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Macclesfield Forest



Scenic Macclesfield Forest is situated east of Macclesfield and west of the Goyt Valley. It consists mainly of coniferous trees such as Sitka Spruce and Scots Pine but there are also large patches of native broadleaved trees.

Macclesfield Forest

Macclesfield Forest was once the centre of a Royal Forest created by the Norman kings for the purpose of hunting game such as deer, wild boar and wolves. Controlled by the Norman Earls of Chester, it once encompassed all the area from Disley to the River Dane.

The forest is home to a small herd of red deer, while the reservoirs contain a wide variety of wildfowl. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, tree creepers, flycatcherd, woodcock and buzzards can all be sighted.

Macclesfield Forest

The isolated hamlet of Forest Chapel is situated in a hollow on the ridge between Langley to the west and the valley of Clough Brook to the east. Superb views can be had eastwards up to the Cat and Fiddle Inn, the second highest inn in Britain, bleaky situated on the windswept crest of a ridge which separates the counties of Cheshire and Derbyshire. On a clear day there are spectacular views from Forest Chapel and the nearby hill of Shining Tor which stretch across the Cheshire plain as far as North Wales.

Macclesfield Forest

The ancient ceremony of 'rush-bearing' is still held at the church The ceremony is performed every August ( the 12th or the nearest Sunday), when rushes taken from the moor are gathered and strewn across the floor of the church. The church dates from 1673, but was rebuilt in 1834. In the porch a list is displayed of the 37 different species of wildflowers which can be found in the churchyard. The church was once used as a set for the television programme 'The Jewel in the Crown'.

Macclesfield Forest

The mysterious looking Greenway Cross looks prehistoric, but probably dates from medieval times, when it was used as a waymarker by the monks of Dieuacresse Abbey at Leek and has a simple cross carved on each side. According to local tradition, a gallows once stood nearby, where people caught poaching in the Royal Forest met their end. The nearby Hanging Gate pub may mean 'Path to the Gallows', derived from the old Norse word 'gata' meaning Gate. The hamlet of Wildboarclough consists of a cluster of houses, legend claims the last wild boar in England was killed in the area.


Trentabank Reservoir Nature Reserve

OS grid ref:- SJ963712

Conifer lined Trentabank Reservoir is owned by United Utilities and supplies the town of Macclesfield with drinking water.The reservoir is a haven for wildlife.

Trentabank Reservoir

A heronry is situated by Trentabank Reservoir, with around twenty-two nests, it is thought to be the largest in the Peak District. The heronry is visible from several viewpoints, and close-up CCTV pictures of the nests can also be seen in the Trentabank ranger station.

The reserve is also home to ravens and various birds of prey. The forest has a herd of red deer, deer can often be seen drinking from the reservoir in early morning. The reservoir banks are a popular feeding ground for small wading birds, including common sandpipers, green sandpipers and little ringed plovers. Occasional winter visitors include Bewick's swan, smew, and crossbill.

A small lay-by lies at the edge of the reservoir and a large car-park can be found at the Visitor Centre, where leaflets describing various walks are available.



The hamlet of Wildboarclough consists of a cluster of houses, legend claims the last wild boar in England was killed in the area.


A walk in Macclesfield Forest



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