Get Together

Saturday 14 December 2019

All ten of us made it.

Christmas meal at the Hayhurst in the small dining room, a ggod room to meet so that we can hear the chat.

A Walk to Wrenbury Mill

Saturday 30 November 6.5 miles
Carol, Hilary, Donna, Tracey and Jane

The bright cold weather arrived after the rain. Middlewich was in sunshine when we left but it was cloudy as we travelled into the Cheshire countryside.

Carol had a printed a local map with a walk drawn on it. At various times it has been suggested that we make up our own walks by picking out walks from a map, so with no directions it was hard to pick out the way we needed to go.

From Carol's house we went down the road, it was a bit muddy in places, especially at the place where the road had been dug up and from the fallen leaves which were making a mulch all over the road.

Near the end of the lane there was a for sale sign and it was for Caldecott Barn which had been converted into a 4 bed house with 2 acres of land being sold for £550,000. At the junction with the main road we turned right and found the stile in the hedge, there was a lady with a dog and questionied if we had a dog. I think she was pleased when we said we hadn't. She then talked about the dead that were buried beneath the ground and how they would be floating in their coffins because there had been so much rain.

The overnight low temperatures had made the water on the leaves of the grass frosty. When we walked through the grass the frost gathered on our boots. It looked like snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We came to a field of corn but we couldn't find a way through to start with. Donna and Tracey went over the stile to find the way but there was nothing obvious, Carol went along the field edge and found a gate into the corn field and also found that there was a path through the corn. It would have been a bit soon to be turning back as we had really on just started! We were able to walk through the corn field but in getting closer to the edge of the corn we could see water. Due to the heavy ran during the last week many low lying parts of fields had water sitting on them. Fortunately we were able to follow the edge of the corn towards a hedge.

Finding our way for the next bit was quite difficult, we followed the hedge to a gate but we were not sure whether to go through, Donna continued along the hedge where she found the stile we were supposed to be using but there was no way to get through the overgrown hedge. We went through the gate. We followed the rise in the field but with no obvious path we thought the needed to follow the hedge, we were discussing whether or not to follow the track but the map seemed to show the path closer to the hedge. When we went to the top of the rise where there was an electric fence we noticed the yellow arrow on the wooden post. We had to take out one of the electric fence metal spikes so we could get onto the path. it was wet and muddy even though we were at the top of the slope and the sheep were further down.

The weather was starting to brighten as we came out into a field with a more open view and a very large flock of geese flew over us. There was a field full of water in front of us, it looked like a natural lake, but I wonder if the field had just filled with water. Fortunately the path went around by the hedge.

As the ground was so wet I wasn't sure if we would find somewhere to sit down, we were pleased to see two benches at Wrenbury Mill so we could sit on them and have our lunch. The sun was bright by now so it was a shame that the benches weren't in the sunshine, but we were able to look at the canal boats moored across the canal. We walked along the canal to the canal lift bridge, and crossed it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In places the path was not obvious, we needed to turn off to the left after Sprostonwood Farm but there was no obvious path marked, in fact where there should have been a stile  we had to go under the wire fence and then under a piece of string to get to the right side of the hedge.  A bit further on we found a stile in the water and were headed in the direction of the arrow on the stile. I felt that we were not going in the correct direction so I got out my compass to check which direction to go in. We then noticed the back of the stile post which had two arrows with one going straight on in the direction we had come from and the other one going in the direction we wanted.

At one point we needed to go between the woods marked as Wrenbury woods, it was not obvious which way we needed to go there was a stile in the fence line so we crossed that but when we got to the end of the field there was no obvious way to go. We followed the edge of the wood back towards the way we came and found a stile. The woods marked on the map were not as extensive in actual fact.

We joined Chorley Hall Lane for a short while, we were not sure if we needed to go down the farm entrance but we decided we needed to so that we could cross the fields to Springe Lane. then it was a short walk back to the house. We passed a small 2 bed converted barn with 1.14 acres was for sale, and Carol told us it was on the market for £385,000.

We returned to Carol's house where we had tea and lemon drizzle cake. Mmmmm!

Arley

Saturday 5 October 8 miles
Hilary and Donna

Hilary's walk, just Donna and Hilary,  
Tracey and Jane not well with colds and Carol busy with the house.

A calm, quiet, dry Autumn day. We parked in the small signposted

"Walkers car park" We walked around the Arley estate and had our lunch

by a field of horses and were entertained by a lady trying to get a rug

on her horse. She eventually succeeded. Hilary bumped into Pam from the

Birds of Prey, Stockley Farm. along the way. Pam is flying her birds now

from the old Stockley Farm car park. We had a cuppa at the cafe at Arley

Hall where there was a "Peaky Blinders" themed wedding taking place.

Smiths Lane to Booths Mere

Saturday 7 September 8.5- 8.8 miles?

Tracey, Carol and Jane

6 mile walk +  walk from parking place to start and back 1.3 miles, + between 1.2 - 1.5 miles trying to find our way through the woods and back onto the right road = approximately 8.5 - 8.8 miles!

It was difficult to find anywhere to park along Smiths Lane, so we went to the station and there was a space. Crossed the level crossing turned left onto Smiths Lane to find the start of the walk.

We found the stile in the hedge by Smith Lane Farm and went across the fields and over the train line. As we walked away from the line a Drax train passed. There were also planes flying overhead.

Having crossed Broadoak Lane we came to the industrial estate, and on Parkgate Lane we passed the post office delivery centre. A postman said hello to us. We turned left onto Mobberley Road, and longed along the road until we came to Shaw Drive. We went through the woods by the children's playing field (where there were some children playing) from one estate to another, turning left on Boothfields.

From Longridge we were to cross the heathland, we followed the path which was through wood land, we didn't manage to find Booths Mere nor did we manage to find our way out of the woods in the right place, we ended up finding our way back to Longridge. We had tried to sit on a log to eat our lunch but a lot of flies came around so we didn't stay there.

We had our lunch sitting on a bench by the bus stop on Longridge, it was also by the park. There were children playing in the garden of a nearby house but not on the playground. We could see a person in the distance throwing a ball but we couldn't see the dog to start with.

We then made our way by road back to our route. We went by Mobberley Road, then Ryecroft Lane and meet two big tractors with trailers with bails on the corner of Pavement Lane. We followed the lane to Pavement Farm an then zigzagged on to the track that is still called Pavement Lane.

We passed along the edge of fields of corn, we came to a stile passed it, the path was difficult to find so we went back to the stile and went over it, we decided to continue along side the fields of corn so we climbed back over the stile. This is where we went too far.

We knew we needed to head north here and so we headed for the church. We could see cricket being played. We returned to the main road, crossed it then went over the fields to Church Lane. Turned off Church lane at the bend walking alongside the farm. We crossed the fields and as we were near the airport lots of aircraft were going over our heads. We could hear a dog barking, obviously complaining at our presence. Then we headed over the fields to the road, finding Smith Lane and our way back to the station.

Plumley Garden Centre for tea and cake, we had two lemon drizzle cakes and one coffee and walnut cake

Get Together

Saturday 24 August

Birthday Get Together for Hilary

The Hayhurst Arms in the small dining room.

Gawsworth Hall

Friday 26 July

Birthday Get Together

Fleetwood Bac in the Garden Theatre. Good music, good singing, good band.

We had a picnic on the lawn.

Adlington, Adlington Basin and Styperson Pool

Saturday 6 July 6.5 miles
Jane, Tracey and Donna

Rain!!! 

We parked in the lay-by on the A523 near the Legh Arms, then went to the crossroads and up Brookledge Lane to Wych Lane into Wych Wood.

There were lots of stiles and fields to cross and as it had been raining the grass was we, so we got a bit wet too.

We crossed Middlewood Way and then joined the towpath walking along the Macclesfield Canal. We found the path that left the canal and crossed fields and roads and the canal going through a caravan site. Just before Woodend Farm we turned left to follow a track to Adlington Basin. We decided to stop here and have our lunch. We walked along a track to Lockgate Farm and on on to Shrigley Lane. At the little triangle with Brookledge Lane we continued on until we found the footpath sign for Styperson Pool.

We were lucky enough to see some butterflies as the day got a bit brighter. We went round the pool onto Sugar Lane. From here we quite quickly turned along a path going over the canal and then a bridge under Middlewood Way. We then had to be a bit careful to follow the instructions to Wych Farm and then back to where the car was parked.

The most important question was where to have tea and cake? As we were north of Macclesfield we decided on Arighi Bianchi.

The Old Parsonage

Saturday 8 June
Jane and Hilary

Not a walk then??? No, a garden visit instead!

The Old Parsonage is in a secluded part of the Arley estate that was open on 8 and 9 June under the National Garden Scheme. We parked in the field close to the house, on a field with a number of cars. On leaving of the field by the gate we came in we turned left onto Back Lane, we passed the impressive Chaplain's Cottages and School on the right hand side with their impressive chimneys. To get to the garden we walked down past a tree and in the side entrance which was an arched entrance in the hedge. 

The Old Parsonage is a pretty house owned by The Hon. Rowland and Mrs, Flower, it did belong to the Viscount and Viscountess Ashbrook, but they have moved elsewhere on the estate leaving the younger members of the family to appreciate the house.

The two acres of garden were pleasant to walk around. The garden is not impressive but very pleasant to sit in and stroll around in.

You could sit in the garden having your tea and cake, we sat on the chairs on a small patio area facing the lawned area of the house. on some very nice metal chairs that had a bit of give in them so were very comfortable. We had a cup of tea with chocolate cake and a scone, made by a lady in Nantwich.

We went for a walk on leaving the garden, going down along Back Lane to the lake that had a couple of swans on it and across the bridge with Arley Brook going under it. Then we continued on past a small house to look at the sheep in the field. We continued our walk on to Sack Lane so following Arley Brook, Hilary was hoping to find a short circular walk but I couldn't find one on my phone. We walked to the end of Sack Lane, and back to the car - probably only about 1.5 miles.

Mobberley and Great Warford

Saturday 11 May 5.5 miles
Hilary, Tracey and Jane

The day started out quite sunny with some warmth to the sunshine.

We found our way to Faulkner’s Lane, Mobberley and parked on the road behind another car. Then it was time for boots on and decisions about how many layers to wear, as it was warm in the sunshine we put on jackets without fleeces. We found the lane leading to Coppock House (Coppock House is for sale for £2,500.000), we followed the lane over Mobberley Brook and past the farmhouse and the barns that have been converted into houses, went through the metal gate and followed the obvious path across the field. After crossing the stile we read the instructions again, but with no map we could not be sure we had gone the right way. Fortunately Jane had a map of the area in her rucksack, we were supposed to have gone around the farm buildings and back to Faulkner’s Lane and the Frozen Mop and walked up the road, we decided to continue across the fields instead, so we could arrive at Pedley House Lane without walking on the road.

From the map we could see that we didn't need to walk to the farmhouse we could go straight across the fields opposite, the path led us to Ancoats Lane. We went past a entrance which gave the names on a board like Highgrove and Sandringham - the whole place is 'Highgrove' and has been turned into flats. The lodge cottage looked very nice, with an archway leading to a gate. Further along Ancoats we admired another house called 'White Stables', a very pretty symmetrical house, and when we went around the corner we could see the swimming pool! 

We left Warford  Lane to join a path through fields with horses. we managed to get to the track to turn left, then found the gate that took us along a field edges, we came out near some houses. The first house looked very interesting, it looked like it could have been a barn - and Hilary said she wouldn't mind living there! It is called Noah's Ark Barn and sold for £840,000 in 2017. The house next door is Noahwood house and has a black and white exterior. There were a couple of small dogs that barked a hearty welcome as we passed by. On Noah's Ark Lane we crossed Mobberley Brook again, followed the road to the corner  and then crossed the fields.

There were some young cows in this field so they were curious about us, and followed us to the stile. The field had been newly fenced and as we crossed the field we could see the stile clearly. The instructions said the stile was hard to see, and after we crossed the new stile we found on old stile in the hedge which would have been hard to find. We crossed another field we decided it was probably time to find somewhere to eat. We had our lunch sitting on a concrete drain in the middle of the field! we crossed the Knutsford Road, and followed a drive to a farm. There was a strange set of shrubs in the middle of a field to the right which seemed a little odd. We continued through the farmyard and on across the fields to Paddockhill Lane, and followed the lane until we got to Moss lane Where we had to look out for a stile.

Over the stile we were into fields that had been split up, some parts with a metal fence. We followed the path signs across each of the fields but ended up in a field with no exit even though we were by the road. We looked at the map, read the instructions again and realised we should have gone along the edge of one of the fields. We were about to walk back on ourselves but the rain suddenly came down very heavily so tried to shelter under the hedge trees but we still got a bit wet.The path was well marked across the fields so lots of people must have come this way and on my old map it showed the map going to the road. We found our way across the fields and onto the path that brought us back to the Knutsford Road.

It seemed a bit strange that we had to look out for a brick archway but in walking along the verge a little there it was at the end of the barn. We followed the path then went across the field back to Faulkner's Lane and so back to the car.

We had tea and cake at Donna's house, homemade Bakewell tart with WI jam to be precise! Yum, yum, yum!

Lower Withington

Saturday 13 April 6 miles
Tracey, Jane and Carol

What do you wear on a day in April that has been cold overnight and yet the sun is shining? It is difficult to decide. You don't want to have too many layers, but you certainly don't want to be cold. We decided on layers so that we could take a layer off if necessary. We didn't take a layer off, the sun did shine but the wind was cold.

The B5392 at Lower Withington is a busy road so we parked in a lay-by on the main after having a look to see if we could park anywhere around the triangle to park off the road, but there was nowhere obvious to park. We walked along the road a little, crossed the road when we saw the footpath sign. The path led us behind the houses, then opened out to fields that had been split up into smaller areas which fenced off the horses. We had to walk across one field with horses in it but they didn't pay us too much attention. We crossed another field and joined a lane. A couple of cyclists passed us, we continued along the lane which became a track going passed a farm and onto Catchpenny Lane.

It was such a pretty day, some of the trees were beginning to bud, whist some were still bare so they looked amazing against the bright blue sky. There were plenty more cyclists out and about. Tracey had told us to look out for a stile in the hedge but we were too busy talking so it wasn't until the road we were on was passing a lake that Tracey realised we had gone too far. We returned along the road and found the stile in the hedge, and followed the path alongside a wood. A stream was flowing beside the path and when we got to the bottom it was flowing over the footpath, we looked at the possibility of walking around into the field but it all looked too wet, plus there was barbed wire fencing. We managed to cross the stream of water by standing on the clumps of grass and jumping across as fast as possible. 

Our boots were a bit wet, we continued on up the path and onto the track around the field, then joining the road and looking out for a stile - much more closely this time, but this stile was quite obvious. The footpath followed a couple of field edges and we came to a wooden  bridge which crossed the sand quarry conveyor, it was all very quiet as it was the weekend. The walk continued around a wood, across an open area where we met a women with a couple of large dogs, she kept tight hold of them whilst we passed by, and then we went around another wood. There was an open track that we followed along the edge of the quarry, then we kept on the track which went beside a hedge towards the houses. The path led past the house with a very nice garden.

As we continued we became aware of a buzzard being chased by some birds, possibly crows. We watched the buzzard flying over the woods and our heads, then it came back to hover over the sand quarry. We continued on our way, it was very pretty along this path as the white blossom was out on the trees and the white stems of the birch trees shone in the sunlight.

We realised we had somehow gone the wrong way when the path followed a busy road. Carol checked on her phone to see where we were, and we were no where near the footpath we should have been on. We decided it was best to stop for lunch as it was about 12 o'clock. We were sheltered on one side by the trees and on the other side by a bank on the edge of the quarry. We could have retraced our steps but decided that was better to join the nearby road and find a different route back to the car. There were a couple of locked five bar gates that we negotiated  and then we were able to walk along a wide grass verge of the A535 Holmes Chapel Road. We continued past the gate to Withington Hall and its sweeping drive to another gate with a track to a house, it was a public footpath that lead around the house, then went beside the wood and led to the end of Withington pool where we got a good view of the Hall in its picturesque setting. Having said that we were soon back to the quarry again, it made wonder how noisy the conveyor is when it is moving? 

From the end of the lake we passed through a short field where there was new fencing and a new bridge that had been built over the conveyor, fortunately for us as this was our cut through from the main road. From here we could see the big machines that dig the sand out of the quarry all parked up. We continued past Dairy House Farm and then back to familiar territory. As we came down the hill we met the water coming over the path again. It was not as easy to cross the water this time, perhaps more people had walked that way and squashed the grass we had balanced on previously. We ended up having to go through the water, Tracey managed to slip and ended up with her boots in the water but the water didn't go over the top of her boots. 

From here we were not too far from the car, we followed the track and then the fields behind the houses where there was now a horse that was much more lively and interested in us. There was a fence between us fortunately as it was a bit too lively, and some of the other horses were paying us more attention. We walked quickly through this field and back to the car.

We visited Goostrey Home and Leisure where we had tea and cake, with each of us choosing a different cake - lemon and coconut, raspberry and coconut and Victoria Sponge. We then had a wander about.

Nantwich - Going off-piste

Saturday 16 March

Donna, Tracey, Jane, Hilary

Nantwich was Donna's choice for brunch. 

Donna parked the car at the car park off Middlewich Road at Barony Park. So we had a little walk into the town. It was trying to rain so we needed our hoods. We went to the Nantwich Traditional Market, had a browse of the stalls. Baked cakes, busy cafe, jewellery, and lovely plants outside. 

Then we went to the Residence Restaurant for brunch. 

Year Thirteen Summary

Walk 1: March 24 2018 Goostrey 6.5 miles Hilary, Jane and Donna

Walk 2: April 21 2018 Audlem 6 miles Donna, Jane and Hilary

Walk 3: May 19 2018 Little Paxton Weekend Tracey, Hilary and Donna

Walk 4: June 9 2018 Timbersbrook and the Cloud 6.25 miles Carol, Hilary, Tracey and Jane

Walk 5: July 14 2018 Prestbury Tracey, Hilary and Carol

Walk 6: Sept 15 2018 Plumley Station Walk 7.5 miles Donna, Tracey, Jane and Hilary

Walk 7: Oct 13 2018 From Carol’s House 4.5 miles Carol, Hilary and Jane

Walk 8: Nov 10 2018 Wildflowers and Rode Hall 5 miles Hilary, Carol, Tracey and Jane

Walk 9: Jan 16 2019: Planning meeting only - The Big Lock

Walk 10: Feb 16 2019 Poynton 6 miles Jane, Tracey, Donna and Hilary

Poynton

Saturday 16 February 2019 6 miles

Jane, Tracey, Donna + Hilary

The walk had a bit of history, woodland, open views, canal, horses, deer and a single sheep in a field. 

We were lucky with the weather, and it wasn't too muddy under foot. 

We parked in South Park Drive. As we walked up the road we passed a plot of land where there is to be an estate of expensive lake houses being built starting at £1.25 m - and those would be the ones by the road and the gate! Two women with bikes were looking through the holes by the gate, we asked if there was anything to see, they said there wasn't. In having a look for ourselves all we could see was bare earth, the site had been cleared and the earth was being moves presumably to make the lake.

Once we got to the end of the road we were out into countryside. Walking through the woods with the sun shining through the bare trees was very pleasant. The woods were dog walking territory, a black dog, Brutus, adopted us so that we could throw his stick. until Donna threw his stick over the fence. Hilary found a bigger stick, the dog then bounded off to show it's person.

As usual Hilary hadn't had enough breakfast so she wanted her lunch from about 10.45! We crossed the Middlewood Way, continued towards the Macclesfield Canal and followed the towpath for a short distance, crossed Bridge number 14. The path then went towards a farm. At this point we could see The Cage on the hill so were close to Lyme Park. With the warmth of the sun in the sheltered pathways we all decided to take off a layer. We were now at the turning point of the walk, so we came back towards the canal, crossed it, followed the marked path towards a farm.

As we arrived at some woods with fallen logs we thought that was a good opportunity to stop for lunch and it was twelve o'clock by then, so a good time to stop. We sat on a log under the trees with a woodpecker calling. The sun was shining and it was very pleasant.
There was mud on the steps down to the road, so we ended up with mud on our boots.

Poynton Tea Room provided us with tea and cake, we had banana cake, fruit cake, a cup cake and a toasted tea cake as well as our cups of tea, 2 very weak earl grey teas and 2 ordinary teas.

Planning Meeting

Wednesday 16 January

The Big Lock

We didn't manage to meet for a walk in January so we met for a meal at The Big Lock - they had a special January price deal.  So we had a chat, a meal and the year planned out.

Get Together

Saturday 15 December 2019

The Fox and Hounds Christmas meal.

All ten of us made the meal, there was plenty of food - the portions were very generous.