On
the straight and narrow
23 were up for it:
Rob Sparklette and son
Tom, Malc Jay and Malc Jay
Junior - Mathew, a lager drinker!!, Yupmeister, Pedro, Granpop
Bill, Keithee's up for it, Stubbee, Dasher, Utterly, Spikelett,
Jacko, Thingy, Paul Hecky
Thump, Graham Cork, Mid Week Tone, Zolette, Mr Tahoohigh, Tim Mothy, Pink Boots Louise, JayCee and Great Scott,
Monsoon Hooson & his boys
just missed out on meeting us so chose a shorter stroll, and Heavy Steve Machine
was still hung over from the flu. DCeen
and McCeen were nowhere to be ceen.
Utilising public transport for squarry club doos has become more common recently and this was no
exception, with trains being caught from Stoke to Macclesfield, and later, at
the end of the walk, from Marple to
The walk began from Macclesfield station around
8.45 after meeting up with the remaining hikers and the obligatory group
photo. The first stretch out of Mac
followed a ‘tarmac’ pathway through pretty naff industrial and housing estate areas
but surprisingly a couple of herons were spotted.
We crossed a
suspension bridge before joining the canal northwards, close to ‘White Nancy’,
which we had visited on the previous sqwalk, and on to
Bollington where Corkster
had arranged breakfast. So eager were
the leaders to get to the breakfast stop that the trailing group were left to
make an important life depending decision after descending a set of steep steps
from the canal and through an archway onto a road - which direction to take for breakfast. Luckily Spikelet had held back to guide us and
saved our bacon.
The Holly Bush was
an old traditional pub which served cracking breakfasts accompanied with ale if
you could stomach it, at 10am!! Not
surprisingly, several including Corkster, Pedro, Sparklet, Granpop Bill, Utterly
and Keithee made the most of the opportunity and began supping ale along with
their breakfasts. 2-bap dasher emptied
several tea pots instead. The ‘Holy’
Bush, as Zolette referred to it, also owned a dog
which looked longingly at anyone who had a plateful of food in front of them.
It wasn’t long before everyone was tucking in,
except for JayCee.
After waiting for what seemed an eternity, his breakfast finally arrived
but had to be sent back for his egg to be annihilated. While he waited again, piping hot toast
emerged from the kitchen which the rest annoyingly scoffed. At least he got an extra sausage for his
trauma.
Graham checked to make sure everyone had paid
before we were allowed out of the establishment. Thanking Danielle, the landlady, he led the
way through the park to a locked gate before finding the steps back up to the
We arrived at Higher Poynton,
for our first lunchtime slurp at the
Boars Head where Sue, the landlady served Boddingtons, Everards
Sleigh Bell and Blacksheep. A Stanley Casino membership card was produced
by JayCee to prove he once had hair. The card was very old... Jacko,
not be undone, proudly slipped his bus pass out, to show his full head of hair
at sixty.
It wasn’t too long before we arrived at the Railway
at Marple. Unfortunately,
we were in another Robinsons house, unless your taste buds are duff of course,
where at least the Robinson’s Mr Scrooge was half palatable. Pink Boots Louise’s meal was first out of the
kitchen. The waitress announced the
names as each meal was bought out from the kitchen amongst much tittering and
cringing. Ambidextrous Pedro was still
sporting bandages to his hand where someone had tried to prize a 20p piece out
of his fist, and failed, and showed his versatility using a fork in one hand
and raising his jug with his other.
As you’d expect, JayCee’s
meal was last out again, managing to complete it just as the only pudding menu
was passed around and the naughty Hanky panky and
creams were ordered.
Only a handful remained for the visit to The
Hatters as several said their goodbyes and left for the return leg home. A room
was found opposite the bar at the Hatters and Dasher carefully recounted
several jokes from his mobile. Granpop Bill sampled an old Tom at £1.90 for a half and Zolette was thrashing the hairless one at chess until
several more called it a day. Only Corkster, Mr Tahoohigh, Stubmeister, Utterly, Granpop
Bill and Yup remained for the visit to the Ring O’Bells,
where Mr Scrooge, under a different name to confuse the patrons, was available. Chocolate Tom was also available but Bill
refrained this time. There were several
individually named welcoming snugs available but we stood at the bar which amazingly
was surrounded by a ring of bells.
When Graham had finished exchanging banter with a dodgy
dealer at the bar he led us out and onto the
Eventually we passed the station, and a tempting
Indian restaurant, and continued down to the
Many thanks must be expressed to Corkster for arranging the multitude of stops and the food
orders. The following morning he had
already began preparing another walk!
It had been a successful day, and we were blessed
with a clear bright day and wonderful company.
What more could we want.
Regards
Yupmeister
(enjoy yer baltis)