An iconic SOTA pub - the legendary Cat & Fiddle has been closed since 2015 - but is set to reopen!
The famous pub between Macclesfield and Buxton sits right by the usual parking spot for Shining Tor G/SP-004, one of SOTA’s most activated summits, and has been the scene of many post-activation drinks and meet-ups for SOTA ops.
The Forest Gin distillery needs bigger premises and wishes to open the pub, with cafe, distillery, tours, shop etc. And Robinsons of Stockport have agreed!
That’s great… The Cat & Fiddle was part of my growing up and a regular venue. Now all they need is to remove the speed cameras so the road can be fully enjoyed again
It’s the kind of road that needs cyclist only days. You could make the majority of days cyclist only, just having the odd day for cars. My memory is fading with advancing age… I can’t remember which car I spun on a bend on that road around 1983/84, might have been a Ferarri 308GTB (red of course) or an Alfa GTV v6 (11 months old but rusting nicely). No damage to the scenary or the car, just my underwear.
Well the XYL and I have just used that road - in both directions - today to get us to and from Monsal Head. We did a 10km “there and back” walk along the Monsal Trail, through two old railway tunnels, to the Angler’s Rest at Miller’s Dale. Lunch there was excellent - and we intend to return. So none of this “cyclist only day” nonsense please. The cyclists caused us enough stress on the Monsal Trail itself.
Many many moons ago I used to compete regularly in the Four Inns Hike, a 40-something mile trudge amongst the peat bogs of Black Hill, Bleaklow and Kinder Scout that passed, as the last Inn in the series, the eponymous Cat & Fiddle. We would get there in the early evening, some 38 miles into mission and the place was packed out. Anxious to finish we trudged on, with but an envious glance at the revellers within. It’s been many a year since I was down that way but perhaps we should hold an impromptu MT meeting there when it reopens!
With a whisky distillery on site as well as the pub, I imagine I’d need my backpacking tent for that meeting! Knowing me would probably take a wander up to G/SP-004 summit with it after the meeting!
