GM Ringway Stage 7 – Marple to Broadbottom
Stage 7: Distance: 8.9 miles; Walking Time: 4 hours 52 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 24 minutes
🌧️ A Very British Summer
It was mid-July when I set out for Stage 7 of the GM Ringway — the height of the British summer. So of course, it rained for almost the entire five hours that this hike took. And by rain, I don’t just mean a passing shower — I was soaked through to my underwear by the end!
For that reason, it wasn’t one of my favourite hikes. Had the weather been kinder, I think I’d have really enjoyed this stage. It was the last of the ‘moderate’ legs for a while and had some really nice views — or at least, it would have done if I’d been able to see through the rain streaming down my face.
🌉 Canal Paths and Aqueduct Heights
This leg starts off nice and gently along the Peak Forest Canal, crossing the impressive Marple Aqueduct before heading through a few muddy fields.
If you have a fear of heights, the aqueduct might make you feel a little uneasy, but it does offer some great views — even in the drizzle.
🐄 Cows, Courage and Chaos
If you read my post on Stage 4, you might remember my “heroic” cow encounter and how bravely I tackled a field full of dangerous beasts. Well, this leg was walked with the same friend from that post, and once again we were confronted by Daisy and her friends.
This time, however, there was no avoiding them — they were blocking the stile we needed to climb over. I genuinely thought that might be the end of our walk as my friend really wasn’t a fan of going past them. Luckily, a runner appeared from the other direction and managed to move them along. We quickly scrambled over the stile and practically sprinted through the field to the next gate!
☕ Mud, Dogs and Etherow Park
After surviving the cows, we made our way into Etherow Country Park. I’ve been here before for a Sunday stroll, when it’s usually heaving with families and dog walkers, but the weather meant we had the paths almost entirely to ourselves — which made a nice change.
There are a few cafés in the park, so we stopped for a caffeine boost. Unfortunately, a nearby dog owner had chosen that exact moment to stop too — with his very fluffy, very wet dog. Just as we approached, the dog shook off the excess water all over me. It really wasn’t our day.
🧗 Climbing to Werneth Low
The next point of interest was Werneth Low — somewhere I’d actually been for a picnic a few weeks earlier. It’s a lovely spot on a sunny day, but not quite as nice when you’re drenched to the skin.
Before we got there, we had to tackle several tarmacked roads that felt almost vertical. Looking back, they probably weren’t that steep, but being soaking wet made everything feel 100 times worse. There were literal streams of water running down the road past us, and I was just praying for the walk to be over.
🚶♀️ The Final Push
To be honest, the rest of the hike is a bit of a blur. I remember walking through some woodland and down a few muddy paths, but by that point I just wanted to get back to my car at Broadbottom Station and head home to some dry, warm clothes.
💭 Final Thoughts
Looking back, I think the weather gives me an unfair opinion of this stage. In hindsight, it wasn’t too difficult, and ‘moderate’ is probably a fair rating for the challenge. I’m still not entirely sure how it took almost four and a half hours of moving time, considering the distance and minimal elevation — perhaps the rain really did slow us down.
As I mentioned in my last post, anyone with a reasonable level of fitness should find this leg manageable — just be warned, you might encounter a few unexpected wildlife obstacles along the way!
Not every stage goes to plan, but even the soggy ones are part of the journey. 🌦️
📍 If you missed my sunny Stage 6 adventure, you can read about it here.
