Time travelling back to the present (see previous entry), at last I’m now fit enough to be able to arrange a few morning walks. This one was at very short notice, so it was great that JJ, Rob and Pam were able to join me for this pleasant amble. We are pictured above, near Alder Wood, on the North Cheshire Way.
Setting off along the NE path to Mottram St Andrew from the NT car park by the Wizard café (£4 for 2 hours, £7 for longer – the National Trust subscription soon pays for itself), we soon got good view over Cheshire towards the Peak District.
Before setting off, I’d warned the others that it might be a bit muddy in places!
Generally, the paths to Mottram St Andrew were pretty good. A short stretch of quiet road through the village led eventually to the North Cheshire Way footpath, through fields bulging with new-born lambs.
This post in Alder Wood pointed towards Alderley Edge, but the wood carving indicated our closeness to Hare Hill, which I’d have visited if there was a good off-road route back to the car park.
However, we chose the direct route to Mount Farm, then on to Edge House Farm, which has for some considerable time been the subject of a major construction project. I expect the locals will be pleased when it’s finished.
Rob’s photo seems to show me pondering something technical. The route?
We returned past the Engine Vein, pictured below, which a few years ago was an ugly open scar, where a line of early mining pits was excavated in around 1900. After being fenced off, it now looks grassy and benign, hiding centuries of mineral excavation.
Numerous old tools, dating back as far as the Bronze Age (2500 to 800 BC) have been found hereabouts. Many minerals are found here in the space of a few acres, including copper, lead, iron, zinc, silver, arsenic, silicon, barium, vanadium, and magnesium, in a variety of forms, mainly as thin films coating the pebbles and grains of the porous sandstone. From the Engine Vein, later galleries and levels amounting to 22 miles in length, reach out beneath the Edge.
After about 100 minutes of walking, and having covered all of 7 km, JJ elected to drag us in to the Wizard Tea Room to continue his cake training regime for this year’s TGO Challenge, whilst I set about calculating how long the marathon I’m doing on 8 April would take at this pace. Ten hours – I think the finish may be closed by then!
An excellent little outing; thanks everyone for turning up, and to Rob for his photos. Here’s the route we took – 7 km with about 150 metres ascent, taking rather less than 2 hours.
There’s a longer version of today’s outing described here.
I’ve planned a couple more morning walks – all are welcome:
Thursday 5 April - A short morning walk from Lindow Moss car park opposite the Harvester Boddington Arms on Racecourse Road, SJ 888 863. Meet at 10.30am for this 6-7km stroll.
Wednesday 11 April - A morning walk around Bramhall and Poynton. Meet 10.00am at Bramhall Hall, SJ 888 863 for a 14km stroll.
Saturday 14 April
The Calderdale Hike - 22 or 40 miles around Calderdale. (I’ll will be doing the 22 mile route.)
There’s also a 15 mile LDWA walk near Rivington on Easter Monday if anyone is interested. JJ and I will be in attendance.
2 comments:
You are obviously "off piste" on that questionable photo. I applaud JJ's training regime.
Good to see you out and about again Martin
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