Walking round Heaton Chapel on Bank Holiday Sunday

Another 12.5 miles ticked off on a sunny afternoon in Stockport

May 13, 2024

Monday 13 May 2024

If you’d like to write an article for The Scarf My Father Wore, share a few snippets or photos, or advertise your business, please email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com.

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Monday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

Eight days ago I was back in The Heatons for Day 9 of my charity walk, and that’s what I’d like to share with you today. If you’ve not yet donated, please chuck a few quid on my JustGiving page.

Today’s edition is sponsored by MKM Manchester South. A big thank you to Mark and James.

Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.

Total distance so far: 148.94 miles

Total steps so far: 237,462

Total raised so far: £1,686

Total completed streets so far: 304 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)

Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.

Des Junior

Nelstrop Road. Farm Close. Nelstrop Walk. I only manage to tick off three streets on my latest walk before I suddenly need the toilet. I retreat to The George & Dragon, where there’s no toilet paper (just a few tissues placed on top of the dispenser instead) and no soap in the gents. Bank Holiday Sunday is absolutely a day for everyone to do sod all, I’m fully on board with that, but I do wish the cleaner had topped up the bog roll and the Imperial Leather first.

It’s not just the cleaner who isn’t working today. Neither’s the Stella, to the disappointment of one bloke at the bar, nor the card machine, to the disappointment of the manager, who’s on the phone trying to rectify the situation.

The George & Dragon isn’t losing too much revenue at the moment, as it’s still fairly quiet. In fact, on my side of the pub, there’s only two other chaps, both watching Sky Sports News. They’ve obviously had one of those daft few-quid-when-you’re-in-the-pub-on-a-Sunday-afternoon bets, as one of them cheers when the screen informs us that Gaari has made it 2-0 to RKC in their game at Heracles. I’ve got more walking to do, so I leave them to it, just as Gianluca Gaetano is sent off for Cagliari for serious foul play. (That doesn’t get a cheer.)

As I head towards Carnforth Road (where my dad grew up) and then the Marbury Estate, the residents of Heaton Chapel are giving off strong Bank Holiday Sunday vibes. There’s lunchtime barbecues on the go, Union Jacks flying in back gardens, adults walking dogs and kids bouncing on trampolines. I’m half expecting to be stopped in the street by a lady from the Women’s Institute trying to sell me a pot of jam.

The next couple of hours are spent simply ticking off numerous streets. I’m having a lovely walk in the glorious sunshine, but there’s only so much you can talk about when you’re walking round an estate in Stockport. One house tickles me as I walk past, with a carrier bag from County’s club shop Blu-Tacked to the window. And at another house, a dog excitedly runs up to me asking if they can have their photo taken for the website. I oblige.

Having completed one side of Heaton Chapel, all that’s left to do this afternoon is the rest of Broadstone Road, by carrying on to Houldsworth Square where it ends. Once again, there’s not actually a lot going on today to share with you. I do love the image of two women having a cigarette in front of some washing machines in the car park of The Grey Horse, but I’m not brave enough to point my camera at them as they both look pretty handy. I do capture an image of the towering Broadstone Mill, and then once I’m in Reddish, a philosophical message written in a phone box.

I’ve not yet eaten today, and as I’m in the mood for a jacket potato, I pop into the café at Morrisons. I buy one, I get one free. That’s an offer I only thought you could take advantage of when buying double glazing, but as the lady brings my plate to the table, she says: “I’ve done you two potatoes love cause they’re only small.”

Turns out the potatoes aren’t small at all. Both spuds are fairly chunky, smothered in a mountain of cheese and beans. The lady at Morrisons either fancies me, thinks I look malnourished, or as it’s the end of the day and I’m the only customer in the café before closing time, she had an extra jacket on the go. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.

Afterwards, I retrace my steps, back down Broadstone Road towards the A6. My final photo of the day is a pretty major pothole which has been cordoned off. I’m guessing it’s been caused over time by traffic or the weather. If a person’s put that tarmac through, they really need to stop dishing out double portions in the Morrisons café.

Leave a comment

A friendly message from one of our new sponsors!

Yellow there. We’re MKM Building Supplies Sharston on Altrincham Road.

We’re not your average builders merchant, we’re open to tradies and public too. Our friendly local team are always ready for first class service on first name terms. Oh, and free tea and coffee too.

Building, timber, plumbing, heating, kitchens, bathrooms or landscaping? We’ve got everything including the kitchen sink. The only thing you’ll have to sort is the elbow grease. But we will deliver it locally for free in a big yellow truck.

We’re just around the corner, and the kettle’s on!

Visit mkm.com/branches/manchester-south for further details.

Leave a comment

Photo of the day

Snowdon, North Wales

County on top in North Wales at the weekend… again!

Leave a comment

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Bleeding Love (12A) at 5.45pm, followed by Challengers (15) at 8.15pm. Click here for tickets.

🎶 Free jukebox

The Nelson Tavern (SK1). From 6.30pm.

Leave a comment

100 random grounds that County have played at

#16 – Turf Moor, Burnley

Last visit: As recently as the 2018-19 campaign, County were five divisions below Burnley. Next season, we’re just one behind. We’ve not played that lot from Lancashire since the 2001-02 season, so most of our younger supporters won’t be arsed about them one little bit. But for older Hatters, there’s still plenty of resentment, after an intense rivalry built up during the 80s and 90s. Our last trip to Turf Moor in December 2001 ended in a 3-2 defeat, Gary McSheffrey and Shefki Kuqi on target. We’re getting ever closer to a return…

Leave a comment