GM Ringway Stage 6 – Strines to Marple

Stage 6: Distance: 8.5 miles; Walking Time: 3 hours 41 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 19 minutes

☀️ A Sunny Start

Three weeks after heading out in the pouring rain for Stage 5 of the Ringway, my next hike couldn’t have had more different weather conditions. With the temperature expected to hit 27°C, I set off early to try and avoid the worst of the heat.

I parked up at Marple Railway Station with just 30 seconds to spare before the 7.44am train departed and legged it to the platform, jumping on board just as the doors closed. A quick four-minute journey took me to Strines, where I began the sixth leg of the challenge.

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⛰️ Climbing Early (and Too Soon!)

Now, I’ll be honest — I’ve fallen a bit behind with my posts, so I’m writing this a few months after completing the hike. My memories of the finer details are a little hazy, so the next few posts might be a bit shorter than usual.

That said, I do remember the start of this stage clearly. Immediately after leaving the station, there’s a steep uphill path that felt like it went on forever — not exactly the gentle warm-up I’d have appreciated at 8am on a Saturday! My walking poles came out a lot earlier than I would have liked.

Although slightly shorter than the previous leg, this one definitely felt tougher — probably due to the heat and early climb. The elevation gain seemed much greater, though in reality it was only about 200 feet more. Anyone with a reasonable level of fitness could complete this stage in under three hours, but at that point my fitness level was less than ideal.

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🌄 Mellor Moor and the Views

This was by far the most scenic leg of the Ringway so far, offering some great, sustained views across Manchester city centre. There’s also a lovely little diversion about an hour in to the Mellor Moor trig point — one of the two highest points in Stockport borough — where you’re rewarded with stunning 360° views.

I spent a peaceful 20 minutes here recovering from the initial climb and enjoying my breakfast before continuing on my way.

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🌳 Fields, Roads and Canals

This stage crosses plenty of fields, includes quite a bit of road walking, and ends with a pleasant stretch along the canal. The varied terrain made it an enjoyable and interesting walk, probably helped by the stunning weather.

Passing through Linnet Clough Scout Camp was a particular highlight — there were loads of fun activities going on for the Scouts, including archery and assault ropes. Watching them made me wish I was a teenager again!

At around the six-and-a-half-mile point, the route heads through Barlow Wood, a very picturesque spot. It was when leaving this wood that my lack of fitness really hit me. There are quite a few steps leading steeply up to the road, and I wasn’t sure I was going to make it.

Having huffed and puffed to the top, I had to sit on the stone wall for a good ten minutes to recover my breath. This was genuinely the point when I resolved to do something about my fitness so that I wouldn’t feel like that again — and I’m happy to say that three and a half months on, I’d now be able to climb those steps without feeling like I was having a heart attack!

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🍺 A Well-Earned Cider in Marple

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🥾 Falling Behind but Not Giving Up

Apologies for the lack of detail in this post — life got in the way a bit.

I’ll also take this opportunity to admit that I’ve failed in my original challenge. I’d hoped to complete the entire GM Ringway by the time I hit 40. Unfortunately, that milestone has now passed, and I’m nowhere close to finishing all 20 stages.

But I’m not giving up. I still get out hiking whenever I can and remain determined to complete the full trail — it’s just unlikely to happen in 2025.

Despite the heat, steep climbs and a few breathless moments, Stage 6 reminded me why I started this challenge in the first place — for the views, the peace, and the small wins along the way.

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📍 If you missed my very wet Stage 5 adventure, you can read about it here.