Michael Clegg follows the old packhorse trail from Cheshire, over the Pennines, to Rotherham in South Yorkshire.  He is joined along his journey by David Hay who describes the milestones and other features still present on the trail and a restored forge on the River Don.  Briefly stopping at the famous Pack Horse Inn, Clegg makes his way with the horse along the modern roads of the city of Rotherham. Title – Clegg’s People The programme opens with Michael Clegg coming up over a hill with...

Michael Clegg follows the old packhorse trail from Cheshire, over the Pennines, to Rotherham in South Yorkshire.  He is joined along his journey by David Hay who describes the milestones and other features still present on the trail and a restored forge on the River Don.  Briefly stopping at the famous Pack Horse Inn, Clegg makes his way with the horse along the modern roads of the city of Rotherham. Title – Clegg’s People The programme opens with Michael Clegg coming up over a hill with his horse Brandy in tow.  He will be travelling the old packhorse road from Cheshire to Rotherham just as carts and packhorses full of goods travelled long ago.  It’s a sunny day as he passes the halfway point at Woodhead Pass in Derbyshire.  The scenic countryside can be seen, and Clegg explains how salt, cheese, and potatoes would be transported, and he points out milestones and way markers along the road.  Ryder Howard, a hill farmer, arrives on an ATV.  He talks about the harsh conditions of farming in this part of the country.   Clegg continues on the road, near a bridge which is currently being restored using the original stone and would’ve been in use during the packhorse days.  David Hay, expert on the packhorses and the trail, joins Clegg for the rest of his journey.  He has brought with him a saddle and a set of bells which the horses would have worn.  Down the road is a fallen mile marker.  The two men turn over the large stone to reveal they are 21 miles from Rotherham.   The men continue their journey and talk about the trade.  The surrounding landscape can be seen.  Clegg meets Clifford Robinson who is a gamekeeper and responsible for maintaining the heather on this part of the moors.  They discuss the best conditions for grouse to nest, and heather growth being regulated by burning sections in rotation.  They also discuss other wildlife that can be found on the moor before continuing on the rest of the journey, now on more modern roads.   At Hartcliffe Hill there is another milestone, and Clegg points out the view of the reservoirs down below.  He also notes that many of the area’s place names have origins in the packhorse trade.  Ken Stuart drives his cattle along the road.  He is the guardian of the guide stone which was erected at the major crossroads of the trial.  Now at the River Don, over a bridge, Clegg talks about the Industrial Revolution’s influence on the region, specifically in terms of iron which would have been taken from Rotherham back to Cheshire.  Ken Hawley is a volunteer who looks after a water powered forge on the river.  The exterior and interior of the forge can be seen as well as the water wheel which helps to power it.  It is noted that steam power became important in the industry, and this forge also has restored steam equipment in use.  There is footage of the equipment in motion.   On the outskirts of Sheffield in High Green, the two men stop at the Pack Horse Inn.  Seated on a picnic bench outside, they have a pint and some Cheshire cheese.  It’s noted the pub wasn’t built during the time of the Pack Horse trade.   Using the bridge which crosses the M1 motorway, Clegg points out Salter’s Fields, the area where the horses used to graze but is now lost in the modern road system.  Upon arrival at Rotherham, the trail has been nearly completely lost to the modern city centre.  Clegg and Hay stop at the Chapel of Our Lady on Rotherham Bridge.  There is more footage of Rotherham city centre and its roads full of pedestrians and traffic on a grey day as the documentary comes to an end.     End Credits: Presented by Michael Clegg Cameraman Brian Wilson Sound Recordist Kevin Quirk Film Editor Peter Fitzhugh Dubbing Mixer Terry Cavagin Production Assistant Lesley McKirdy Graphics Trevor Hodgson Animation Cameraman Paul Allen Designer Jeremy Bear Director Peter jones Producer Mark Meysey-Thompson  Editor David Lowen Copyright Yorkshire Television Ltd. 1986 Yorkshire Television Production