Wednesday 19 August 2026 - An Evening Walk around Heaton Mersey with SWOG

Better late than never! For the first time this summer, Sue and I joined eight other members of Stockport Walking and Outdoors Group (SWOG) for a short evening walk. Just as well, this was their last evening walk before indoor Wednesday evening activities resume. I'm afraid Spunch events have edged these evening walks to the side this summer.

It turned out to be a slow amble of just 3.7 km, partly along the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT), and also past playing fields and up a long overgrown ginnel that we'd not visited before.

Before leaving the TPT we passed a comprehensive information board that someone has put a lot of effort into its composition. Click on the image/zoom in to read the text.

Next to the playing fields, Sue posed next to a strange little sculpture.

The group of ten managed to finish our amble before it got dark. Eight of us plus dog adjourned to The Crown, whilst Sue and I took a stroll up and down Didsbury Road to make up the distance to 5 km, before joining the others.

Here's our route, including the dogleg up Didsbury Road.

Earlier, 'Jump Heaven' in Hazel Grove had provided lots of fun for a five year old (with one tooth less than when we saw her last week) and her grandma, before we adjourned to Brookside Garden Centre for lunch.

Monday 27 July 2026 - A Stroll to Dunham Massey

Sue, Jenny, Andy and I set off from Timperley Bridge at 11am and were joined by Paul, Jeanette and Rufus half an hour later at Seamons Bridge. It was a pleasant walk along the Bridgewater Canal towpath, with a wide variety of wild flowers, and ripening blackberries, on this route full of greenery.

A little further on, a pair of swans were minding their two offspring, and a mallard was keeping a close eye on her six, healthy looking, ducklings.

The blue flash of a kingfisher caused a bit of excitement as it was then seen to launch itself from a branch into the canal, emerging with a fish either for itself or its young.

After a while we came to the point where the canal has been closed since 1 January 2025, following a breach caused by heavy rain. The section between Dunham and Agden Bridge is targeted to be reopened by the end of 2026, though a lot of work will be needed to clear vegetation and other debris, as well as making good the breach and installing precautionary hardware to prevent further breaches.

It's amazing how quickly the towpath and its supports have succumbed to the lack of water and maintenance.

The above pictures were taken from the left hand bank, where we assembled on a magnificent bridge that sports a fine view across to the fields of Dunham Massey, as well as disclosing some of the damage on the towpath side.

After passing the C17th corn mill (below) that was converted to a sawmill in 1860, we found our way to some very comfortable seating in the café where we must have spent a good hour or so.

The front of the hall is in a mess at present due to conservation work to the path in front of the house.

From outside the hall, we took the path down Smithy Drive to exit towards Dunham Town.

Soon we were on the field path to the golf course.

We exited from the woodland next to the golf course and made our way via Denzell Gardens and the Devisdale to Altrincham and the easy walk home after I'd relieved Tesco of some ingredients for dinner.

Here's our route - always a pleasure - about 15 km with 100 metres ascent, taking 4 hours plus a lengthy break in the Dunham Massey café.

 

Tuesday 7 July 2026 - Spunch Mellor

Spunch comes to Mellor, where the satellite points to be visited are almost all in the lovely countryside of the margins of the Peak District, so today's outing was somewhat undulating but offered some lovely early evening views. Sue and I started soon after 5:30, after when the cloud cover slowly cleared, providing the sunlit view of the church at Mellor seen in the picture above.

Back to our start... As I am suffering from Ischia Bursitis (Bum Pain) I've been told not to run for six weeks, so I enjoyed a two hour walk, covering about 10km, and Sue set off running in the opposite direction, covering over 14km in the two hours allowed for this event.

I soon met her coming the other way, in the fields on the path to/from Moorend.
 

It was a slow plod up to a high point, next to a hedge on an overgrown path, with good views in my rear view mirror.

Sue had time to pause for a picture of some Yellow Loosestrife.

Spunching is a family activity as well as a challenging activity for runners.

After a short diversion to pick up point 42, I went back up to a small pond and a high route to the disused quarry that houses a large cross. We've been here on evening walks with Stockport Walking and Outdoors Group (SWOG). En route to the quarry there were good views back into the Peak District.

After a short dogleg to pick up point 17, these two came flying past me.

While they went down the hill towards The Banks, I joined others in a bid to find all five points within the vicinity of the quarry. I don't know how I managed to miss point 4!

Meanwhile, Sue was approaching from the other direction. She had no trouble in finding all five points in the quarry.

After that, Sue headed along Black Lane. "You must be Spunchers, Andy will like that picture!"

Rosebay Willowherb is coming into flower beside Black Lane.

After crossing Longhurst Lane at point 68, I enjoyed a final climb up through vineyards to Mellor Church.

Then it was a short dash past the archaeological excitements in the vicinity of the church (see here for more details on a more leisurely visit) to grab point 27 before strolling down the hill and there and back to point 29, before finishing nearly 9 minutes inside the 120 minute deadline.

Sue soon arrived and we were tucking in to chicken curry and pints with over 100 other participants on a lovely evening in the garden of the Devonshire Arms.

Here are the results for the 33 '120' participants. Walking the route I'd chosen seemed to work well, and Sue managed on her own despite some 'uncertainty' at the golf course.

Here's a screenshot of my 10km route with 300 metres ascent. The green circles are the 40 points I visited and the solid blue line shows my approximate route between the points.

Here's the same screenshot for Sue - full page this time as she covered 51 ppoints in a wider area.

This final screenshot shows Sue's route in the context of the whole area. (Click on the image.)

That was a lovely outing in wonderful countryside, though I fear my Ischia Bursitis didn't appreciate it, so I'll be a bit slower next rime!

Friday 3 July 2026 - A Bollin Valley Stroll

Today was supposed to be GM Ringway Stage 11, but we are in a period of travel disruption and we didn't fancy the replacement bus service to Littleborough.

So Sue and I met Paul, Jeanette and Sue W at 11am at Altrincham Interchange, for a short walk in the Cheshire countryside. We didn't really start until after a bacon buttie and coffee stop at the Two Brothers Café in Altrincham, after which suburban streets led to a ginnel beside a collapsing graveyard in Bowdon (above).

Our route passed across a small area of parkland to the side of Al and Hazel's allotment, avoiding the public footpath that Sue can be seen on that has been allowed to get completely overgrown.

Soon we were passing The Priory on paths leading to a familiar bridge over the River Bollin. No children playing there today, and the whole area looks different from usual thanks to the crops that are growing here.

Beyond the bridge, more crops, and an attempt by Sue to achieve an artistic portrayal of them.

Pineappleweed dominated the verges.

Welsh Poppies and Oxeye Daisies were abundant as we pressed on towards Ashley after crossing a footbridge over the M56 motorway.

The path near Stock Farm to Ashley cricket ground had not been preserved by the farmer, whose crop we could have trampled, but we were kind, and followed tractor tracks that led roughly to where we wanted to be.

That was ... to a sheltered spot under a tree next to the cricket ground, where refreshments were offered to those of us (me and Sue) who were travelling light. I think we all managed to enjoy a coffee (thanks P+J) and some delicious cherries (thanks Sue W).

Continuing past Ashley Hall, Hogweed now took centre stage in the verges.

We passed Brit Fest entrances. This appears to be a fairly major event.

Beyond that, a pleasant path beside the River Bollin, which we crossed again at Ashley Heath before making our way through Rosehill to Paul and Jeanette's house in Hale for chocolate biscuits and iced coffee in their garden on the warm, sunny afternoon.

Here's our route - 11.5km with very little ascent, taking 4 hours including a long break in Hale, before Sue W and Sue and I returned home via Altrincham Interchange. A lovely little excursion.