Friday 28 July 2023 - An Evening Walk around Peover Hall

Congratulations go to Andrew for organising an evening walk - the one and only for this group this summer, although Sue and I have been on several of SWOG's evening walks.

Sue and I assembled at a random layby in Deepest Cheshire, together with Graeme, Jenny, Bridget, Richard and Andrew, for a 4.6 km stroll in the pleasant Cheshire countryside. On an overcast evening we trudged at 'Andrew pace' to cross and re-cross the Peover Eye, a stream that rises nearby and makes its way to the River Weaver.

After a while, we reached the entrance to Peover Hall, where poor light levels precluded any further photos.

Here's the route, it took us about an hour and a half, then we adjourned to The Crown in Goostrey for beer and wine.

And crisps (thanks Graeme).

Sunday 17 October 2021 - The Knutsford 10K race

This morning Sue and I drove in rain to join a traffic jam outside Over Peover. Cars from various directions were trying to access just one entrance to Radbroke Hall, the run HQ and start and finish point.

Eventually, Sue got her running kit on and jogged under my waterproof for a mile or so to claim her number and reach the starting area in plenty of time.

The rain stopped shortly before the start of the race, so conditions were excellent for running.

After a five minute delay to help those stuck in the traffic, the race started at 9:30 and Adam Craig shot off like a bullet, already with a good lead after 500 metres, where I was cheering everyone on.

The next group were also establishing a gap.

I stayed for a while, taking a few photos, but missing Sue as she went past.

I was supposed to be racing today, and would have come second in my age group, but Plantar Fasciitis dictated that I had to switch to doing a virtual 10K in my own time before 17 November. So today I went back to the car park to fetch a bell, returning to a point 500 metres from the finish. 

Adam Craig was still ahead - by nearly three minutes! - and flew past, finishing in a very creditable 28:53.

Edd Flynn was a clear second in 31:44.

Third in the race, and well clear of the next person, was Scott Minshull, who finished in 33.03.

I now stashed my phone (camera) in favour of ringing the bell and shouting encouragement for the final 500 metres. Various friends - Greg, Paul, Anthony, Helen, to name but a few - flew past before Sue arrived and went on to finish in a very respectable time - 51:35, 13th in her age category, and I made my way back to HQ.

Here's a map of the route.

The results indicate that out of 2087 entries, plus those like me who have switched to a 'virtual' event, just 1320 finished the race today. So nearly 700 failed to start!

Thursday 1 August 2019 - An Evening Walk from The Bells of Peover

 

Richard and Jenny and I met Andrew for one of his 'Deepest Cheshire' evening walks.

 

Whilst Andrew and I enjoyed liquid refreshments outside the pub on the warm evening, R & J wrestled with their SatNav, which took them to the Whipping Stocks. Never mind, we were in no hurry.

 

Our pleasant route took us along Ullard Hall Lane, then along a path to Ullardhall Farm. The sun was low as we strode along the driveway, where the first three pictures were taken.

 

 

The cereal crop had taken quite a bashing from recent weather and was flattened in places.

 

 

This is where Jenny likes her cows - securely fenced in.

 

 

Not like this frisky lot, who needed a good talking to from the Cow Whisperer in order to take their minds off 'The Frightened One'.

 

 

After just over an hour and a half, we were back at the pub for more liquid refreshment, before heading off home, or in my case to pick up Sue from Rachel's leaving do at Albert's in Didsbury.

 

 

Our route was about 6 km (4 miles), with minimal ascent, taking little more than an hour and a half at a gentle pace.

 

 

An excellent evening - thanks go to Andrew for organising it.

Thursday 11 July 2019 - An Evening in Deepest Cheshire

 

Last night we were pleased to join Andrew, who emerged from a long standing cocoon to lead a short evening stroll in Deepest Cheshire.

 

We assembled outside The Whipping Stocks on the A50 near Knutsford.

 

Soon we were storming along the footpath beside Radbroke Hall.

 

This is a 'polo zone'. Richard decided he wanted to 'pull', forgetting that he needed white jeans, a broad white belt, and willing punters. Also forgetting quite a bit more than that... Never mind, Richard. At least you tried!

 

Pleasant paths drew a clockwise line on Andrew's map. Outside Peover Cottage, an owl winked as we went past and the overcast sky started to leak.

 

We dodged around Peover Hall, passing various antiquities that have featured on these pages in the past, as the rain tightened its grip over everything bar the sun, which is pictured through the deluge at the head of this posting.

 

Beyond the hall, there's a good track back to the Whipping Stocks. This 2 km track used to be the driveway to the hall before the age of the motor vehicle..

 

Despite the slow walk - Andrew is trying to recover from a hip problem, we were back at the A50 and the Whipping Stocks shortly before the sun finally adjourned for the day.

 

Thus, we adjourned to the pub for an hour or so after this pleasant 6 km stroll with virtually no contours - apart from a few stiles - to trouble anyone....

 

Here's the route:

 

Thanks to Andrew for organising this little reunion of 'The Famous Five'.

Thursday 9 August 2018 – An Evening Walk from the Whipping Stocks

Thursday evening saw us return to Deepest Cheshire for the latest in this year’s series of summer evening walks led by Andrew. Apparently one took place whilst Sue and I were sunning ourselves in Austria, and everyone got soaked. But not tonight. Richard and Jenny turned out with their friends, Paul and Helen, so it was a team of seven who set out on another fine evening on a good path across Ambrose Acre towards Peover Superior.

Beyond Eelcage Covert (the mind boggles!) we reached the church that is attached by a gateway to Peover Hall.

The house dates from before 1585 and was built for Sir Ralph Mainwaring. There have been frequent alterations, including the building of a stable block in 1654. In 1919 the Mainwaring family sold the house, and it was sold again to Harry Brooks in 1940. During the Second World War the house was requisitioned and used by General George Patton and his staff. The hall was also used as a prisoner of war camp, and as a resettlement home for allied prisoners of war and for English people repatriated after the partition of India. It was returned to the Brooks family in 1950. A wing built in the 1760’s was in poor condition and was demolished in 1964, taking the house from 21 to 11 bedrooms. Other modifications were made, including a new entrance. According to Wikipedia, Randle and Juliet Brooks currently reside in the Hall.

There’s a plaque above the door of the stable block built in 1654.

More information about this splendid old building can be found here.

Our walk continued past a chrysanthemum factory and along quiet Cheshire lanes to reach Sandy Lane – a pleasant track from which we could enjoy a pretty sunset.

After this pleasant hour and a half’s meander, we were back at the start, wondering what the place would have been like in our ancestors’ times.

Whilst whipping may still be allowed (there was no sign saying it wasn’t), Sue noted the sign below with envy. Apparently her NHS workplace could do with a similar notice…

Here’s our route, a pleasant 7 km amble with minimal ascent, taking an hour and a half.

Thanks go to Andrew for organising this outing. The next, and last of this season’s Deepest Cheshire summer evening walks, takes place next Thursday, 16 August, and starts at 7.30 pm from The Bells of Peover (next to the church in Lower Peover) - SJ 742 742. All are welcome.

Thursday 5 May 2016 – An Evening in Deepest Cheshire (Chelford)

Last night’s first SWOG evening walk of the season was followed quickly by the first of Andrew’s ‘Deepest Cheshire’ evening strolls. The chosen meeting place was the Egerton Arms in Chelford, and tonight we all knew each other, with seven of us representing a good turn out by the standards of these particular ambles.

The sun looked low when we set off soon after 7.30, but we managed the 8 km (5 mile) circuit in a bit less than two hours, finishing at dusk but with no need for torches to be deployed. Probably none of us had one anyway.

Narrow lanes and boggy bridleways, with a few footpaths through fields, provided our rights of passage tonight. We should be grateful that the English countryside has retained these ancient rights of way that in other parts of Europe and elsewhere in the world have been rendered out of bounds to anybody but the landowners. Mallorca is an example – one of the walks Sue recently embarked upon, based on a recent guidebook description, had been well and truly barred by such an owner, with no legal comeback available in Spanish law.

No such problems in Cheshire apart from the occasional ploughed field and inappropriately positioned electric fence….

This area is flat. Easy going past fields of turf that I imagine is grown for sale to sports stadia the length and breadth of the country. Nearby, I could have taken a similarly boring picture of similar turf on what is a major centre for the sport of polo in the UK. This is such a popular spectator sport that the touchline is considered sufficient for a viewing perspective. Perhaps they only play to an invited audience, with Pimms no doubt being served at half time.*

Beyond Colshaw Hall, in the upper class surroundings of Fourlane-ends, this pleasing image of a horse and dog has been sculpted from an old tree trunk.

Chelford Lane saw tonight’s squad posing in the half light before the sun finally disappeared.

At Oakfield Manor we came across a large sign:

Please do not feed
Gerald, Gordon or Tom!
Thank you

As we peered over the fence, Gerald leant over and snatched Andrew’s map.

Chomp, chomp!

In the background we could hear Gordon chuckling and Tony purring. There was no incentive to trespass into these grounds, which seemed rather like an annex to Chester Zoo.

A little further on we passed another house with a slightly less harmful looking menagerie in its garden, though the Black Deer stag’s horns could cause quite a mischief to the unwary.

We survived all this, and kept our distance from the prancing cows, thus returning to the spacious Egerton Arms for a pleasant pint (or whatever) before pottering back to the urban zoo of Greater Manchester.

Here’s our route – 8 km, with minimal ascent, taking rather less than two hours.

The remainder of Andrew’s ‘Deepest Cheshire’ strolls are as shown below – all about 8 km or 5 miles. Everyone is welcome to come along.

Thursday 2 June
Deepest Cheshire 2 
Mobberley - Church Inn (SJ 791 802)
Start at 7.30 pm.

Friday 24 June
Deepest Cheshire 3
Over Peover - Whipping Stocks (SJ 768 747)
Start at 7.30 pm.

Thursday 21 July
Deepest Cheshire 4
Swettenham - Swettenham Arms (SJ 800 672)
Start at 7.30 pm.

Thursday 18 August
Deepest Cheshire 5
Lower Peover - The Bells of Peover (SJ 743 742)
Start at 7.30 pm.

* My ignorance concerning the sport of polo knows no bounds, my comments being complete guesswork. Apologies for any offence that may be caused.