Route description & photos

Start on Robin Lane, Lyme Green (SK11 0LH).  There is plenty of on-street parking along here and adjacent side roads.

Walk south-west along Robin Lane towards the main A523 Macclesfield to Leek road. 

Cross directly over into Gaw End Lane and proceed to cross over the canal bridge.

Enter the canal towpath and head south, adjacent to the railway line.

At the swing bridge, turn right to follow a footpath sign towards Danes Moss Nature Reserve.

Cross the footbridge over the railway line and continue into the nature reserve.

As well as looking out for the birds, butterflies, and if you're lucky - lizards - look out also for remnants of the old Danes Moss Tramway.

Continue to a crossroads of public footpaths.  Carry on straight ahead at this point.

Cross over the field to exit onto Woodhouse End Lane.  Turn left, and then quickly right into a farm track.

You should be able to see St James' Church, Gawsworth over to your right.  At the end of the track, turn left onto a public footpath to lead back onto Woodhouse End Lane.

Continue ahead onto Woodhouse End Lane and cross back over the railway, this time on a road bridge.

After a short distance, a public footpath leads off from the left and through a farmyard.  Take this path and follow around the back of the farm buildings at Woodhouse Green Farm.

Look out for a metal gate beside a larger gateway (that might be open).  At this point switch to the other side of the field boundary so that the hedge is now on your right.

Continue down the centre of the field, looking out for a metal gate ahead.  This leads you to a small staircase back up to the canal.  Turn left, briefly on the canal towpath, and cross the footbridge.  Cross over the A523 main road and enter the area for Sutton Reservoir.

The mapped public right of way follows an initially banked path towards the right (south) of the reservoir.  Ignore this, and take the wider path heading up on the left.

From the top of the dam, continue around the north side of the reservoir as it becomes a good gravel path designed for anglers.  You may also see some open water swimming enthusiasts around here!

At the eastern end of the reservoir, there is a gate onto Leek Old Road.  Ignore this, and bend around to the right, continuing to follow the footpath between the road wall and the reservoir.  Then exit onto Leek Old Road and cross over.

Take the public footpath on the other side of the road.  This is a very pleasant path, initially through nice woodland, that eventually leads to Sutton Lane Ends.

The path follows the right-hand bank of a small stream to a stone bridge.  Continue straight on here, still following the right-hand bank of the stream.  As the field narrows to a corner, there is a boggy crossing to continue on the public right of way.  It looks much worse than it actually is!

The footpath now proceeds towards some houses.  This is Symondley Lane.  Carry on walking down the lane towards the village centre, marked by the Ex-Servicemen's Club at Sutton and a traditional red telephone box, now housing a defibrillator.

Continue straight on into Hall Lane in Sutton village, then look for a public footpath veering off to the left.  Follow this pleasant riverside path along Rossendale Brook.  Some of the later parts of this path may become very waterlogged, but there is an alternative to the left, following close by a wire fence if required.

When the path emerges into an open field, initially head straight on towards an opening into an adjacent field, but curve around to the right.  Look for the footpath waymarker post in a tree stump to guide the way.  Cross a stile and bear left to follow an access road down to Bullocks Lane.

Turn right onto Bullocks Lane and pass the main entrance for Sutton Hall.  Cross the canal bridge and then enter onto the towpath.  Turn sharp right to pass back underneath the Bullocks Lane bridge.

Walk along the canal towpath for about half-a-mile to the next bridge, carrying the A523 London Road at Lyme Green.  Exit the canal here and cross the road.

Walk over the footbridge adjacent to the main road bridge over the canal, then turn left into Lindrum Avenue.  Turn right into Robin Lane, and the route is complete.