"An exhilarating walk with a long, easy prelude, then a steep ascent to one of Cheshire's best viewpoints."
Walk directions
Out of the car park, follow the lane right for 0.25 miles (400m). Reaching houses, a track leaves between them through a gate on the left across the fields behind. Eventually faced with gates, bear right through a kissing gate and head away on a shallow diagonal. Over a wooded stream, continue in the next pasture, paralleling the stream on your left. A developing path leads into trees and the Macclesfield Canal.
Over a bridge, drop left and swing back beneath it to follow the tow path for 3 miles (4.8km). The route leaves the canal at bridge 57, but it is worth walking a little further for the view from the top of the aqueduct into the Dane valley. Return to the bridge, cross and follow a descending path into the valley. Pass through a gate into trees and continue down to a bridge. Through a gate, walk briefly by the River Dane, where there is a good view back to the aqueduct, then turn away on a track between fields that eventually leads to a lane.
Turn right, climbing steeply uphill. At the top go left, but then leave opposite a cottage over a stile on the right. Head away, crossing stiles from field to field up the steepening hillside. Emerging onto a lane at the top, walk left past Hillside Farm. A little distance beyond, double back sharp right on a short track to the open hillside below The Cloud.
Over a stile by a National Trust sign, a clear path rises across the sloping hillside. Steepening towards the top, it climbs onto the craggy summit ridge. The trig point and topograph are 100yds (91m) to the left.
Return along the ridge and continue with the path ahead, which curves left to descend gently along the edge towards pine and birch wood. Lower down, paths converge to a gap in a wall. Keep going through scrub before entering trees again. At a wayposted junction, branch right with the Staffordshire Way, dropping to a barrier. Follow a track right above a farm. Rounding a bend, watch for a stepped path dropping down the wooded bank to a broad lane. Go left, leaving just beyond a house on the right through a gap in the fence, from which a path drops back to the car park.
It's an enticing name, The Cloud, and the views from the crag-fringed crest live up to the promise. Instead of a direct attack this walk first makes a wide, easy sweep around the hill. This is attractive in its own right and gives you a greater feel for the landscape you'll ultimately survey. ... Along the Macclesfield Canal Even so, a downhill start may seem perverse. In fact the height lost is minimal and the gains considerable. An early wander through flower-rich meadows may seem all too short. Easy striding follows, along the tow path of the Macclesfield Canal. Though it passes close to Congleton, you see surprisingly little of the town. Soon, as the canal swings east, The Cloud begins to shadow your progress.You leave the canal just before it crosses an aqueduct. However, there's no long series of arches, but a single arched bridge abutted by steep embankments that carries the canal impressively high above the River Dane. The walk descends slightly to make the river's acquaintance, albeit briefly, before beginning the climb. This starts with a steady ascent on a lane then continues more steeply, first through pastures and then on rougher slopes clothed in heather and bilberry. The luxuriant growth almost smothers the contours of the old track that once served the quarry on the north face. From a shelf, which extends below the quarry itself, you climb between the crags. This final phase of the ascent is very steep but brief. You arrive at the northern end of a rocky spine about 100yds (91m) long; the trig point is at the southern end while the highest point is midway along. Sit on the edge of the crags and enjoy the view. Eastward the ground rises again, into the Peak District. The nearer hills are in Staffordshire. So, for that matter, is the eastern slope of The Cloud, though the summit belongs to Cheshire. Further north, the highest ground is in Derbyshire, though Cheshire claims the western foothills, including the sharp peak of Shutlingsloe. The western half of the panoramic view from The Cloud stretches over virtually all of the county of Cheshire and is best appreciated from a short way down the descent. Lower down there is a fine pine plantation and some younger woodland. Finally the route drops down the flank of the ridge and into the edge of Timbersbrook. Silk industry In the 18th century Timbersbrook was a centre of the silk industry. The buildings were later taken over by a bleaching and dyeing company. At its height the works employed up to 230 people. It finally closed in 1961 and the mill and chimney were demolished in the 1970s.
Nestled between the Welsh hills and Derbyshire Peaks, the Cheshire plains make an ideal location to take things slow and mess around in boats. Cheshire has more than 200 miles (302 km) of man-made waterways, more than any other county in England.
"An exhilarating walk with a long, easy prelude, then a steep ascent to one of Cheshire's best viewpoints."
Walk details
2hrs 45min
Difficulty:
Hard
Gradient:
Moderate
Distance:
7 miles (11.3kms)
Ascent:
1001ft (305m)
Walk directions
Out of the car park, follow the lane right for 0.25 miles (400m). Reaching houses, a track leaves between them through a gate on the left across the fields behind. Eventually faced with gates, bear right through a kissing gate and head away on a shallow diagonal. Over a wooded stream, continue in the next pasture, paralleling the stream on your left. A developing path leads into trees and the Macclesfield Canal.
1 of 5
Over a bridge, drop left and swing back beneath it to follow the tow path for 3 miles (4.8km). The route leaves the canal at bridge 57, but it is worth walking a little further for the view from the top of the aqueduct into the Dane valley. Return to the bridge, cross and follow a descending path into the valley. Pass through a gate into trees and continue down to a bridge. Through a gate, walk briefly by the River Dane, where there is a good view back to the aqueduct, then turn away on a track between fields that eventually leads to a lane.
2 of 5
Turn right, climbing steeply uphill. At the top go left, but then leave opposite a cottage over a stile on the right. Head away, crossing stiles from field to field up the steepening hillside. Emerging onto a lane at the top, walk left past Hillside Farm. A little distance beyond, double back sharp right on a short track to the open hillside below The Cloud.
3 of 5
Over a stile by a National Trust sign, a clear path rises across the sloping hillside. Steepening towards the top, it climbs onto the craggy summit ridge. The trig point and topograph are 100yds (91m) to the left.
4 of 5
Return along the ridge and continue with the path ahead, which curves left to descend gently along the edge towards pine and birch wood. Lower down, paths converge to a gap in a wall. Keep going through scrub before entering trees again. At a wayposted junction, branch right with the Staffordshire Way, dropping to a barrier. Follow a track right above a farm. Rounding a bend, watch for a stepped path dropping down the wooded bank to a broad lane. Go left, leaving just beyond a house on the right through a gap in the fence, from which a path drops back to the car park.
It's an enticing name, The Cloud, and the views from the crag-fringed crest live up to the promise. Instead of a direct attack this walk first makes a wide, easy sweep around the hill. This is attractive in its own right and gives you a greater feel for the landscape you'll ultimately survey. ... Along the Macclesfield Canal Even so, a downhill start may seem perverse. In fact the height lost is minimal and the gains considerable. An early wander through flower-rich meadows may seem all too short. Easy striding follows, along the tow path of the Macclesfield Canal. Though it passes close to Congleton, you see surprisingly little of the town. Soon, as the canal swings east, The Cloud begins to shadow your progress.You leave the canal just before it crosses an aqueduct. However, there's no long series of arches, but a single arched bridge abutted by steep embankments that carries the canal impressively high above the River Dane. The walk descends slightly to make the river's acquaintance, albeit briefly, before beginning the climb. This starts with a steady ascent on a lane then continues more steeply, first through pastures and then on rougher slopes clothed in heather and bilberry. The luxuriant growth almost smothers the contours of the old track that once served the quarry on the north face. From a shelf, which extends below the quarry itself, you climb between the crags. This final phase of the ascent is very steep but brief. You arrive at the northern end of a rocky spine about 100yds (91m) long; the trig point is at the southern end while the highest point is midway along. Sit on the edge of the crags and enjoy the view. Eastward the ground rises again, into the Peak District. The nearer hills are in Staffordshire. So, for that matter, is the eastern slope of The Cloud, though the summit belongs to Cheshire. Further north, the highest ground is in Derbyshire, though Cheshire claims the western foothills, including the sharp peak of Shutlingsloe. The western half of the panoramic view from The Cloud stretches over virtually all of the county of Cheshire and is best appreciated from a short way down the descent. Lower down there is a fine pine plantation and some younger woodland. Finally the route drops down the flank of the ridge and into the edge of Timbersbrook. Silk industry In the 18th century Timbersbrook was a centre of the silk industry. The buildings were later taken over by a bleaching and dyeing company. At its height the works employed up to 230 people. It finally closed in 1961 and the mill and chimney were demolished in the 1970s.
Nestled between the Welsh hills and Derbyshire Peaks, the Cheshire plains make an ideal location to take things slow and mess around in boats. Cheshire has more than 200 miles (302 km) of man-made waterways, more than any other county in England.
