Park at Twinnies Bridge and take the path beside the toilet block, keeping right at the fork to reach a footbridge over the Bollin. Cross this and fork right within a few paces, before reaching an information board. At the kissing gate turn left and take the path through the hay meadow.

Keep to the upper path, climb the stile and follow the initially cobbled path through a green tunnel of undergrowth to a field-side path. Keep ahead through a gate, then two kissing gates, to join a surfaced path beside a car park above the Mill.

Pass by the bus shelter (bus users start/finish here) and go down the narrow path to a driveway. Turn right and then go left in 100 yards, just before the drive to the Apprentice House. Follow this path across pastures towards the distant village. At the gate, turn right along the rough lane to reach the Methodist Chapel in Styal village.

Take the sandy path in frontof Farm Fold Cottages to the village cross; here turn right upthe cobbled lane. This brings youto the former village shop, which later became a Co-operative store, and beyond this the houses and terraces of Oak Cottages.

Return to the cross and turn right to pass Norcliffe Chapel, entering the woods beyond an information board. Keep right at the fork, to cross Chapel Bridge.

Keep left beyond; an undulating path through beech and tree woodlands reaches Kingfisher Bridge. Cross this, bear left up steps and follow a wide path to reach a junction by yet another information board. Turn right and keep ahead across the rough road to reach the driveway down to Quarry Bank Mill.

To return to Twinnies Bridge, take the sandy path from the far end of the mill yard and past the Mill Kitchen. Stick with this path, keeping left at two junctions to cross Heron’s Pool Bridge. Keep left, then go right along a riverside path back to the footbridge near the car park and to the starting point of the walk.

From Jarrold Short Walks – leisure walks for all ages, by author Neil Coates.

Published by Jarrold Publishing, available from local bookshops and Jarrold Publishing, Whitefriars, Norwich, NR3 1TR, or e-mail: info@totalwalking.co.uk

DETAILS

Start: Twinnies Bridge car park, Wilmslow

Parking: Free at Twinnies Bridge or charged at Quarry Bank Mill

Distance: 2½ miles

Time: 1½ hours – allow extra 1½ hours for visiting the Mill

Route features: Field, woods and village paths. Dogs on leads only

Ordnance Survey Maps: Explorer 268 (Wilmslow, Macclesfield and Congleton)

Refreshments: Tearoom and restaurant at the Mill

It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.