Hazrom two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Hazrom here.

A real mixed bag of path surfaces. This urban walk on the fringe of Greater Manchester is very much a country walk on mostly well used paths. It used definite paths, roadside pavements and unrecorded paths the latter could be it’s downfall if development takes place. I did enjoy this walk more than had been anticipated.

I started at Romiley a place I had passed through on two other Slow Ways. The exit on this route was most enjoyable, I would describe it as a walk through the leafy suburbs although being winter the leaves were on the ground not the trees. The road or lane was quite narrow with no pavement but also little traffic. Dog walkers were out in force confirming a good route to green spaces. The aqueduct under the canal creates a cul-de-sac for traffic and was a surprise so I took some steps just to prove there was water up there.

The chapel is a nice spot with seats and a well tended garden where volunteers had just arrived to start work. The lane was traffic free but there is also a safe path over the hedge. The location here has the appearance of being in a bowl surrounded by higher ground.

A well surfaced path, used by cycles, leads to a new looking bridge and the good surface continues alongside the river which was flowing fast making it impossible for anything, horse or tractor to use the ford. The track starts to climb and then makes a sharp turn while our plot continues ahead. Here it was temping to think the Slow Way took a local unrecorded path, but no, the map confirms green dash lines along a route now uneven and crossed by exposed tree roots.

Dooley Lane does need care to cross as there is no pelican assistance, I crossed early onto a grass verge then took the old road behind the closed pub. The next path which leaves the lane after crossing the stream was again a bit of a scramble up the hillside especially as the ground was very wet.

Another busy road at the top offers a central refuge for a safer crossing. The plotting ignores a definitive footpath behind the houses, a wise choice made after I walked this messy path. The Open Street View path shown through the school grounds is not available so this plot starts to explore the green corridor under the power cables later. A mix of green and grey eventually leads to a green play area.

Even OSM fails to offer a link to the next recorded path, the Cown Edge Way (CEW), but the route offered here is well used if rather soft going after all the recent rain. The alternative recorded path would be the CEW which I did explore and found to be rather overgrown and muddy, it would also involve a lot a main road walking as reported in a review of Hazrom.

Back on a recorded path which takes us to the roads of Hazel Grove, passing a few shops it offers a safe crossing of the busy A6 before arriving via a step free station approach but having managed the middle section of this walk, what are a few steps? The station sign offers a welcome but not the best location for a Slow Wayer passing through. Although a very mixed surface walk it is one that I enjoyed.

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