Saturday 5 October 2024 - Around Lyme Park

It was past 11am by the time eleven of us set off again up the Bow Stones path. This time we didn't turn left at the top of the woodland, instead carrying on at a modest strolling pace, above a backdrop of Greater Manchester, to the top of the path at Bow Stones, where an impressive footpath sign pointed us towards Kettleshulme, etc.

Beyond the Bow Stones, a good path led on to Sponds Hill, where we turned right to start our long descent to the Macclesfield Canal.

A navigational faux pas (my fault) led over a barbed wire fence above Bakestonedale to our unexpected arrival at a monument to mining around here. Situated on the lip of a disused quarry, the sealed off pit head has a trig point like memorial to the mining activity.

Ian Delve said this about it in November 2023:

An 1881 OS map of Bakestonedale shows lime kilns, brick kilns, coal shafts and a smithy along the narrow Bakestonedale valley road, near to Hammond's brick works. Ultimately brick production and the associated extraction of coal and fireclay became the sole preserve of Hammond's. Peak District National Park planners eventually put a stop to the industry in the mid 1960s. A number of deep mine shafts remained open until the 1970s when they were capped by the then National Coal Board, leaving distinctive concrete obelisks on the shaft tops.

Shortly before reaching the canal, the Coffee Tavern was passed. Had it been open, we would have offered some custom. As it was, we couldn't resisist taking advantage of the outdoor furniture to enjoy our packed lunches in comfort rather than on a soggy hillside.

The Macclesfield Canal towpath was soon joined, where more refreshments would have been available had we required them.

A sunny Sunday afternoon had brought out a good number of walkers and cyclists, as well as an assortment of barges.

We missed our turn off the canal and chose a route leading to the entrance to Lyme Park near Platt Wood Farm.

After following the sign to Lyme Park, we soon realised that due to closed paths (rutting season?) we were heading to the entrance in Disley rather than the Hall and the car park, so we re-traced our steps and headed along the path towards Green Farm. It was uphill, but correct, and we were soon back inside the Park, where The Cage came into view to confirm our position to any doubters.

Earlier, we had been first into the Park at 8:30. Now the car park was overflowing and the place was heaving with activity. It seemed a long time since we had arrived for the early morning parkrun.

We'd walked the best part of 16km, with 350 metres ascent, arriving back at the car park in mid afternoon. A lovely walk, in excellent weather.

Saturday 5 October 2024 - Lyme Park parkrun #474

Here are some of Saturday's 'tourists' at Lyme Park parkrun. L to R: Keith, Carol, Phil, SueW, Sue B, Jenny, Martin. Paul F and Andy W missed the photo, and Richard and Nigel didn't run.

It's up the hill towards the Bow Stones path to the start, where the run director was keen to acknowledge that today was the 20th anniversary of 'parkrun'.

Some of our team were keener than others to get to the front of the 149 participants. Carol was less keen!

The first kilometre is relentlessly uphill. I walked.

We turned left into some sunlit woodland, before heading up again to a left turn.

It's still uphill.

Soon I managed to catch up with Jenny, who had been walking faster than me.

The last of the hills for a while - we steadily approached 'The Cage', an ancient hunting lodge. It's described here.

Richard lay in wait with a camera, but he arrived too late for most of the action!

Then it was a gentle run over rough ground to get back to the bottom of the hill, with Greater Manchester laid out before us.

There were nine in our group, led home by Phil, with Jenny bringing up the rear at a walking pace most of us could only dream of.

The first three celebrated while waiting for Keith to stumble home.

All nine of us posed with Richard at the finish.

Our stats are below, and the full results for the 149 participants are here.

Given our wide age range, the age related percentages are a better guide to performance than the finishing positions.

Here's the 5km route, which unusually for a parkrun is just a single lap.

We enjoyed coffees and butties, etc, at the nearby cafe, before eleven of us (the nine runners plus Richard and Nigel) set off on a 16km hike.

What a great way to start the weekend!

Friday = Isabella Day (75)

At last, Isabella spent the day with us, enjoying assembling and then playing with her 4th birthday present, a Playmobil dormobile.

Then before lunch we went to Wythenshawe Park. While I enjoyed coffee with the 'Oldies' (Richard, Mike, Fechin and John), Sue and Isabella had a great time scootering.

Someone had fun producing this map of the park.

Back at home, lunch included 'red jam'.

Then, before more playing with the dormobile, a bit of cooking - 'Granny's apple shortcake'.

Heather T-S arrived to spend the night with us before getting a train to a function in London, and Isabella went home, suitably armed with a portion of the cake that didn't last the day. 

Wednesday 2 October 2024 - Around Whitegate and the Valeroyal Cut

We parked on Vale Royal Drive, and today's walk for Sue and me started nearby from St Mary's Church in Whitegate and headed along a good path beside Pettypool Brook in the direction of Winsford.

After leaving the brook, narrow lanes took us to Mill Bank Farm.

At the farm we missed a left turn through a gate at SJ 646 684 and were told in no uncertain terms by the farmer to retrace our steps to the gate, beyond which an excellent narrow path led to a minor road and the dilapidated barn pictured below.

Pinned on the building was a plaque: 'Warning: CCTV system installed on these premises'. Looking through the window, at piles of discarded tyres, we had to wonder whether anyone in their right mind would have any inerest in the place. 

Just around the corner from that barn, the Weaver Navigation comes into view, with an information board about The Weaver Parkway Trail. Anyway, that's for another time, as we are at the red dot on the far left of the board, and we are heading along the Valeroyal Cut in the direction of Northwich.

The Weaver is crossed by two bridges like this one.

Looking back from the start of the Cut

I half expected a muddy path, but a well maintained bridleway led us all the way from the two bridges to the Valeroyal Locks.

Cormorants were drying out

The path was being well used by cyclists

A bench by the cut made for a fine elevenses stop

The Valeroyal Locks come into sight

I was here on 17 September, when there was much less water coming through. Today we joined the route I took on 17 September, as recorded here.

There's a main line railway viaduct nearby.

Birds were scavenging for harvested corn, as we looked back to the entrance of a huge field, before we crossed a strip of woodland, a golf course, passed new housing, and wandered onto Vale Royal Drive to return to our starting point.

Here's our route - 8km with 80 metres ascent, taking us 1 hour 50 minutes including a 20 minute stop.

A lovely way to spend a morning. We'll have to go back to explore the Parkway area, on foot or by bike.

Sunday 29 September 2024 - Dinner

Here 'we' are, enjoying Sue's excellent sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble desserts, after a roast chicken and accompaniments main. The 'we' in question are not entirely those expected a couple of hours earlier. Michael, Sarah and Isabella had called to say that Mike and Sarah had sickness and diarrhoea, so they couldn't make it. Kate stepped in to fill the breach, and Jessica and Jacob's friends Elsie and Seb were rnrolled at short notice and brought along. Jacob isn't featured in the picture. By then he had been sick all over our hall carpet and was banished with a bucket to the car outside. So we were soon left with Nell and Keith, the latter having managed to lean backwards as I took the picture. At least he wasn't sick, and the remaining four of us had a pleasant afternoon before Nell and Keith shot off to try to avoid football traffic.

Thanks go to Kate and Sue for helping to clean up Jacob's mess while their meals went cold, and to Tomasz, the professional carpet cleaner who later attended to the stricken carpet and pronounced it to be in good health after a thorough professional clean.

The home made sticky toffee pudding was particularly tasty, and thankfully none of it was regurgitated!

We must do this (with obvious adjustments) more often...

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.