Walk Summary
Test your fitness ascending Shutlingsloe and catch your breath at the summit admiring the view. Impressive clough walking up to the Cat And Fiddle pub. High, desolate moor walking to Whetstone Ridge. Visit the famous Three Shires Head (Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire), and take a dip in one of its pools.
Date: 09/04/2023
Length: 9.72 miles
Height Gain: 471 m
Terrain: Muddy paths, boggy moors, grassy paths, field hopping, trackless moor, slabs, lightly used roads
Navigation: Reasonably well signed. There are a few problem areas (noted on map). Map/compass and gps required. The wooden posts leading to the summit of Whetstone Ridge are intermittent and easily missed in mist.
Start: Clough House Car Park PDNP
Route: Clough House Car Park, Shutlingsloe, Macclesfield Forest, Chest Hollow, Cat & Fiddle, Whetstone Ridge, Three Shires Head, Crag Hall
Map: OL21 Peak District - White Peak Area
Weather: Grey, then hazy sun
Walkers: Nun, Captain Mo And Cabin Boy
Captain's Log
Shutlingsloe
I vaguely remember doing today's walk 30 to 35 years ago. From what I can recall it was a mist shrouded, bog trotting Shirko epic. The walk includes a couple of Ethels, Shutlingsloe and Whetstone Ridge, and visits the junction of Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire at Three Shires Head. Captain Mo and the Cabin Boy were with me today and I hoped we'd get better views than my previous trip. The prospect didn't look that promising since the tops o the hills were shrouded in mist as we set off from the carpark at Wildboar Clough. After a brief horizontal warmup along the base of Shutlingsloe, the path took a direct vertical route to the top. Two Red Kites flew over to us to check us out on the lower slopes, with one of them lingering low over our heads. The wind gained in strength as we got higher until it was blowing quite a gale at the trig on top. The mist limited our view to the crags surrounding the summit ridge. There were half a dozen people up here; it is obviously a popular summit. The cold wind seemed to be getting even colder and so we dropped down the other side of the summit on to the path to Macclesfield Forest.
Shutlingsloe
Shutlingsloe
Cattle Near Shutlingsloe
Memorial Bench
As we entered the forest Captaion Mo and the Cabin Boy found quite a nice wooden memorial bench. The inscription on it read: 'I'll never know how far I can go, unless I try.' I told them that they could have that as the title of their 'Completed Ethels' photobook. I told them that I wouldn't mind a bench in my honour when I croak. 'I'd like it to have an inscription something like "Nun Warthead. He brought a ray of sunshine and an eternal smile to everybody he met."' I asked them if I was over egging it a bit, but they both thought it was okay. Some road walking brought us to a field full of Alpacas. We tried to coax them towards us but they seemed quite indifferent to our presence.
Shat Fidel
The mist was gradually disappearing an as we made out way along the valley we could see the pointed summit of Shutlingsloe behind us. It looked quite high and impressive. A pity it hadn't been that clear when we were up there. A permissive path allowed us to shadow the busy A54 by ascending a clough. The road was high above and if it wasn't for the surreal road signs on the skyline, we wouldn't have known it was there. We finally got to the top of the clough and a short walk brought us to the famous pub, the Cat And Fiddle. There had been a discussion as we ascended the clough as to how the pub got its name. Captain Mo had googled it and revealed that one theory was that it came from the French, 'Shat Fidel'. Mo said he didn't get a good grade with his French CSE. A lot of motorcyclists were stood by their machines outside of the pub. There is quite a nice stone picture of a cat playing a fiddle on the wall facing the road. The pub is at the top of the pass and feels quite remote in this massive expanse of moorland. The roar of motorbikes somewhat diminishes the serenity of the place and so we quickly got on our way again.
Shat Fidel
Clough Up To The Cat And Fiddle Pub
Sign Near Whetstone Ridge
Whetstone Ridge
Just before the footpath starts over to Whetstone Ridge, a sign says 'Any persons who access this land without prior consent from Frederic Robinson Limited do so at their own risk.' There were no contact details on the sign and so we decided to proceed. Whetstone Ridge was hardly a ridge and more of a slight undulation in the moorland plateau. A line of occasional posts directed us across trackless moor to its summit. There was no cairn to signify the summit and so I took an educated guess of its location. We could still see the Cat And Fiddle and also Shutlingsloe. We dropped down off the ridge and on to a bridleway. A sign indicated that we should follow the bridleway to Three Shires Head and so we set off in that direction.
Looking To The Cat And Fiddle From Whetstone Ridge
Three Shires Head
The bridleway terminated at the A54 and we crossed it to descend into a valley that would take us to Three Shires Head. A large chimney (for a disused coal mine) on the hillside took as by surprise, just below the road. The spoil heaps on the other side of the brook were indications of the area's industrial past. We started following the stream down the valley. The closer we got to Three Shires Head, the more people joined us. This was certainly a popular location. I saw the remains of four dead sheep within about a mile, which seemed quite a lot. I wondered if this might be caused by dogs. As I was considering this, a small Terrier had a shite on the path in front of me and then started flicking the area with its back legs. I stopped and backed off in horror at what was being flicked towards me. Its owner said 'Sorry about that.' 'Not a problem' I lied, wiping my gaiters on nearby long grass.
Valley Heading To Three Shires Head
Three Shires Head was not a place for quiet meditation. Well, at least not today anyway. To be fair it was a Sunday on a Bank Holiday weekend. Dozens of people lined the banks of the stream, having picnics or going for a paddle. A man was swimming under the largest waterfall. For some bizarre reason he was holding a large circular shaving mirror, although he didn't appear to be having a shave. His partner was on nearby rocks taking his picture. Three Shires Head is really very picturesque. But not today. I took a couple of photos and we fled the party in the direction and relative tranquility of Shutlingsloe.
Three Shires Head
Sheep And Lambs Near Shutlingsloe
Return
Gradually we left behind the groups of people and normality resumed. Shutlingsloe loomed larger. We could just see walkers on the ridge line making their way over to the trig. In the valley, leading to the carpark, the fields were full of ewes and their lambs. We rated the youngsters by their size and cuteness. The farmer had dumped some turnip treats in the fields for them. Yum, yum. I'm not sure my teeth would be up to eating raw turnip. We were the third car in the carpark when we arrived this morning, but the place was full now.
It had been a great walk, although the views were a little hazy. If I'd do this walk again, I'd definitely wouldn't visit Three Shires Head on a Bank Holiday weekend; in fact a weekday would probably be best, preferably also avoiding the school holidays.
Shutlingsloe