Tuesday 9 January 2024 - A Danebridge Circuit

Our first proper walk of the year. A familiar circuit from Danebridge in glaring sunshine and a frosty easterly. Sue and I gave Paul, Jeanette and Rufus a lift, and Graeme swelled the numbers to five plus a dog. Yesterday's email to 'Short Walkers' was worthwhile. For the moment there is no walks programme, but we will try to take advantage of good weather and notify folk accordingly, as in this case.

Anyway, heavy traffic for us kept Graeme waiting and delayed our start to around 10:30.

Sue soon delayed us further by pausing for a photo shoot of some Jelly Ear fungi.

We emerged from the woods to bright sunshine and a view to our first objective, Hanging Stone, discernible in the picture below, above the standing stone.

There are a couple of plaques in memory of soldiers and dogs on this giant tooth.

Sunny views across fields and moorland to the distinctive hump of Shutlingsloe.

Looking into the cold wind and the sun, a view to Tittesworth Reservoir, beyond the Roaches, near Leek.

In the other direction, a view towards the Cat & Fiddle and Shining Tor.

After the slog along the Back Forest path to Roach End, where in summer an ice cream van is often in attendance, we descended into the Dane Valley and welcome elevenses in a more sheltered spot.

We soon reached Lud's Church, by two directions through the woods, and as usual we admired this remarkable chasm. New boards have thankfully provided respite from the knee deep mud that we encountered on our last visit.

 

I've written about Lud's Church before - the link is here. Or more specifically here.

A zigzag path then took us to the Dane Valley for a few km, all the way back to Danebridge, leaving the river to continue its convoluted path towards the Weaver Navigation at Northwich.

Out of the woods, a sunny spot for lunch before the final 2 km back to the cars.

Here's the view from the bridge.

And here's our route - 10.7 km, with 250 metres ascent, taking 3.5 hours including a couple of breaks.

Thanks for your company, everyone, that was a most pleasurable outing.

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.

Saturday 10 December 2022 - Trentham parkrun and some grandchildren

With light snow falling in Timperley on an icy morning, Sue and I headed south for a family function, pausing en route at Trentham Gardens for a 5km jog/walk (parkrun).

The course had been gritted - how many parkrun venues would receive that sort of support from their 'sponsors'? - and was quite safe to run on.

Other local parkruns had been cancelled at the last minute due to the slippery conditions, so the run director kindly delayed the start to enable folk to regroup here.

We milled around and made new friends as the 266 participants slowly gathered at the start of the scenic one lap course.

Luckily, there were no trains to watch out for - I think they were just out of season, not on strike like their grown up brethren.

It was a lovely sunny morning, as Sue and I jogged and walked slowly round the lake that is circled by the course.

At the end of the lake is a cafe that appeared to be open. I was sorely tempted, but I didn't want to be told off by the 'Tail Walker', so I made do with a photo from where I could have purchased a mid run coffee!

Further on, the sun had melted some of the frost/snow, and the mallards came waddling up to the runners in the hope of a few crusts.

After 3km there's a loop where runners turn to the left in the picture below, returning over a mat to the right of this jolly marshall who keeps everyone in order. No short cuts allowed!

Here's a view from the same spot.

Then it's a pleasant downhill jog to the finish near the entrance to the Gardens, with good views over the lake.

Sue found Alan and Alice, regular Wythenshawe parkrunners to chat to whilst waiting for me to finish at a very leisurely pace, as we were booked to run the Tatton Yule Yomp 10km race the following day. More about that later.

Despite the flood of runners from other nearby events that had been cancelled, this 266 person turnout on the 40th Trentham Gardens parkrun event was the lowest in its history. The cold weather must have discouraged some of the regulars. Full results are here. And the route is shown below.

Meanwhile, our grandchildren had active days:

Isabella had fun in the snow in Didsbury.

Jessica went to the gym with her mum to take part in an all day event.

And Jacob went to a Mid Lancashire running race event in the snow....

Well done, everyone.