A real country walk once out of Poynton with hills and moors adding to the stunning National Trust Lyme Park, a hint of canal plus a short section of old rail cycle route. 2024 due to an unsafe bridge just west of the canal crossing, see below for details. In the mean time continue along the MW to the next bridge then use the short link through the recreation ground to the canal towpath to rejoin the Slow Way at the footbridge over the canal (see the picture map). Back on route we continue to climb the path soon becomes a good enclosed path which had been improved, including some boardwalk, by ramblers in memory of a member....

Ken

These roads have a 20mph limit imposed and offer a quiet route to Macclesfield Road where there are a few shops. We can escape from the traffic noise, just, from Towers Road using either an unimproved earth footpath or the residential part of London Road....

Ken

The canal runs along roughly the same route to Bollington and there are multiple points where you can easily swap between the two....

Richard Cunningham

An alternative route exists down the middlewood way which runs parallel to this canal route....

Richard Cunningham

It's a good route....

pilea

It's been raining a lot and there was a couple of muddy pinch points between Poynton and the canal, but the towpath was fine....

danravenellison

Walked in October the paths were narrow in places with deep grass and likely prone to waterlogging and mud after prolonged rain - indeed the section just before the canal was quite muddy on our walk....

Ian Morton

Agree in the Disley section it makes sense to keep the height and use footpath 25 by St Mary's unless you're popping into Disley for shops, cafes and pubs. I used the Higher Poynton canalside variation as suggested and picked up the Prince's Incline from the canal. One thing to note is the mixed herd of cattle at Barlow House Farm, could require a bit of care if you're walking with dogs....

Jonc

There doesn't seem much value in leaving the Incline path at Middlewood Road and then walking down the pavement-less Green Lane to get to the canal (unless you want the 392 bus stop) and it makes much more sense to us, to continue going along the Incline path all of the way to the canal, or at least as far as the Middlewood Way crossing, and then do a short section on that before re-joining the suggested route....

Andy Screen

We suggest to avoid some road walking and losing height through Disley, take Disley parish footpath 25 instead of Buxton Old Road and the Disley end of Red Lane. From New Mills turn left where Chantry Road meets Buxton Old Road then right after approximately 30 m. From Poynton turn right off Red Lane before the road starts descending....

Vanessa Hack

This was a nice walk just walking along a section (photo 07) very narrow path then you get to Mill Hill Hollow turn right to Woodford and Chester Road this a little distance of walk was very dangerous (photo Woodford Road) as there is no pavement and as I was walking cross 2 car from either side just got passed me. However, the rest of the walk was nice and pleasant till I got passed the big field on my left (photo 10) came to crossing with no sign, not clear which path to carry on a sign would be helpful on this turning (photo 12)....

Ali Reza Gerami

I walked from Poynton church in lovely village of Poynton to Bramhall I walked on the main road as I got to the Poynton train station turn right to Spinners Lane and got to the football field first, I took a wrong turn end up to Deva Close I had to turn back to find my way to end of the football field and found the footpath which was not clear from the other side, as I got to Woodford Road it was a bit complicated with no sign had to guess my way round with a bit of uncertainty I went as I thought I am going through someone’s, gate luckily I guessed right and found the footpath on the other side eventually got to the side of Bramhall oil Terminal which a few scrap metal was lying around as you can see in photo could do with being removed once I passed the oil Terminal I started walking on the footpath which is situated on the back of house on the Adelaide Road on a easy walk very squeezed and difficult to walk through it as you can see on the photo. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the walk. Which it is a sham for such a lovely neighbourhood....

Ali Reza Gerami

A delightful flat walk on pavements and footpaths, through the streets and fields between counties. Only one 100m section on an narrow road with high hedges felt a bit hazardous (see pic 1). Got slightly caught out by the gpx sending me into a housing estate but easy to double back and go around....

planroutematt

After a short walk through the village you climb up to the old railway and follow this for about 4k....

David Greenaway

The route only takes in the northern edge of Lyme Park (you will see the payment kiosk, not the house) but you do pass through one gate at the Red Lane end which will be locked at closing time, so please check the National Trust website for the park gate times which change seasonally....

Lauren G

These were passable when walking, but would force runners to slow down to skip sideways....

danravenellison

man made knoll by the A555 gives an excellent panorama of the area...

ricardo

Suggest highest rate if the cycleway over the WCML is accessed to avoid the Woodford Road bridge from the new knoll summit....

ricardo

the climb over the knoll is well worth the view and should give access to the a555 .....action council......

ricardo

The path has been diverted to access a bridge under the road with the railway. This route avoids crossing the railway here and heads down a rather narrow footpath onto an estate road then a further path between the houses links to a playing field. The final approach to Poynton is along the road passing the impressive welcome sign and advice that this is a 'Shared Space Village' with the instruction, or was it a request to 'Give Way to All'....

Ken

The route is well plotted so easy to follow, there is one short section of road with no pavement or verge and there could perhaps be cattle but I saw none. Leaving along London Road stay on the right, east side to gain easy access to Poynton Lake which offers some respite from the traffic. A gate allows access to the path alongside the new road, of use only to cyclists I guess so this footpath may be awaiting an upgrade....

Ken

No issue at Distaff Barn the side gate allows access to the footpath, you are on CCTV but where are we not monitored....

Ken

So I did Whaley Bridge - Lyme Park, then Poynton - Lyme Park another day. The east half from Whaley Bridge passes by a reservoir, then ascends through farmland gradually but with occasional steep bits (including steps in some places) to the edge of Lyme Park, before descending down to Lyme Hall....

Lauren G

A reroute is needed, because a footpath shown on the map, and currently used in this route, is blocked by a new house. The main issue is that the footpath shown heading WNW from the Woodford Road at gridref 905840 is impassable1...

HughEverett

Suggested minor route change: At gridref 852810, go North down Wilmslow Park Road for ~250m until you meet the bridge, then turn E before the bridge and follow the footpath along the S side of the river1 (In reverse, the first 2Km or so of the route needs changing, to route past the station and the big A555 junction to gridref 896832.) I cannot find out from Grahams (https://www.graham.co.uk/poynton-relief-road)m when the relevant footpaths on the Slowways orignal route might be reinstated - I assume it'll be some time in 2022.....

HughEverett

This scenic route connects Poynton and Bollington, mainly using the towpath along the Macclesfield Canal....

MacHiker