Dunham Park and the Bridgewater Canal

1. On arriving at the start of the walk proceed down the lane towards the village of Little Bollington. In the centre of the village take the road to the left and follow the lane till it passes under the Bridgewater Canal. Turn immediately left to join the canal. At the canal turn left and follow the canal until a bridge with a road crosses the canal. Turn right and leave the canal, follow Spring Lane until you reach a footpath on the right hand side. Follow the footpath past Woolstancroft Farm until it meets a junction with another footpath. Take the left hand path which after a short distance turns right and then continues straight over fields, crossing the River Bollin via a footbridge, until you reach the village of Dunham Woodhouses.

2. When you reach Durham Woodhouses turn right and continue along the main road, Station Lane, until you reach the Trans Pennine Trail. Turn right and follow the Trail until you reach a car park near the village of Oldfield Brow. Exit the trail via the car park turning right and following the road for a couple of hundred yards until you reach a pub. Go past the pub and turn right onto the Bridgewater Canal. Turn right onto the canal and follow the towpath.

3. Follow the towpath until you reach the first bridge crossing the canal. Leave the canal and turn left down the road following it until you reach the village of Dunham Town. Just after a road joins on your right take the footpath immediately on your left. Follow the path until another footpath joins on the right. Take this footpath and continue until you reach Oldfield Lane. Turn right and follow the lane passing the Dunham Massey Brewery (call in and have a look). At the  junction turn right and continue down to join Charcoal Road. Turn right and follow the wall that marks the boundary of Dunham Massey. Continue along until you reach the gate where you enter the grounds of Dunham Massey.

4. On entering the park turn immediately left and follow the path alongside the wall. Pass the Lake on your right and continue along the path until you reach the next entrance gate to the park. Turn right and walk down the road through the park (you should see plenty of fallow deer).  When you reach the Hall and surrounding buildings turn left before the first building (you can explore the property but you need to pay to enter the hall and gardens). Follow the footpath to exit the park grounds via a ladder style. Continue along the path to cross a footbridge over the river Bollin by a former Mill and enter the village of Little Bollington. Here you will find the Swan with Two Nicks. The pub is in the Good Beer Guide  and is dog friendly. When you leave the pub  walk up the main Lyme road where there is car parking in a disused pub car park .