Macclesfield is a former silk town sitting directly beneath the western edge of the Peak District, with Tegg’s Nose Country Park — a former gritstone quarry with sweeping views — and Macclesfield Forest both within easy reach. The Gritstone Trail long-distance path passes through, connecting Disley to Kidsgrove along the Cheshire-Peak boundary.

A historic silk town with excellent Peak District fringe access, Macclesfield makes a useful and well-connected base for the western gritstone edges, with Shutlingsloe — known locally as the Cheshire Matterhorn for its distinctive peak — offering one of the finest short walks in the area.