Wednesday 2 October 2024 - Around Whitegate and the Valeroyal Cut

We parked on Vale Royal Drive, and today's walk for Sue and me started nearby from St Mary's Church in Whitegate and headed along a good path beside Pettypool Brook in the direction of Winsford.

After leaving the brook, narrow lanes took us to Mill Bank Farm.

At the farm we missed a left turn through a gate at SJ 646 684 and were told in no uncertain terms by the farmer to retrace our steps to the gate, beyond which an excellent narrow path led to a minor road and the dilapidated barn pictured below.

Pinned on the building was a plaque: 'Warning: CCTV system installed on these premises'. Looking through the window, at piles of discarded tyres, we had to wonder whether anyone in their right mind would have any inerest in the place. 

Just around the corner from that barn, the Weaver Navigation comes into view, with an information board about The Weaver Parkway Trail. Anyway, that's for another time, as we are at the red dot on the far left of the board, and we are heading along the Valeroyal Cut in the direction of Northwich.

The Weaver is crossed by two bridges like this one.

Looking back from the start of the Cut

I half expected a muddy path, but a well maintained bridleway led us all the way from the two bridges to the Valeroyal Locks.

Cormorants were drying out

The path was being well used by cyclists

A bench by the cut made for a fine elevenses stop

The Valeroyal Locks come into sight

I was here on 17 September, when there was much less water coming through. Today we joined the route I took on 17 September, as recorded here.

There's a main line railway viaduct nearby.

Birds were scavenging for harvested corn, as we looked back to the entrance of a huge field, before we crossed a strip of woodland, a golf course, passed new housing, and wandered onto Vale Royal Drive to return to our starting point.

Here's our route - 8km with 80 metres ascent, taking us 1 hour 50 minutes including a 20 minute stop.

A lovely way to spend a morning. We'll have to go back to explore the Parkway area, on foot or by bike.

Sunday 29 September 2024 - Dinner

Here 'we' are, enjoying Sue's excellent sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble desserts, after a roast chicken and accompaniments main. The 'we' in question are not entirely those expected a couple of hours earlier. Michael, Sarah and Isabella had called to say that Mike and Sarah had sickness and diarrhoea, so they couldn't make it. Kate stepped in to fill the breach, and Jessica and Jacob's friends Elsie and Seb were rnrolled at short notice and brought along. Jacob isn't featured in the picture. By then he had been sick all over our hall carpet and was banished with a bucket to the car outside. So we were soon left with Nell and Keith, the latter having managed to lean backwards as I took the picture. At least he wasn't sick, and the remaining four of us had a pleasant afternoon before Nell and Keith shot off to try to avoid football traffic.

Thanks go to Kate and Sue for helping to clean up Jacob's mess while their meals went cold, and to Tomasz, the professional carpet cleaner who later attended to the stricken carpet and pronounced it to be in good health after a thorough professional clean.

The home made sticky toffee pudding was particularly tasty, and thankfully none of it was regurgitated!

We must do this (with obvious adjustments) more often...

A Walks/Rides Programme!

The following page dump from our topwalks.com website should be self-explanatory. I hope it will get some of my readers out, as well as being an incentive for me to enjoy a weekly outing. Please get in touch if you have any queries, and I look forward to you joining me on some of these outings. Note that adjustments may be made, and I'll try to keep the website up to date for those.
 

Date	Type of Event	Destination
		Note: There may be more 'events', perhaps at short notice, and entries here may continue to be sparse whilst new web design software is still sought to replace obsolete Dreamweaver software... (any offers?) Also check here or by email for last minute adjustments or cancellations. Whilst many outings will finish at lunchtime or early afternoon, it would be wise to bring a drink and something to eat.
2024
Wednesday 2 October	Day Walk	Whitegate - a 8km circuit starting at 10am from St Mary's Church in Whitegate (SJ 629 694).
Saturday 5 October	Run and Day Walk	Lyme Park parkrun (9am), followed at 10am by a 15km (or so, depending on conditions) walk featuring Bow Stones and the Macclesfield Canal.
Wednesday 9 October	Bike Ride	Phoenix Park and back, using minor roads/tracks and the Trans Pennine Trail. Around 65km, starting from Timperley Bridge at 9.30am (Seamon's Bridge 9.40.) Cafe en route.
Wednesday 23 October	Day Walk	Roeburndale - a 12km circuit from Bridge House Garden Centre, Wray (SD 606 675) starting at 10am. This is Walk 8 (the enchanted valley) in Cicerone's 'Walking in Lancashire', by Mark Sutcliffe.
Thursday 31 October	Bike Ride	The Fallowfield Loop - a 45km circuit, starting from Timperley Bridge at 9.30am. Cafe at the Velodrome.
Tuesday 5 November	Day Walk	Shutlingsloe - a classic 12km circuit from the Leather's Smithy by Langley (SJ 952 715). Start 10am, park in marked spaces by Ridgegate Reservoir.
Thursday 14 November	Bike Ride	Laureen's Ride - a convoluted route in Cheshire of around 60km, starting from Timperley Bridge at 9.30am or the centre of Hale at 9.45. Cafe en route.
Wednesday 20 November	Day Walk	Little Leigh - a 8km stroll starting at 10am from Clatterwick Lane (SJ 618 772). This is Walk 18 in Jen Darling's 'Walks in West Cheshire and Wirral' book.
Thursday 28 November	Bike Ride	Bury, Middleton and the Rochdale Canal - a mainly off road 70km circuit from Timperley, starting at 9:30am from Timperley Bridge. Cafe en route.
Wednesday 4 December	Day Walk	Whin Fell and the Brennand Valley - a 12km outing starting at 10am from the roadside layby on the Trough of Bowland road outside Dunsop Bridge (SD 647 505). This is Walk 12 in Cicerone's 'Walking in Lancashire', by Mark Sutcliffe.
Sunday 8 December	Running	The Tatton Yule Yomp - a 10km gallop around Tatton Park, starting at 9:30am.
Wednesday 11 December	Bike Ride	From Rose Hill Station, Marple. Route to be advised on the day, depending on participants and weather, featuring the Middlewood Way and the Macclesfield Canal towpath, with possible deviation to Lyme Park.
Friday 13 December	Evening	Shutlingsloe - our regular 5km yomp - starting at 7.30pm from Trentabank car park (SJ 960 711), and adjourning for Christmas Ale at the Leather's Smithy in Langley.
Thursday 19 December	Day Walk	Peckforton - a 7km stroll, starting at 10am from the Sandstone Trail notice board at Beeston Castle (SJ 540 590). This is Walk 12 in Jen Darling's 'Walks in West Cheshire and Wirral' book. 4-5km extension available.
Sunday 22 December	Day Walk	A Christmas Walk - starting at 10.00am from outside the Lime Lounge Coffee House in Bakewell (SK 218 686, by the bridge), stopping at The Crispin in Great Longstone for lunch. (Book via Martin or Jenny in advance.)
Christmas 2024 - date TBA	Day Walk	Appleton - a 10km walk from the London Bridge pub in Appleton. Further details TBA.

Saturday 28 September 2024 - Wythenshawe parkrun #587

After a quiet week - the highlight of which was a free concert by Dilettante at the Bridgewater Hall -  during which many holiday photos were processed, we reconvened on a lovely sunny morning at Wythenshawe Park for our weekly 5km run.

Sunny but frosty.

Gathering near the start

Dan addresses the 355 participants. First timers, 'tourists', and landmark runs, featuturing our friend Jan, who completed his 450th parkrun today.

As usual, I started at the back. 

The tarmac reveals trails of frost...

Half an hour later, and here's a picture at the finish, still in shade, but we did eventually catch the sun as we enjoyed post run coffees in the courtyard tea room..

Full results are here. Sue finished in position 91 (25:17), and I took 29:28 in position 191.

Saturday 21 September 2024 - Wythenshawe parkrun #586

There were excellent conditions for our regular 5km run, overseen as usual by Oliver, and Sue and I both managed good times. Here is Sue arriving at the start.

Full results for the 365 participants are here. Sue was in position 73 in around 25 minutes, with me 3 minutes behind her in position 163.

Our good friend Owen was taking part today, and he's pictured below in the courtyard with his bacon butties after getting round in 44 minutes.

That's all for now.

Friday = Isabella Day (74)

We enjoyed another lovely day with Isabella, who started with some colouring.

Something makes this activity hilarious.

Then it was into the kitchen for some cooking - blueberry popups.

The poor child is exhausted after a hectic few days at 'pre-school'.

Fish fingers and beans for lunch, with sadness when all the beans had been extracted from the pan.

Better move on to the popups...

Then the tent (Terra Nova Hyperspace) came out again, and readings from grandad's old 'Thomas the Tank Engine' books staved off a mid afternoon snooze.

Grandad, however, did manage a nap, and he awoke to this view of Isabella and Grandma relaxing outside as the tent had got too hot for them.

Then camera shy Markus arrived to spend the night with us after pizzas at Rudy's - and an early departure for a 6am flight that got him home to Dornbirn by 1:30pm. Sue took Isabella to Wythenshawe Park for a session in the playground. But exhaustion had finally taken its toll and the child refused to wake up, so they had no choice but to go home to Didsbury, a happy and well behaved girl.

Wednesday 18 September 2024 - A Visit to RHS Harlow Carr

After a car journey of almost two hours, Sue and I enjoyed a coffee in Bettys before heading into the garden, which dates from around 1955 - in great contrast to the very new garden we regularly visit at RHS Bridgewater.

Queen Mother's Lake

A sculpture at the apiary, where there are lots of hives.

The extensive arboretum houses many rare species and a series of information boards.

Rhododendron 'Loderi King George'

Maples are starting to acquire their autumn colours

There are lots of covered areas in this garden. This one has a pretty stained glass offering.

Sue found her way to the attic of the Tree House.

View from the Doric Columns

I think this is a Giant Redwood

The Harrogate Arms has been refurbished and now operates as an excellent tearoom.

The Alpine House contains colourful exhibits that are moved around to maximise the attraction of the various plants.

Nearby, the Sub Tropicana Garden still has lots of colour.

Here's another of the many shelters that would come in useful in less clement weather than today's sunny warmth.

Sculptures, the Wildflower Garden, the Kitchen Garden, etc, all provide ammunition for the camera.

Autumn crocus