Middlewood Way
The Middlewood Way is a ten-mile (16 km) "linear park" in England, between Macclesfield (53°15′36″N 2°07′22″W / 53.2601°N 2.1229°W) and Rose Hill, Marple (53°23′42″N 2°04′39″W / 53.3950°N 2.0774°W), 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 Rose Hill Marple and Romiley via the Goyt Valley Connect 2 scheme.
The trail which was once rough and badly maintained in places has been re-surfaced for much of its length and is now (as of October 2016) suitable for most types of cyclists except for those on thin-tyred road bikes (even these may find it possible to negotiate in dry periods) as well as walkers and horse riders. The tarmac section between Bollington and Macclesfield is suitable for all cycles.
The trail forms part of National Cycle Network Route 55 from Ironbridge to Preston.
See also
Gallery
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The old station at Higher Poynton
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The Middlewood Way in summer
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The Middlewood Way in winter
External links
- Cheshire East Council Middlewood way page - includes map and guide
- Discovercheshire website (Middlewood Way page)