Wednesday 20 November 2024 - Little Leigh

Just Sue and I turned up for this short walk around Little Leigh - Walk number 18 in Jen Darling's 'Walks in West Cheshire and Wirral' book. It was a new route for us, though we had walked some of the paths before.

After a half hour journey from Timperley, we parked outside house number 39 by Clatterwick Lane (What 3 Words: subject.tidal.missions) and took the narrow footpath that goes down the driveway and past the house. A sprinkling of snow remained on some of the fields, but not on this one, where Sue practiced her horse whispering skills.

Thankfully the ground was fairly solid with frost, otherwise there may have been some muddy paths to contend with.

After a while a brief period of relief from the bright, low sun found us on a pleasant path heading down to the Trent and Mersey Canal. Autumn colours and the sounds of tits and robins enhanced our pleasure.

We met a man on his own, and narrowly avoided being caught up in a crocodile of ramblers, before heading along the somewhat muddy canal towpath for nearly 3 kilometres. A cormorant flew over, as we joined the canal.

Bridges numbered 206 and 204 are painted white, and there are some impressive mileposts.

We both indulged in numerous snaps of the late autumn colours, taking our chance before the last of the leaves fall. Bear with us...

Bridge number 204

Eventually we reached the Saltersford Tunnel. This is one of the earliest canal tunnels, taking only one narrow boat at a time, with no path for horses, so in the early days boatmen would have had to leg it through the tunnel.

Wood carvings next to the tunnel entrance

Our path led over the top of the tunnel, crossing the canal where it emerges, whence we strolled uphill to the village of Barnton. After a short period of tarmac, during which we enjoyed a flask of coffee and birdsong from a chaffinch and a family of sparrows, the walk concluded over several fields, thankfully not as boggy as they might have been, passing a colony of starlings, to reach Clatterwick Lane and a short walk to the car.

En route, Sue's pony whispering nearly cost her an arm! 

Several plants are still in flower, and blackberries are still aavailable.

Hogweed

Here's our route - 8.5km with 70 metres ascent. A lovely way to spend a sunny morning. We were home by lunchtime.

Thanks go to Sue for some of the pictures in this posting.