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.