Things To Do
Whilst enjoying a day out from Harrop Fold, Leah will, on request, pack up a delicious picnic of our local delicacies to sustain you on your travels. Packed in one of the Farm's jute shoppers containing cutlery, plates & napkins, Cheshire Apple Juice and lots of treats, it is worth a day out just to savour!
Harrop Fold Farm is perfectly situated for walking the Gritstone Trail or any of the many walks passing through the farm, with footpaths leading down towards the Cheshire Plain or up into the Peak District exploring the Goyt Valley. There are a number of scenic parish walks shown on the map available for purchase at the farm as well as the beautiful Wildflower Walk, written and illustrated by the Bridge End Centre in Bollington. This is an interesting walk over either 4 ½ or 6 miles with lots of interesting facts on the way. Maybe this could be combined with a pub lunch and a pint in Bollington. Additionally, we have a good stock of local walk guides including Walks about Goyt Valley and the Ordnance Survey Pathfinder 759 (SJ87/97). To research various walks before you arrive take a look at Discover Cheshire
For those with literary interests Harrop Fold is a perfect location for anyone wishing to follow the Cheshire Literary & Film Trail, being minutes from the setting of Alan Garner's latest book, Thursbitch, and a short drive from Lyme Park, the film setting for Pride & Prejudice. A circular trail has been written especially for guests at Harrop Fold and this is available in the rooms. Lyme Park can be reached on foot walking over the Gritstone Trail and the setting for Thursbitch can also be explored by walking towards the Goyt Valley from Harrop Fold.
Food is also worthy of a mention, guests may take the local Food Trail again written especially for Harrop Fold and search out the producers whose food is savoured at Harrop Fold. Treats bought on this trip out may be stored in the fridges available for guests use.
Chatsworth House near Bakewell
Harrop Fold Farm, nestled in Rainow
The Rows Chester
The Crescent in Buxton
Tatton Hall, Cheshire
September 20th 2008 heralds the beginning of the Bollington Chamber Concerts 2008-2009 Season, www.bollingtonatrscentre.co.uk with many concerts and much good music to choose from. If you have bought a ticket for these concerts and choose to stay at Harrop Fold please show your ticket and a complimentary supper tray will be left in your room.
May 8th-25th 2009 is the Bollington Festival – as soon as details are released, we will list the website. Complimentary tea or supper trays will be given to guests who show their tickets when arriving to Harrop Fold Farm – or why not book a pre-theatre feast in the farmhouse?
How about a Green Day Out? Whilst resident at Harrop Fold leave your car in the farmyard for the day and on your return one of our farm jute shoppers full of treats will be ready for you as a reward! Imagine not worrying about any carbon footprints…cost of fuel…just relax in the beautiful fresh air and experience that ‘green Thought in a green Shade’! Forgotten your wellies?…There is a good selection on the rack – help yourself! Maybe completely indulge yourself and book dinner in the Farmhouse, or if staying in Mellow Brook Cottage you have the choice of dinner in the Farmhouse or one of Leah’s wonderful ready prepared meals waiting in your fridge.
Cycle hire may be arranged locally and the Middlewood Way is a pleasant cycle ride from Macclesfield to Marple, passing through Higher Poynton with its former coal mining history.
Just for an idea of distances, here are the approximate journey times:
5 minutes drive to Bollington with its lovely canal and mills, or only a beautiful 15-minute stroll down the fields and across the stream.
10 minutes drive reaches Macclesfield, not many visitors are aware of its fascinating silk history along with the interesting architecture of the original silk weavers cottages. Take the foot trail around the town and learn a little about what must be one of Cheshire’s best-kept secrets. Lunch may be enjoyed in one of the lovely tearooms.
15 minutes to the fascinating Anson Museum of Engines in Poynton. Not just ‘boy’s toys’ – a truly amazing trip out.
20 minutes or so is the train journey time into Manchester from Macclesfield which offers an abundance of theatres, museums and galleries, restaurants and shops and no problems with parking – and how environmentally friendly – do this and you will be rewarded by a delicious cake on your table on your return to Harrop Fold!
20 minutes drive is the Goyt Valley and Buxton with its glorious Georgian crescent or Style Mill too is fascinating with the most powerful working waterwheel in Europe and its wonderful Industrial Revolution history (and really good tea room!) Lovely woodland and riverside walks make a good contrast.
30 minutes to Tatton Park with the beautiful Mansion, paradisal gardens to explore and the tempting Housekeepers Store full of delicious treats, or maybe a trip around the farm with their especially gorgeous rare breed pigs. Cycles may be hired here.
¾ hour's drive to Alton Towers Theme Park, Staffordshire for thrills and squeals; or Chatsworth House with its beautiful gardens and park, interesting farmyard, children's adventure park; or perhaps Bakewell, famous for its Puddings (and Tarts!) as well as the beauty of Haddon Hall and Castleton home to the caverns and Blue John stone.
1 hour's drive away to Chester, Visit Cheshire the beautiful Roman walled city offering boat trips down the River Dee, a Cathedral and ‘The Rows’ – our Capital of Cheshire.
Whilst the bus service is very poor and it would be most difficult to arrive or depart using this service, we are committed to help guests who visit using public transport and will try to collect guests from Macclesfield railway station. If we cannot for any reason offer this service we will give the name and phone number of a good local taxi service. Harrop Fold can be reached direct from London in 1 hr 58 minutes and from Manchester in around 20 minutes.
Find Us
Harrop Fold Farm
Macclesfield Road
Rainow
Macclesfield
SK10 5UU
T: 01625 560085
E: stay@harropfoldfarm.co.uk