Diary Update

Thursday 6 March - crocuses in Solihull, before Sue's father's funeral, which went as planned apart from the unexpected illness of one of the mourners.

Friday 7 March - a lovely day with Isabella.

Saturday 8 March - Wythenshawe parkrun #609. 318 participants. 37:37 for me after I decided to walk after the first 2.5km lap. Full results are here.

Briefing from a DofE student

Volunteers getting ready to man the finishing line

318 fit easily onto the start line

The Barbers were out in force, with Frankie having returned from Vancouver for a few days.

Sunday 9 March - Wythenshawe Community Run - a 5km jog with Colin Davies. 33:46 for 5km today.

March 8 - 15 - a trip to Finland for Sue. She has sent me the following pictures and may in due course provide a separate diary entry. Envious? Yes!

Wednesday 12 March - Paul, Jeanette and Rufus joined me for a pleasant 10km Bollin Valley wander. A familiar route previously reported on here. 

Today the Bollin was calm and the hedgerows were showing the first signs of spring, though the weather is cooler this week.

At Ashley Hall some 'Tatton Studios' have appeared - a potato barn and a barley barn, but who knows their actual purpose?

Thursday 13 March - admin and TGO Challenge route vetting duties. 

Friday 14 March - a bit of planning.

Here's a summary of some walks and bike rides I'm planning. They are detailed on topwalks.com, and that web page will be updated for any changes. I'll try to add some travel tips for the GM Ringway stages. All welcome.

Monday 17 March
GM Ringway Trail - Stage 2 - Sale Water Park to Didsbury Village. Meet at 11:00am at

Sale Water Park metrolink station for this second 12km stage of the 20 stage circuit 

of Greater Manchester.

Monday 31 March
Stocks Reservoir circular walk. Meet at School Lane car park, Dalehead, near Slaidburn (SD 546 455) at 11:00am for a 11km stroll around the reservoir.

Friday 11 April
60km circuit: Timperley Bridge (meet there at 9:00am) > Bridgewater Canal > Stretford > Trans Pennine Trail > Peak Forest Canal > Ashton Canal > Manchester > Timperley.

Wednesday 16 April
GM Ringway Trail - Stage 3 - Didsbury Village to Bramhall Station. Meet at 11:00am 

at Didsbury Village metrolinkfor this third 12km stage of the 20 stage circuit of 

Greater Manchester.

Thursday 24 April

A 70km circuit starting at 9:00 from Timperley Bridge. Bridgewater Canal 

> Pennington Flash > Mucky Mountains Nature Reserve > Sankey Valley > 

Trans Pennine Trail > Timperley.

Wednesday 30 April

Willington. A circuit of a length suitable for those attending, but at least 5km, 

from the Sandstone Trail car park at Willington Corner 0.5km southeast of 

Kelsall (SJ 534 667). Start at 10am.

Friday 9 May

GM Ringway Trail - Stage 4 - Bramhall Station to Middlewood Station. 

Meet at 11:00am at Bramhall Station for this fourth 13km stage of the 

20 stage circuit of Greater Manchester.

Thursday 5 June

Silverdale. A walk starting around 10:30am from RSPB Leighton Moss 

(members only car park) after refreshments in the cafe. 

Adjustable route, up to 23km.

Wednesday 11 June

GM Ringway Trail - Stage 5 - Middlewood Station to Strines Station. 

Meet at 11:00am at Middlewood Station for this fifth 13km stage of the 

20 stage circuit of Greater Manchester.

Sunday 20 July

Hathersage Hilly Triathlon.

7 to 17 September
Collett's Mountain Holidays - Austrian Alps - Ehrwald.

Sunday 7 December

The Tatton Yule Yomp - a 10km gallop around Tatton Park, starting at 9:30am.

Sunday 14 December

A Christmas Walk - provisionally 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.

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.

Friday 13 January 2023 - A Danebridge Circuit

I chose this popular destination for the first of a new 2023 series of Friday morning walks. We've been here many times before - some reports are here, with full historic details and much better photos than today's.

A new sign (above) welcomes visitors to Wincle, but just up the road the Ship Inn has shut up shop. That's a shame.

Anyway, today the weather was very dull, but the expected rain held off until after we had finished.

Wincle Brewery is still going strong, and we looked back to that as we crossed the bridge from Cheshire into Staffordshire.

A steep little ginnel leads up to a path that pops out onto a field in view of our first objective, the Hanging Stone.

Soon we were on top of the stone, admiring views to Shutlingsloe, and across Cheshire in the other direction.

Jenny and I went to the top of the stone whilst Richard and Sue looked on.

We then took the high path that leads to the Roaches. Looking back you can see the Hanging Stone, and Shutlingsloe.

Ahead, Tittesworth Reservoir, with the Roaches to the left of the prominent trees.

After a while we reached the road, beyond which the Roaches lie, and beside which there's often an ice cream van. But not today, although there were quite a few walkers out and about. It's a popular spot.

Elevenses, with lots of shortbread, were taken in the depths of Back Forest, beside the path to Lud's Church.

We missed the turn that leads to the top of the chasm, but today we were quite happy to enter from the bottom. It was muddy. Below the carefully positioned branch on which Jenny is manoeuvreing, the water is knee deep. Another visitor demonstrated that - mud up to his thighs! 

Here, Sue took the opportunity to identify some fungi. She spotted two 'new ones'.

Mossy Maze Polypore

Jelly Spot Fungus

A turn towards Gradbach took us down to the River Dane, for a pleasant meander back to Danebridge.

If you follow the link to previous visits, you can see how the view of this landslip has changed over the years.

The muddy field just before reaching the bridge didn't seem as muddy as usual, despite our having had lots of rain in recent days.

Here's our route - over 10km, with around 300 metres ascent, taking us a little over 3 hours.

What an excellent way to spend a morning. And if you fancy joining me on a future stroll, the current list is here:

27 January - Longridge Fell - a 12km circuit from Hurst Green village hall (SD 685 381). Meet at 10:00.

3 February - Shutlingsloe - a 10km circuit from the Leather's Smithy. Park beside Ridgegate Reservoir in the marked spaces, SJ 953 715. Start at 10:00.

10 February - The Wells of Silverdale - a 10km circuit from Leighton Moss Bird Reserve Visitor Centre - SD 476 750. Meet at cafe 10:00. Bring lunch.

17 February - A 10km circuit from Bollington via White Nancy and the Saddle of Kerridge. Meet at Adlington Road Car Park in Bollington (SJ 930 780), at 10:00.

24 February - Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag - a classic 9km circuit starting from the end of the Walna Scar Road (SD 288 970) at 10:30.

Some Walks and Bike Rides

Lunch at the Meccano Bridge and picnic table between Bolton and Bury

The sun is shining. It's time to plan to get out of the house. If I set some dates and venues I have to be there. Others are welcome to join me. Here's the current plan:

Monday Bike rides, all starting at 9.00 am from Timperley Bridge, on the towpath by the Metro Station, and heading initially towards Sale along the towpath: 

23 March - Pennington Flash > Mucky Mountains > Sankey Valley > Trans-Pennine Trail (70 km) [Lunch at a café in Stockton Heath.] 

30 March - Bolton > Bury circuit (60 km) [Lunch = picnic at the Meccano bridge.] 

13 April - Bury > Chadderton > Rochdale Canal circuit (70 km) [Break at café near Gigg Lane in Bury.] 

20 April - Trans-Pennine Trail west from Stretford > Cheshire Ring Canal from Romiley to Timperley via Manchester (60 km) [Break at the velodrome café.] 

Note: on all of these dates, if the weather is poor, or we feel like a shorter route, other options are available, including the Fallowfield Loopline Circuit (50 km) and the Moore Lane (Acton Bridge) Circuit (also 50 km) 

Friday morning walks: 

27 March - Hanging Stone and Lud's Church - a favourite outing, 10 km starting from the bridge at Danebridge at 10.00 am (SJ 965 652). [Adjourn to the Ship Inn.] 

10 April - A 17 km circuit from Hale, via the Bollin Valley, Mobberley Brook and Ashley. Start at the railway bridge on Bankhall Lane at 10.00 am (SJ 772 859). [Possible café after 12 km.] 

17 April - A 16 km circuit via Furness Vale and Whaley Bridge, from the main car park at Lyme Park, starting at 10.00 am (SJ 963 823). [Café at Lyme Hall.] 

1 May - Around Bunbury, starting at 10.00 am from the green by St Boniface Church (SJ 570 581). 11 km with various refreshment points.

I'll soon put these dates on our topwalks.com website when the old computer is reconnected after some carpet laying, so any amendments will appear there. All are welcome to join me, but it may be worth letting me know if you plan on turning up.

Enjoy the sunshine...