Sunday 11 May 2025 - The Alderley Edge Bypass 10K 2025

Whilst enjoying our post run coffee and cake in the courtyard tearoom after the Wythenshawe parkrun on Saturday, Paul and Jeanette mentioned that there were still places available to take part in the annual Alderley Edge Bypass 10K race taking place the following day.

Well, who would turn down the chance to run up and down the hot tarmac of a closed main road on a Sunday morning! I duly entered, and early the following morning the three of us made our way to Alderley Park, to collect our numbers. No 'warming up' was really necessary on the hot May morning.

Another Winston Runner, Alwyn Morgan, posed with Paul and Jeanette.

After a while, we lost and found Paul, before watching the team of pacers make their way into position amongst the 1600 strong field.

As usual, I tried to start near the back, but I wasn't all that successful today.

Looking ahead

Looking back

We set off on time at 9:30, starting down the shady road before reaching the hot sun of the bypass. We turned around at about the 5.5km point, and passed an official photographer at the 6km mark.

Here's his official picture:

I took another couple of pictures before continuing on what appeared to be one long hill to the finish.

We duly assembled with our medals before heading off to P&J's house for some much needed bacon butties.

We were all pleased with our results, especially Paul and Jeanette, who both came second in their respective age groups.

My time of 1:03:06 was just 12 seconds slower than in last week's race, today's course being hillier and hotter.

Alwyn was quite happy with his 'recovering from injury' performance.

The third Winston Runner, Paul Lockett, finished in 49:06 - well done to him - and others from that club were marshalling today.

And that's it - another friendly and well organised running event, with thanks to all who made it happen.

Tuesday 30 July 2024 - Around Alderley Edge

This was another of Tony Bowerman's 'Mysterious Cheshire' walks. Number 13. It starts from the National Trust Car Park on Alderley Edge, what3words: tulip.gentle.tried

The Wizard of Edge restaurant is currently closed, but the Tearoom is open.

This sign confirms that the pub is closed, but the Tearoom is thriving

After turning right in front of the tearooms, the path goes for a few hundred metres to reach a curve to the left, where stone steps after a 5mph sign lead up to the Engine Vein, where mining took place from Bronze Age times over 4000 years ago.

Before returning to the main track, I reached an area at the top of the Engine Vein, where the land is being allowed to collapse by way of natural processes.

A left turn back at the main path leads to a junction where a large sandstone block is known as the Golden Stone. Tony Bowerman's book provides more information on this and many more of the features encountered on this walk.

Here we follow the signs to Stormy Point, passing to the left of good views to parts of Greater Manchester and Derbyshire, where the Lyme Cage folly can be seen.

The rocky summit of Stormy Point is soon reached.

Mine entrances are blocked off within the slot like excavation known as the 'Devil's Grave'.

Our route continues ahead, past a knarly veteran tree.

 

The path descends (above) before rising to the summit of Saddle Bole (below).

After returning to Stormy Point, the lower of two paths is taken to reach a slab-sided stone trough.

A second trough, this one oval and carved from a single piece of sandstone, is just around the corner. This is the Holy Well.

The path soon reaches a planked section, followed by steep uphill steps just visible in the next picture.

At the top of the steps, we take the path to the right, then 10 metres further on the yellow path sign to the right is ignored in favour of a narrow path that leads steeply up to a well surfaced path along the lip of the edge.

This good path leads to Castle Rock, with more fine views across the Cheshire Plain and beyond.

Continuing briefly beside a fence, we double back at the first opportunity and soon descend down stone steps past two stone posts.

At the bottom of the slope we head left past a low overhang.

About 100 metres on, as the path starts to dip downhill, the Wizard's Well is reached.

Our route turns around here and goes back past the bottom of the stone steps and posts, along a path that runs below the Edge.

We continue along the path pictured above, passing the steps that descend to the Holy Well. A drystone wall is soon seen on the right. This denotes a walled off area containing a roofed reservoir. The wall is followed around a corner to the right, then we rise to the left to a mound surmounted by a plaque that denotes the Armada Beacon.

Continuing on beyond the Beacon, a path wide enough for wheelchairs leads back to the National Trust car park.

Here's the route, just 3.5km with 75 metres ascent. It took me around an hour, but you could savour this area by taking twice as long as that, especially if you have Tony's excellent book to hand..

Monday 9 August 2021 - Alderley Edge revisited

A visit from Ottawa parkrunner friends Linda and Keith triggered this morning walk around Alderley Edge. Our first walk for ages (12 July - must be a record!). Sue and Jenny came with me to the NT car park, from where - after watching the drizzle subside - we headed to the site of the Beacon, via the Engine Vein, pictured above. This former mining area used to be heavily eroded by visitors, but since being fenced off, it has grown wild again. There's a newly fenced off section where the tunnel is expected to collapse soon - the workings hereabouts have been fully explored and mapped, so there is no need to save these particular tunnels.

A little further on, beyond the Beacon site, we paused at several points to admire the views, which extend from the Welsh hills, over Jodrell Bank, across Greater Manchester to the South Pennines.

Eventually, after finding our way around the northern edge of the woodland, we crossed the Macclesfield Road via Mount Farm, and headed down Slade Lane to reach the track that is Hocker Lane, where the next two pictures were taken.

A right turn up Bradford Lane saw a continuation of the pleasant woodland, from which we eventually emerged at the main road near the Wizard cafe. Coffees etc went down well, then Linda and Keith moved on to nearby Styal, and the rest of us went home for lunch.

Here's the route we took - a very pleasant 9 km, taking exactly two hours.

It was good to see Linda and Keith - thanks to them for making the effort to meet up, and nice to get out for a walk after over a month.