The Hidden Secrets of the Edge

view-from-the-edge

When I first heard about the series of free walks which have been organised in Alderley Edge by the National Trust it struck me that these will probably be very interesting for local people, who like myself have been up The Edge on numerous occasions but have never really taken the time to learn all about its past. 

When we go on holiday people are much more inclined to explore and take the time to learn about the place they are visiting, yet here in Alderley Edge we are fortunate to have a fascinating history right on our doorstep, which many of us are not that knowledgeable about.

John Hillary first starting doing walks around the National Trust grounds with his son David about 20 years ago, these walks were restricted to special National Trust days, but in their current format John Hillary and Robin Salmon have been providing “The Hidden Secrets of the Edge” walks for over 10 years on a voluntary basis.

When I met with John and Robin recently, the passion they share for the history of Alderley Edge was very apparent. Robin explained “There is far more to The Edge than meets the eye. We could do two walks, one after the other, and still not cover the same stuff.”

John added “The secrets are there for all to see, we are simply the interpreters. We take people round and open their eyes to what there is for people to see.”

John and Robin are doing far more than pointing out what there is to see though, they are also sharing their wealth of knowledge about the area, including; the Stanley family, Baron Ranulf and Castle Rock, the mining of copper and minerals, The Legend, Alan Garner’s books and John Evans, otherwise known as the “Hermit of Alderley” who lived in a wooden hut in the Church Quarry during the first half of the 20th century.

On “The Hidden Secrets of the Edge” walks visitors are initially taken back 250-300 million years when The Edge was a flat plain, before the movement of the land northwards led to the formation of the Pennines, and the first stop for walkers is the Mining Museum which is home to a cobalt shaft.

The walk usually takes 2.5 hours, though visitors are very welcome to choose to join them for an hour or 1.5 hours instead. The walks take places on a fortnightly basis, with the exception of August when they held every week, and they start at 2pm from the National Trust car park.

The route does include some uneven terrain, slopes and can be muddy so stout footwear is recommended. Children are very welcome but must be accompanied by an adult and well behaved dogs, on leads, are also welcome.

The next “The Hidden Secrets of the Edge” walk will take place on Sunday May 16th at 2pm, but for additional dates see our events calendar or call 01625 584412.

Tags:
Local History, National Trust, The Edge, Walks
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