Ravensmoor

Saturday 8 February  4 miles
Hilary Tracey Jane Carol

Hilary parked the car on the road near the Farmers Arms in Sound Lane. We decided to put on our waterproofs as rain was forecast but there was also a cold wind so the extra layer helped.

The book that the walk was in suggested that we looked out for the friesian cows, and we saw one! In the minutes that we were walking passed the field it disappeared over a slope in the field. 

We turned off the road at Sound Oak farm.

We passed the lovely looking Baddiley Hulse Farm on the corner.

Lots of sheep and lambs in the fields.
At Baddiley Church we had lunch sitting on a grave stone

Hilary had just commented that we had done well to not get too muddy so we then had to follow the path between the hedges that was very wet.

Rain was forecast but it only started as we got back to the car

We travelled back to The Gallery Cafe at the Aqueduct Marina for tea and cake. It was just as well that we arrived early as they were closing early for an event.

A walk from Carol's House + Planning

Saturday 4 January 5.8 miles
Carol, Hilary, Donna, Tracey, Jane

Shropshire Union Canal
Church Minshull
Wet and muddy underfoot!!
Had lunch sitting on a log. Carol noticed a newt.
It started to rain but not hard and not for too long.

Avoided the cows by walking around - the cows followed us along the electric fence.

Back to the canal, and went over the bridge and along a track.
Tea and cake at Carol's house.
Planning meeting

Get Together

Saturday 21 December

Christmas Meal

Started at Donna and Martin's for apéritifs and Champagne.

It had been raining earlier so some went by car. Three people walked and fortunately the rain stayed off. We went to the Alhambra for our Christmas meal (or should I say a not so Christmas meal).

We were able to walk home in the dry and cool night air at midnight, we could see the stars and some cloud.

Brook Lane to Merryman's Lane

Saturday 7 December 5.3 miles
Jane, Carol, Hilary

The weather was a bit warmer than it had been, we even saw sunshine!

There were not many instructions for this walk so we were bound to make mistakes.

Started at Brook Lane Alderley Edge. We headed across the fields but it was not easy to know which was the correct direction.

Lunch sitting on a bench at the end of Merryman's Lane, it was in the shade.

We loved Grogham Cottage, such a cute thatched cottage.
Crossed the railway line.
Walked across bridges over the bypass.
Passed a large area of Glass houses
Chorley Hall was not very visible behind the trees.
Walked along the bypass to return to the car.

Went to The Wizard for tea and chocolate.I was a bit worried about the fuel situation in the car as it was pretty much on empty but fortunately we got home!

Plumley Station

Saturday 9 November 5 miles
Donna, Carol, Tracey, Hilary Jane

A walk from Cheshire Life.
We were really lucky with the weather, a frosty morning meant that we had sunshine.

Leaving the station we crossed the bridge and walked along the road a little way then across the fields to Trouthall Lane, then onto Cheadle Lane, turning right across fields.

Crossing over the train line on a bridge and across the fields, a large dog suddenly appeared around the corner for the hedge, it was called back by the owners once they realised people were about. Turned left here.

We went to look at  Holford Hall  with the Moat. Holford Hall has a medieval moat which is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Then walked around Plumley Nature reserve and crossed the Chester train line and decided we had better have some lunch. There was a gap in the fence so we went and found a piece  of concrete to sit on. The old 'Works' area now has some trees starting to grow on it.

Crossed the railway on the bridge again and followed the edge of the fields an at the end of the hedge turned right this time to cross the Peover Eye and walked back into Plumley.

There was a table sale at Plumley Village hall which we had a look at, and Donna bought a mouse mat.

Tea and cake at the Plantation, very nice with the woodburning stoves working it was very cosy. We hadn't really eaten lunch very long ago but we managed the cake!

Got back to Middlewich and sat outside Hilary's house as the rain started and was quite heavy, then the hailstone started! As we travelled through the streets it looked as though it had snowed.

Village walk has unspoilt view

Saturday 12 October
Hilary Carol Tracey Jane

Good weather

Parked on Chapel Lane
Instructions not very clear (the walk was from the local Guardian)
We went the wrong way but managed to get back on the right track
Walked near the motorwayM56
Sat on the roadside verge to eat our lunch The sun was warm but there were also raindrops!
We had to cross the A556 which was a bit of a challenge, and Carol decided not to take the challenge. She was able to return to the car without crossing the A556.
Rostherne Mere. Rostherne is the largest of the Cheshire meres and also the deepest, with the original basin having been deepened by salt subsidence.
St Mary's Church
Cicely Mill
Shortened the walk
Tabley House cafe for afternoon tea.

Weaver Valley and Vale Royal Abbey

Saturday 7 September 7 miles

Tracey, Hilary, Jane  

We woke to bright weather. The forecast was for rain and wind so the walk was changed from a Frodsham walk to a Hartford walk incase the weather was terrible. We were lucky that it turned out to be sunny at the beginning of the walk. We went across the by-pass and into the woods, we followed the road/path going under the railway viaduct .
The Weaver Navigation Vale Royal Railway Viaduct is a grade II listed building in Davenham, built in 1837 by Joseph Locke and George Stephenson for the Grand Junction Railway Co. It consists of a straight line of 5 equal segmental arches sprung from ashlar imposts on battered piers. the stonework in the spandrels is coursed with the voussoirs. Ashlar pilasters divide the arches and the whole has a modillion cornice. Vale Royal Abbey was once a medieval abbey built by the cicterions, it became a house but is now a golf club. 

We walked past the houses by the golf course and then through fields of corn, the plants were higher than our heads so the only view was of the sky with its clouds and the warmth of the sunshine.

We crossed more fields until we came to the road by the salt works. The Winsford Rock Salt Mine was opened in 1844 and is the oldest operating mine in the UK. The Mine produces over a million tonnes of Rock Salt a year and this is primarily used for highway de-icing.

At the River Weaver we crossed the river and found the picnic table where we had our lunch. We continued along the river.

The Vale Royal Locks are part of the River Weaver Navigation. The large size of the lock and speed of operation meant that a steam flat towing three 300-ton dumb-barges could pass through the lock in 15 minutes, making the Weaver an extremely efficient navigation. 

We walked alongside the river, we saw herons, a cormorant with its wings spread, and lots of fisherman until we got to the Hartford Bridge (the Blue Bridge) The bridge, built in 1938, carries the Northwich bypass (A556) over the River Weaver.  We continued across the bridge and alongside the by-pass with its fast cars.

We went to Blakemere Craft Centre for tea and cake and had a wander about.