Hidden Greater Manchester village walk that ends with a pub

Nestled in the Etherow-Goyt Valley between Romiley and Marple Bridge, this quiet corner of Stockport is a genuine time capsule.

The village was purpose-built in the 1820s by mill owner George Andrew to house his 800 workers, and much of what he built is still standing.

The circular walk begins at Etherow Country Park, one of Greater Manchester’s most scenic green spaces. (Image: Google Maps)

The rows of stone cottages, the mill complex by the river, the church, the pub, it all remains largely as it was two centuries ago.

Today, thanks to Etherow Country Park on its doorstep, Compstall also happens to be the starting point for one of the most rewarding short walks in Greater Manchester, one that ends with a cold pint in one of the region’s most characterful locals.

The walk

The circular route clocks in at around two miles and is well-suited to all abilities. You start and finish on George Street, just outside the country park entrance.

From the visitor centre, the path takes you along the banks of the River Etherow and around the park’s striking central lake, passing the weir and waterfall that stand as a reminder of Compstall’s industrial past.

The two-mile route is suitable for most abilities (Image: Google Maps)

The lake itself is still used by a local sailing club, so on a good day you’ll spot dinghies out on the water alongside the resident ducks and wildfowl.

From the lake, the route climbs into Keg Wood, a steep-sided deciduous woodland replanted with Scots pine and larch after open-cast coal mining ended in the nineteenth century.

The Coal Trail winds up and down through the valley sides, rewarding the effort with a genuine sense of wilderness just a few miles from Stockport town centre.

The park is home to more than 200 species of plants and over 100 species of birds, and the woodland section feels properly wild in the best possible way.

The path eventually loops back down through farmland before returning to the village, bringing you out, almost by design, it seems, right in front of the pub.

The reward: The Andrew Arms

The Andrew Arms on George Street is a 19th-century Robinsons pub that doesn’t try too hard and doesn’t need to.

The Andrew Arms’ hidden terraced beer garden is the perfect spot for a post-walk pint. (Image: Google Maps)

There’s a village bar, a lounge and a dining room to the rear, all serving home-cooked food alongside cask ales, look out for Robinsons Unicorn, the brewery’s flagship, which has been brewed in Stockport since the family founded the business in 1838.

The real secret, though, is out the back.

Hidden behind the pub is a sun-trap terraced garden that most passers-by would never know existed, the perfect spot to sit with a pint after a muddy walk, especially in the summer months.

(Image: Google Maps)

The pub was refurbished in 2022 and holds a 4.4 out of 5 rating from more than 215 reviews online, with walkers and dog owners consistently singling it out for its warm welcome. It is dog-friendly and free parking is available opposite.

Opening hours are Wednesday 4:30pm–9pm, Thursday–Friday from noon, Saturday and Sunday from noon, so worth checking before you go if you’re planning a midweek visit