Explore Beautiful Cheshire East


Cheshire East includes some of the UK’s most beautiful scenery, attractions and sites of historical significance.


From sprawling plains and panoramic cliff top views to historic market towns and hidden gems, there is something for everyone in this region. Whether it’s a strenuous walk along the Gritstone Trail or a ‘real ale’ in one of the many micro- breweries in the area, a trip to a local farmers’ market or taking in some local history, a tour of Cheshire East will be one to remember.


FOOD AND DRINK The Nantwich Food and Drink Festival


From its famous cheeses to locally produced ales, a wealth of farmers markets and food festivals, Cheshire East is a foodie heaven.


The Nantwich Food and Drink Festival takes place every September with businesses from across the area rustling up an array of regionally produced feasts and treats, from olives and ostrich burgers, to sumptuous cakes, sizzling sausages and speciality sandwiches. Attracting over 30,000 visitors each year, it is one of the most high profile food festivals in the country.


The Treacle Market


In Macclesfield town centre, the monthly Treacle Market (which is not dedicated to the sticky syrup) attracts more than 100 stalls. It takes its name from an accident in the late 18th century in which a horse drawn carriage spilled its cargo of treacle


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Did You Know?


Newton Hall in Mobberley is almost 400-years-old, was the birthplace of Everest mountaineer George Mallory and believed to be originally owned by the family of astronomer and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton.


The Bollington Brewing Company


onto the cobbles where the market is now held. Locally produced artisan breads, tantalising cheeses, cured meats and cute cupcakes are all on offer the last Sunday of every month.


The Cheshire Cheese Company


Of course, who could forget the world famous Cheshire Cheese? The Macclesfield-based Cheshire Cheese Company is home to a unique range of award winning and “eccentric” cheeses, all produced in the heart of Cheshire. The more daring foodies in your group may wish to try the bizarrely wonderful chilli, lime and tequila cheddar or the ‘Pina Colada’ cheese, (pineapple pieces blended with Coconut Malibu) - a truly unique taste sensation. Naturally, you can stick to the good old traditional cheese varieties if you wish.


Nantwich International Cheese Show


If Cheshire Cheese doesn’t satisfy your appetite, the annual Nantwich International Cheese Show takes place every July. Billed as the ‘biggest and best cheese show in the world’ the 115 year old event will have over 600 cheese makers on show from the usual big players to the smaller artisan producers. An expert panel of judges will pick a Supreme Champion and most importantly, you will be able to sample the delicacies on show.


For the real ale fans, Bollington, also known as the ‘Happy Valley,’ because it has the largest pub-to- resident ratio in the UK, is home to The Bollington Brewery. From humble beginnings, The Bollington Brewing Company has since tripled in size offering tours of its facilities where visitors can learn about the intrinsic details of brewing beer. The tour ends with a trip to the Vale Inn, one of the pubs owned by the brewing company, where you can enjoy a two-course dinner incorporating the beer.


WALKING The Gritstone Trail


With over 1,000 miles of public rights of way in Cheshire, the region really is walking country. The challenging Gritstone Trail is a 35 mile route which takes in some of Cheshire East’s most famous sites. For those who thought that Cheshire was all about its low-lying plains they will be surprised to learn that the majority of this trail is located 1000 feet above sea level.


The trail begins close to Lyme Park and follows a southerly route until it reaches Kidsgrove in the south of the county. Ramblers can take in iconic sites such as White Nancy, a historic structure that commemorates the Battle of Waterloo, or The Cloud, one of the highest hilltops in the region. Legend has it that a giant once stood with one


foot on Shuttingsloe and the other on The Cloud and as he stepped off The Cloud he left his shoe behind, which became the rocky summit.


Towards the end of the trail is the stunning Mow Cop, a small village that borders Staffordshire and is referred to as the home of Primitive Methodism. Open-air prayer meetings were held there from 1800 and by 1810, the Primitive Methodist Church was formally established. Overlooking Mow Cop is the Castle – ruins of an elaborate summerhouse built by Randle William I of Rode Hall in 1754.


The Bollington Walking Festival


The popular Bollington Walking Festival takes place in October and offers 27 walks of varying lengths and difficulties, designed to suit all ages and abilities. A bear hunt caters for the younger walkers in the group and a full programme of social events completes the festival. You will enjoy wandering amongst the majestic mills and soaring chimneys that dot the landscape, alluding to Bollington’s rich history as a thriving mill town during the industrial revolution.


Alderley Edge Woods


British novelist, Alan Garner, who is local to the area, used the legends and folklore of Alderley Edge woods as inspiration for his novels. The story of a king and his army of knights that lie sleeping under a hill at Alderley Edge, guarded by a wizard, was the stimulus for his first novel The Weirdstone of Brisingamen. If you follow the walking trails through


the woods you can go in search of the wizard’s Iron Gates, or take a rest at The Druid’s Circle. Climbing up to the famous ‘Edge’ will afford you vistas of the Cheshire Plain, which are second to none.


Macclesfield Forest


Macclesfield Forest is a working forest with four reservoirs, two of which provide drinking water for Macclesfield Town. It has good footpaths and two of the highest points in Cheshire can be seen from various parts of the forest; Shining Tor and Shuttingsloe. Many species of wildlife live in the forest including the largest Herony in the Peak District. If you head into the forest in the early morning, you might spot the herd of red deer that also reside there.


Biddulph Valley Way


For over 100 years trains travelled along the Biddulph Valley Way carrying coal from The Potteries to Congleton. Today, the disused railway line is now a flat well-surfaced path ideal for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to enjoy the Cheshire East countryside. There is an abundance of wildflowers to spot on the route including the delicate white wood anemone in early spring and the Enchanter’s Nightshade in the autumn, a flower that the Anglo-Saxons used for protection against pixie spells. The route also offers views of the spectacular railway viaduct over Dane-in-Shaw.


For more information visit www.cheshirepeakdistrict.com


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