Marple Dell. 131 



But the real point of commencing is where the Goyt is 

 joined by the Tame, that is to say, a little below Port- 

 wood bridge, in the north-western suburb of Stockport. 

 The ramble up the vale is in every portion delightful, 

 closing in a deep ravine or clough called Marple Dell, 

 the upper extremity spanned by the three great arches of 

 "Marple Aqueduct." The height of this celebrated work 

 from the bed of the river is nearly a hundred feet; yet, 

 to-day it is overtopped by the Midland viaduct, from 

 which, as we glide past, the dell is seen half as much 

 again below. Aqueducts are common enough, and so 

 are viaducts, but it is seldom that we have the oppor- 

 tunity of contemplating at the same moment a twofold 

 series of arches of equal grandeur, the viaduct consisting 

 of no fewer than thirteen. Everywhere right and left of 

 the Goyt, hereabouts, there are unforbidden and usually 

 quiet and shady paths, some of them possibly entered 

 more readily by the ancient foot-roads from near Bred- 

 bury and Hazel-grove, but all converging towards Marple 

 village. Three or four of the most interesting little cloughs 

 or dells within the same distance of Manchester are 

 here associated, the prettiest, perhaps, being those called 

 Dan-bank wood and Marple wood. Lovely strolls are at 

 command also by aiming for Otterspool Bridge, these 

 chiefly through meadows and by the rapid river, which, 

 when not perplexed by shifting islands and peninsulas, 

 decked with willow-herb and butterbur, glides with a 

 stilly smoothness quite remarkable for one so shallow. 

 At Otterspool the rush of water is sometimes very strong. 



