Friday 7 August 2020 - A Circuit from Hale

 

The 'Friday Team' assembled at Paul's house in Hale for this stroll featuring the Bollin Valley and the surrounds of Manchester Airport.

 

The Bollin Valley is a pleasant green groove on the outskirts of Manchester. The River Bollin runs from around Langley near Macclesfield, and drains into the Mersey at Bollin Point, near Lymm. There's a marked trail, the Bollin Valley Way, which runs for 40 km (25 miles) from Macclesfield to Partington, roughly following the course of the river.

 

 

High volumes of water early in the year resulted in a few landslips, including the one shown below.

 

 

There are also a number of 'beaches', where families with dogs were bathing in the river on this hot day.

 

Overhead - a comparatively rare sight:

 

 

After a break for tea and cake in view of the deserted second runway, (presumably not in current use)we came to the runway tunnel, eschewed on this occasion in favour of an alternative route beside the main road.

 

 

Then it was back to the Bollin Valley and the sweet fragrance of rampant Himalayan Balsam. This invasive species should be removed, but currently, I think, volunteers to uproot the plants are inhibited from doing so by Covid restrictions.

 

 

Some of the fields are simply grassy, others are full of thistles, and elsewhere the dreaded ragwort is rife. Somewhere there may even be a 'proper' meadow with a variety of species.

 

 

 

Here's the route - 19 km with 150 metres ascent. It took us four and a half hours.

 

 

Thanks for your company on this very pleasant stroll, folks. It's the Sandstone Trail next Friday - if anyone else would like to join us, let me know.