Pub Walks with Chris Morris
Mobberley Circular

PLEASE REMEMBER: Details accurate at time of writing

Rolling hills can add a lot of interest in a pub walk but this one shows that flat rambles still have a lot to offer. Although lacking in ascent, this walk scores highly in hedgerow nature, a handsome cricket pitch and two excellent upmarket pubs - all whilst engaging in a bit of plane spotting.

Train Information

There is an hourly service from Manchester Piccadilly to Mobberley, Monday to Saturday, stopping at Stockport and Altrincham along the way. The Sunday service is every two hours. The ticket to purchase is a return to Mobberley. For full timetable information visit nationalrail.co.uk.

The Walk

This is a five-mile flat walk with some uneven and muddy areas after rain, so hiking boots are recommended. The OS Explorer map is 268 Wilmslow, Macclesfield and Congleton.

On exiting platform 2, take a left through the station car park and immediately enter a field on the left via a kissing gate. Walk along the left edge of the field for 200 yards, then turn 45 degrees to the right and walk diagonally across the field to the opposite corner, crossing a footbridge, and then join a road via a stile. Turn right here and walk along the road for 150 yards, leaving via a stile on the left next to a brown ‘Owen House’ sign.

Our route is now right and through a metal gate, then left through two wooden gates with a road in the middle. Continue through the middle of the next field, crossing over a pond via a footbridge, then through a kissing gate in the next field. Walk around the sunken trees and shrubs in front of you and continue through the middle of the field beyond. At the far end is a large metal gate. Go over the stile to the left of it, then another stile, across the road and a further stile straight ahead. You will notice Manchester Airport Runway Two to your left. We now follow a straight nature trail for 500 yards until we reach a road. Turn right here, then left onto Davenport Road for a further 500 yards.

Just before the road bends left, exit to the right through a kissing gate. Follow the right hedge to a further gate then follow this straight path through a series of gates and two fields, hugging the edges of both fields. When you can see a church on your right, this is the location of our first pub. Midway through the second field, bear right and aim for the metal gate in the middle of the field with a tree behind. After the kissing gate, walk right, crossing the field in the direction of the church. On the other side of the gate is our first pub.

Church Inn

This 18th century pub ticks all the boxes of what you'd associate with a fine country pub. The Church Inn has low beams, red quarry-tiled floors, subtle lighting and bags of charm are all in evidence. Exquisitely furnished with great attention to detail, this extends to the attractive beer garden at the side with views of the 13th century church opposite. The award-winning food is very popular here but drinkers are welcome too, with up to four cask beers available. These were from Mobberley, Storm and Beartown when I last visited.

Continuing on, we exit the pub and turn left to walk along the road. Cross over when the road bends to the left. Walk through the kissing gate signed for Mobberley Field, then the next two kissing gates to the left and continue straight on, walking around the edge of the cricket pitch with the fence on your right. Just after the scoreboard hut, exit right through a kissing gate and down to the footbridge. Cross the next field to the stile on the left, go straight across another field and over two stiles which join the main road. Go straight across the road and walk along Mill Lane, where you will find our next pub.

Bull’s Head

Run by the same team as the Church Inn, expect to be impressed again by a quintessential village pub with heaps of character and quirkiness. Low beams, low-level lighting and cosiness are featured strongly again, but the Bull’s Head feels a little more pubby than the Church. Even though the food is still of high quality, more drinkers can be found here, which is reflected in there being more cask beers available. The seven handpumps featured beers from local breweries Weetwood, Tatton, Wincle and Mobberley, plus a Rosie’s Pig cider, when I last popped in. The outside area is extensive, with numerous seating arrangements to suit all, including a number of small summerhouses. The pub is also the birthplace of the brand Umbro.

The return walk is merely a matter of retracing your steps back to Mobberley Station.

For full pub details, including opening times, visit whatpub.com.

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