then go R to the Peak View Cafe - possible (optional, but it is the only one) refreshment stop, but as this can be very busy it will probably be necessary to use the outside terrace tables.

Move on to SE by track and roadside to reach the famous Cat and Fiddle, sadly no longer an Inn or a cafe, but trading as the Forest Distillery, making and selling a variety of whiskies and other spirits - at outrageous prices eg . Forest Blend at £55.00 and Forest 10-year-old Single Malt at £100.00 a bottle. ( Stock up while you can!!!)

Quickly leaving the Cat rejoin the track signed to Stakeside and go along by the wall heading N back towards the Goyt for just over 2km then at GR: SK004742 turn L through a broken gate to descend through trees into Shooter’s Clough, sharp R then down to a crossing of the beck then R again to rejoin track leading back to the ruins of Errwood Hall - a good spot for a stop to eat and drink and think about our former Club colleagues, and perhaps asking an older member or two about some of those characters who figure in KMC history.

Resume the walk past the front of the ruins  going W for a few hundred metres then cross the beck and take the obvious Woodland Walk path which climbs briefly then descends back to the roadside close to Shooter’s Clough bridge then only 500m back to the Street carpark. A nicely varied route of about 15km in total.

If desired, and going homewards via Pym Chair, Windgather and Kettleshulme, members may decide to call at the Swan pub in Kettleshulme for a post- perambulation pint or two and a Club natter before heading home. Newer members and guests should take today’s opportunity to learn a bit more about the Club and its gallery of intriguing characters over the years.

Addendum: since the List of deceased members was compiled, the Club learned of the deaths of two more early years members - Marion Dellow (nee Folds) and Walter Beckett (who climbed with Joe Brown and Ron Moseley). More info on these two former KMC members in Spring 2024 KMC Newsletter. Also recently notified as deceased - Richard Williams. Apology - omitted from original List: Dave Booth