1st & 2nd March 2015, Frodsham Frolics

A(nother) John Bullen Production

John doesn’t do a great deal with the LDWA these days, although he’s certainly paid his dues by the selfless service he’s given to the East Lancashire group in his time as Walks Secretary. In recent years he’s organised hugely successful walking weekends based at Forest Hills, just above Frodsham. This year’s trip to Frodsham was on a much smaller scale but it was to prove just as successful as previous trips.

Sunday 1st March

Weaver Navigation at Frodsham 

John likes a coffee before a walk, so he’d arranged to meet his loyal followers at a sort of roadside outdoorsy cafe kind of thing. At 9.30, his thirst for caffeine sated, John led us down to the banks of the River Weaver and the start of the day’s walk.

 Eastwards(ish) on the banks of the Weaver

Half the party were LDWA members, the other half were John’s friends and neighbours, it was a cheerful and rather noisy party that disturbed the peace and quiet of this Sunday morning. Judith, suitably recovered from her recent Curry Walk, joined the party for the day. As a member of the LDWA and a TGO Challenger she certainly had the right credentials for the walk.

Our glorious leader….and Jan

   The LDWA part of the group leading the way

 

Bridge on the Weaver’s north bank linking the island to the ‘mainland’ by Dutton Locks

Dutton Locks – and our lunch stop

 Waiting for the AA?

Although I’ve walked and run in this area before I was really surprised to find that Dutton Locks bridges the Weaver to an island in the river. I’m guessing that the rather acute bend in the river needed to be straightened out when the waterway was made navigable. The sluice to the eastern side of the island provides more evidence that this may well have been the case.

  The island in the Weaver, by Dutton Locks

Acton Bridge

We left the Weaver Navigation at Acton Bridge to continue the flatness on the towpath of the Trent and Mersey Canal and the return leg of the walk. This part of the canal coincides with the Cheshire Ring Canal Walk route, a 98 mile canal towpath walk. That’s a rounte that still on my ‘to do’ list, although I intend bikepacking it at leisure with my mate Jon….although I don’t think I may have told him about his plans yet….

Back to the walk: at one point The Plan didn’t look to be going as planned…

…but we didn’t let a little detail like that stop us.

As it happened, the Towpath Closed sign was a bit out of date and we were able to continue unhindered. The sign probably dated back to the repairs carried out after the canal burst it’s banks in 2012 causing mega problems to boat owners who had their boats on the wrong side of the breach…..like my mate John who had bought a boat the week before the breach. The boat, of course, was on the ‘wrong’ side of the breach.

The brilliantly blue sky of the morning had now vanished and had been replaced by low, grey cloud. Leaving the muddy towpath just beyond where the breach had occurred, we were back on tarmac for a short while. By now the rain was raining and shelter was needed for Lunch No2. The church porch at Aston served nicely:

Next up we were back on the banks of the Weaver Navigation and before we knew it had arrived back at the cars. Judith legged it back home whilst the rest of the team headed up to Forest Hills for some R&R and a lovely meal.

Where we went (widdershins):

12.3 miles (19.8km) and fairly flat

 

Monday 2nd March

After a ginormous breakfast we were all on parade at 9.30am. Rick arrived in good time to join us for the day’s adventures. The paparazzi were called in before kick-off:

Posing by the war memorial, the Mersey estuary and Liverpool in the background

 Worrabunch of posers, this time at the start / finish of The Sandstone Trail, which we didn’t follow, well not yet.

After a not very quick food-shop in Frodsham, we set off along the banks of the Weaver Navigation, re-tracing the previous day’s route – for the first couple of miles anyway. Leaving the waterside path, we followed tracks and tarmac into Kingsley. 

 

The day was good but it was cool and breezy first thing 

Jan, in subdued mode

John B, the man with the map, with Diane & Jan

Somewhere along the way the route was shortened by a couple of miles from around 14 miles to around 15 miles. Don’t ask me, I didn’t plan the walk.

The tracks through Delamere Forest are dead easy to follow. At weekends they’re heaving – but today there were very few out and about. The first, or maybe it was the second, lunch of the day was taken in the forest. After the large breakfast I didn’t need much at all.

We were now walking on the very well way-marked Sandstone Trail:

John B, a man full of surprises, had arranged for a tea (& scone) stop somewhere out of the forest. it may have been near Alvanley Cliff but I can’t be sure.

The 15th Century Austerson Old Hall. And a horse.

In the 12 years from 1974 to 1986 this building was dismantled and re-located from Coole Pilate near Nantwich, 27 miles away.

On the final approach to Forest Hills we had wonderful views over the Mersey Estuary from the sandstone edges – but I didn’t have the presence of mind to get the camera out. Silly bugger.

The gentle route had a real sting in the tail: the Bakers Dozen steps – it’s only 13 steps, but they’re quite steep - you really don’t need that at the end of the day:

 Scary Mary Aunty Mary Mary climbing the Bakers Dozen steps

 

Where we went (clockwise):

Around 15 miles with some up and down, but not much.

Rick and I headed off home after the walk, the rest of the group stayed behind to enjoy another night at Forest Hills. As we live less than half-an-hour away it seemed a bit daft to stop the night – although I’m sure it was a fun evening.

Thanks to John for putting the trip together, and to the whole group for making it so enjoyable.

Friday 27th February, In search of curry

The challenge continues…

The challenge wasn’t to find a decent curry – we know very well how to do that, but to find another green route into Manchester City centre, or in particular This and That.

This was a short-notice walk. I’d just returned from two weeks in USA and really needed to get out.

As well as notifying the usual Curry Crew I popped the plan onto the Meetup website and also mentioned it to Judith – who blagged a day off work to join us. This was A Good Thing. In addition to Judith, another newly inducted member of the Curry Crew, Lynn, was able to join us. This was another Good Thing.

Cathy was hoping to join us but at the last moment had been called into work. Hopefully she’ll be able to join us on a future walk.

Lynn and Judith leading, Rick and Martin trying to keep up

The first couple of miles was on the well-trodden and recently re-surfaced Bridgewater Canal towpath. The new surface has made a terrific difference, it used to be just so muddy in many places.

The Watch House (JW Lees fizzy-pop), the oldest building in Stretford

Judith in the dead centre of Chorlton. Sorry…..

Hough End Hall, yours for a lot of money

On the Fallowfield Loop (FLOOP), on the course of an old railway.

Wiki has quite a bit of information on the FLOOP, it’s well worth a quick read.

 

 Entering Platt Fields Park

Platt Fields Park Boating Lake

Lynn and Martin 

A once very grand house in Rusholme 

The Anchor, the former very excellent (Marston’s) Whitworth pub 

Through Manchester University….

…where Alan Turing did much work 

 It might have won an award in 1968, but not in 2015

More Manchester University 

Rick, Martin & Judith…..and curry 

Followed by a beer or two in the Abel Heywood

Where we went:

Around 12 miles of flatness

As ever, another interesting route into Manchester in good company. The curry was as excellent (and cheap!) as ever, and we have two new Curry Crew members, Lynn and Judith.

Unfortunately Lynn had an unavoidable appointment and had to get back to Altrincham as soon as we arrived in Shude Hill. Consequently she wasn’t able to join us for the curry or the beer. this means she’s not been FULLY inducted. Yet.

It was good to meet you Lynn, we all look forward to you being able to join us again before long.

Addendum:

There’s going to be another Curry Walk on Thursday 12th March:

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20th – 24th January, Cumbrian Patatas Fritas

Dawn, along with Lucky and Mike, had a few days of static camping planned in t’Lakes and they kindly invited me along. I agreed to come only on the understanding that there would be chips. It was a bit cold so I took my Optimus Nova liquid fuel stove – it was the only way to get the chip pan up to temperature y’see.

I rolled up with my caravan in tow. Dawn, Lucky & Mike, being well ‘ard, were under canvas.

We spent a nice couple of days wandering around some of the snow-covered lumpy bits, nothing high but all rather nice.

Wednesday, A wander around the left-hand side of Borrowdale:

    Chips for tea

Thursday, so it must be wandering around Latrigg:

Lucky, Mike and Dawn at lunch

 

View over Derwentwater

  

No comment

On Friday I went home, leaving Lucky, Mike, Dawn & Mike’s brother John to endure the wet.

It was a lovely couple of days in excellent company, you can read what really went on by reading Dawn’s and Lucky’s Mike’s accounts which say it all.

Saturday 17th January, Wassail at Dunham Massey

Wassailing is a bit of an old English tradition dating back to pagan times. In times gone by it was very common in apple-growing areas of England - particularly Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and so on. In fact if you produced cider it's highly likely that you would have been very familiar with the ritual of Wassailing. The general idea is to ensure a good crop of apples (and therefore a decent lot of cider) by scaring off any evil spirits by firing shotguns close to the tree. I don't know about evil spirits but if someone fired a shotgun that close it would scare the living daylights out of me.

The trees are encouraged to grow by hanging slices of toast in the branches. There's nowt like a nice bit of toast and marmalade, all washed down with a nice cuppa. Or cider in this case.

Rick, Les, Richard and meself were delighted to be asked to perform at a Wassail at The Dunham Massey Apple Company's orchards, not very far from Timperley. We dragged the Morris side down as well, they weren't doing anything special and we thought it would do them good to get out once in a while.

Photos courtesy of Rob Phillips, YouTube clip by Bob Sweet.

Monday 12th January 2015, more Dales Way

A bit late in posting: more Dales Way:

Bowness to Burneside

An early morning start from Timperley to drive up to Lancaster to meet Bella and Stuart who were to drive us up to Windermere for the start of the day’s walk.

Bella managed to find a suitable on-street (free!) parking spot for Stuart’s Tardis – and we were off. Uphill.

Some bloke in a Velez, stroking Bella. Rick in ecstatic mood.

Although the day was dry the ground was more than a little moist…it was ever so slightly totally waterlogged in many places. All the places actually – apart from most of the tarmac bits.

Rick demonstrates his uncanny ‘keeping his feet dry’ ability 

Like I said, it was ever so slightly waterlogged.

The walk wasn’t at all strenuous, I think we only ascended around 1100’ over the entire day’s walk. There were some significant bits of tarmac on the route, this is something I’d normally avoid. Given the extreme sogginess of the ground I was quite happy to get some tarmac miles in, Especially as my waterproof Goretex boots were leaking like a sieve.

A tree…..I think 

At the end of the walk my feet weren’t exactly soaking wet, well not COMPLETELY soaking wet, but they were a tad damp. I was a bit pleased to see the sign for Burneside railway station, it was our ticket to get back to the Tardis parked up in Bowness. The train whisked us back to Bowness in double quick time.

As can be seen from the map below, the route wasn’t particularly challenging, Apart from that bit to the south of Staveley. But I won’t mention that again.

Where we went (West to East):

It should have been 10 miles but we ended up doing nearer 11. This was mainly because we decided to explore the barren fields and farmland to the south of Staveley. I’d love to be able to tell you how much we relished the diversion. But I won’t.

Having got ourselves back to Bowness we headed back to Lancaster to pick up Rick’s car. But we were once again diverted, this time to the Watermill at Ings. The Collie Wobbles was (were?) excellent. As always.

Another pleasant day out – in excellent company too. Not much not to like. I’d like some waterproof boots though.

Rick and I got back to Timperley at a fairly sensible hour, certainly early enough for me to get showered and fed before heading out to Morris practice. But I decided an evening in front of the TV and the woodburner was a more attractive proposition. And so it was.