Middlewood Way
Encyclopedia
The Middlewood Way is a ten-mile (16 km) "linear park" in England
, between Macclesfield
and Rose Hill Marple
, that was opened on 30 May 1985 by Dr David Bellamy
.
Middlewood Way follows the route of the former Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple railway
, which had operated between 1869 and 1970. The Middlewood Way serves the needs of walkers, dog walkers, cyclists, joggers and horse riders and plays host to a wide range of flora and fauna. It runs approximately parallel to the Macclesfield Canal
and passes through Bollington
and Higher Poynton
. It can be reached by rail at Macclesfield
, Middlewood
and Rose Hill Marple
.
The trail is rough and badly maintained in places and is probably best suited to those on foot or cyclists on mountain bike
s and hybrids. The exception to this is the tarmac section between Bollington and Macclesfield, which is suitable for all cycles.
The trail forms part of National Cycle Network
Route 55 from Ironbridge
to Preston.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, between Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
and Rose Hill Marple
Marple, Greater Manchester
Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
, that was opened on 30 May 1985 by Dr David Bellamy
David Bellamy
David James Bellamy OBE is a British author, broadcaster, environmental campaigner and botanist. He has lived in County Durham since 1960.-Career:...
.
Middlewood Way follows the route of the former Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple railway
Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway
The Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway was a railway line, 16 km long, linking Macclesfield with Marple in east Cheshire, England, opened in 1869 by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and the North Staffordshire Railway , as a part of an alternative link between...
, which had operated between 1869 and 1970. The Middlewood Way serves the needs of walkers, dog walkers, cyclists, joggers and horse riders and plays host to a wide range of flora and fauna. It runs approximately parallel to the Macclesfield Canal
Macclesfield Canal
The Macclesfield Canal is a canal in east Cheshire, England, one of the six that make up the Cheshire Ring.-Route:The canal runs from Marple Junction at Marple, where it joins the Upper Peak Forest Canal, , southwards , before arriving at Bosley.Having descended the 12 Bosley Locks over the course...
and passes through Bollington
Bollington
Bollington is a small rural town and civil parish in the county of Cheshire, , England, in the unitary authority of Cheshire East. It is located east of Prestbury. In the Middle Ages it was part of the Earl of Chester's manor of Macclesfield., and the ancient parish of Prestbury...
and Higher Poynton
Poynton
Poynton is a town within the civil parish of Poynton-with-Worth, and the unitary authority area of Cheshire East, England. For ceremonial purposes it is part of the county of Cheshire. Poynton is located at the eastern most fringe of the Cheshire Plain, north of Macclesfield, south of Stockport...
. It can be reached by rail at Macclesfield
Macclesfield railway station
Macclesfield railway station is a main line station serving the Cheshire town of Macclesfield. It lies on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line, in the United Kingdom....
, Middlewood
Middlewood railway station
Middlewood railway station serves the Middlewood and Higher Poynton districts of Poynton, Cheshire.It is on the Stockport to Buxton line, opened in 1879 by the London and North Western Railway on the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway which they had acquired in 1866...
and Rose Hill Marple
Rose Hill Marple railway station
Rose Hill Marple railway station is one of two stations serving Marple, in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, the other being Marple railway station....
.
The trail is rough and badly maintained in places and is probably best suited to those on foot or cyclists on mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
s and hybrids. The exception to this is the tarmac section between Bollington and Macclesfield, which is suitable for all cycles.
The trail forms part of National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
Route 55 from Ironbridge
Ironbridge
Ironbridge is a settlement on the River Severn, at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge, in Shropshire, England. It lies in the civil parish of The Gorge, in the borough of Telford and Wrekin...
to Preston.