Lyme Park, sans Mountain Rescue

After my last, abortive, trip to Lyme Park, a re-match was in order.

I met up with Kay at Nelson Pit, Higher Poynton, on a lovely early spring morning: birds singing, sun shining – all that sort of thing.

 

We wandered into Lyme Park by the usual back door and, passing the location of the Mountain Rescue call-out a couple of weeks earlier, headed up to Bowstones.

Walkers and runners were out and about, taking advantage of the glorious weather, as we were - although Kay was keen to be out whatever the weather.

I’d arranged a radio sked with John, G6LCS, in Weaverham, a straight line distance of 22+ miles. I was using my Baofeng U5R handheld, John chopped and changed – switching from his Baofeng into a half-decent aerial, and his FT817. John also had linear amplifiers, allowing him to run 20 watts or so.

John was a decent signal, but he struggled to hear my 5 watts.  The GB3MN 2m repeater was poorly, although we managed to chat using GB3MR on 70cms. Both repeaters are located at Bowstones. An interesting exercise! 

The Bowstones, with the repeater aerials in the background.

Kay and I headed south over Sponds Hill where we sat down for lunch with a view, but the cold wind didn’t encourage and hanging about.

Kay at lunch

For Rob

Pott Shriggley is home to an artist (sculptist? sculpturist?) who produces most magnificent metal sculptures, it's always worth spending a little time looking at some of the exhibits:

We soon hit tarmac, and walked towards Pott Shrigley, to eventually gain the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal which delivered us safely back to Nelson Pit and our cars. 

So that was it, a lovely little walk in good company. Nice. Very, very nice. 

Where we went:

9 miles with 1300ft of ascent – according to Viewranger.

 

 

Sunrise this morning

Just prior to going out for my morning run:

Taken with my Samsung S6 phone.

 

A (failed) Championship Walk

 

It was a bloody freezing Saturday morning, but it was dry, and snow lay on the ground, only one thing for it – go for a walk!

The Plan (it’s always good to have A Plan) was to park up at Nelson Pit in Poynton, then walk into Lyme Park via the back door, and walk the Cheshire Hare & Hounds Tally-Ho! championship route, a short 6-7 miler.

I really was cold and very windy, we were later to discover that with wind-chill it was –14degC. I was wearing my Buffalo top for the first time in a long while – and was very grateful for it. Joules was well wrapped up with a Paramo top over multiple layers.

We entered the park by ‘Windgather’ and followed the tracks to the disused quarry by Knott, a little bump of a hill.

The track was frozen solid, compacted snow had been polished to a mirror finish by countless pairs of boots. Those braver than us, ie nearly everyone else out that day, walked without poles – there was much slipping and sliding. The track split at Hase Bank Wood, we took the uphill option towards Paddock Cottage. 

Enter YakTrax and MicroSpikes.

To describe that uphill track as being slippy was an understatement, but we were able to wander uphill safely. We’d have been stuffed without our aids to traction.  

A couple of hundred metres short of Paddock Cottage we came across Ian, sitting on the frozen ground, with one foot at a funny angle. He’d slipped and broken his R ankle – we were subsequently to discover, in 3 places. Ouch.

I was carrying winter kit so managed to help a little bit - thanks to Chrissie for flogging me the Bothy Bag a couple of years ago!

The cavalry, in the shape of Kinder MRT soon appeared and they took over in a very speedy and efficient manner.

By the time the MRT had done their stuff we’d been sat out in the icy blast for nearly 2 hours, rather than continue our walk we thought it prudent to turn back and go home.

 Not Hartlepool

Oh well, we got out although we damned near froze our wotsits off. I hope Ian’s broken ankle heals sooner rather than later – then he can get out (or in) doing his indoor cycling before long.

Thanks to Kinder MRT for their service – I know they’d been having such a wonderful day out playing in the frozen waters of the R Goyt on a training exercise. It must have been such a wrench to get out of the icy water ...

https://www.facebook.com/KinderMountainRescueTeam/posts/3858199857577756
 

More photos here.