Ashley 7 mile circular 22nd April 2021

The day dawned bright and clear, so rather than continue with the decorating I should have been doing, I went for a walk. Like you do.

I needed to check out a couple of paths that I suspected may have been diverted due to changes close to the Lymm interchange / roundabout thingy. I’m leading a bit of a walk for a couple of members of the After Eight walkers next week, this was the only part of the route I needed to recce.

Parked up in Hale, I trundled down to the R Bollin and followed it’s northern bank on a nice dry footpath, eastwards, almost as far as Castle Mill….famous in the 1960s for it’s solar heated, open air swimming pool. 

The R Bollin near Hale

For Conrad

I only went in the pool a couple of times, it was always bloody freezing – and at 1/ˉ (5p), was a bit too pricey for me. The preferred, cheaper (=free) and much warmer option was to swim in the Bollin – along with all the other kids that didn’t have two pennies to rub together.

 Footbridge over the R Bollin, close to Castle Mill

Crossing the R Bollin by a footbridge I walked south(ish) to join a tarmac road that eventually took me through Ashley, and almost as far as Tatton Park. I could hear the not very distant M56, so much busier now than a few weeks ago – the easing of lockdown restrictions is becoming more and more apparent.

The only recently closed Ashley School - up for sale

The Rev Robin's 'old' church

The M56, still not that busy

 

I eventually crossed the M56 by a footbridge. Peering into some woodland I spotted some shelters - I couldn't tell what was going on, but a group of folk were certainly enjoying themselves.

 You'll have to take my word for it, there were shelters in there.

Re-crossing the R Bollin

 I walked NE back into Hale, re-crossing the R Bollin, and to my car.

I’d only been out 2½hrs but I thoroughly enjoyed my little jaunt. 20 minutes later I was back home and tucking into a rather late breakfast.

Oh, and the footpaths hadn’t been diverted, all was well.

Where I went:

7 miles of very pleasant flatness...I may run it next time

Pym Chair – Shining Tor circular 18th April 2021

A short walk on a nice day, in good company.

The day started with a bad decision to entrust the route to the start to Google maps – it took us on a most fiddly, twisty and messy route….although it may have shaved 30 seconds on my usual route.

Whatever. At 9am (the one in the morning) two doggies and 6 walkers met at the Pym Chair Car Park. This is a group of friends known as The After Eights, and led by Suzanne and her doggies. Joules is one of those friends, hence our attendance. 

The great dryness we've been enjoying of late provided me with the opportunity to test ride my new Salomon XT Inari Trail running shoes.

The weather forecast was good but it was a little chilly as we set off south on the mostly paved path over Cat Tor and then to Shining Tor.

The going was good, and whilst the path wasn’t exactly quiet, it certainly wasn’t overly busy.

It was a different story at Shining Tor, for here it really was busy – lots of folk stopping to eat their butties, take in the lovely views, or just having a breather.

We took the opportunity to sit down for a quick coffee whilst soaking up the sun. It was by now really quite warm, layers were being shed, left, right and centre.

 

There good views of Windgather Rocks, White Nancy, Shutlinsloe & Macclesfield Forest, and Bowstones. And That Manchester.

Leaving the crowds behind, we descended, west, to follow a path north to the delightfully named Thursbitch, the ruin of what must once have been a substantial building.

The path here was a bit rough, but it was good and dry underfoot. Soon we were on a good farm track, then proper tarmac, to arrive at Jenkin Chapel – and butty time. You can read a bit about this interesting place of worship here.

The chapel is still in use, although services are only held once a month.

 

A peak through the chapel window.

It was then a short but rather steep walk back to the car park.

We drove home without the aid of Google maps!

Where we went (clockwise):

 

About 6 miles with 1000’ of ascent. 

Oh, and the Salomon XT Inari Trail Running shoes: they were generally comfortable although I had a bit of a heel rub by the end of the walk. and they had those bloody stupid pull-laces. They're going to be changed for proper laces before I use them again. Other than that: good.

 

 

Edale to Chinley 16th April 2021

It was a very last minute decision to hit the hills: at 6.50am I jumped out of bed, 50 minutes later I was running for the train (my first time on public transport for over a year) to head to Edale.

The trains were very quiet, the few passengers on board were, apart from one, wearing facemasks.

By 10am I was heading south to climb up the the heady heights of Mam Tor and Rushup Edge. The sky was blue, the sun shone strongly, but it was chilly – I kept my Velez on for most of the rest of the day.

I initially mis-read this as 'Hardenough Clough'

 

Looking back to Mam Tor from Rushup Edge

 

Not part of the nice view

The views from Rushup Edge were good, apart from a couple of dog-poo bags on the footpath. There’s no excuse for this kind of couldn’t care-lessness, it’s just abdicating reponsibility to the non-existent Dog-Poo Bag Fairy. What sort of people do this?

At the west end of Rushup Edge I headed north up the Pennine Bridleway. I found a nice spot just south of Roych Clough for my lunch – this was the only time I took my Velez off.

For Judith

I followed the PBW to a point just west of South Head where I turned downhill to eventually arrive in Chinley. 15 minutes later my train arrived, I was back home in the late afternoon – just in time for tea.

It was good.

The trains south, beyond Manchester Airport, still aren’t running due to Covid-19, but when they do I’ve got a few routes on my to-do list, including a walk home from Holmes Chapel – I need to get some miles in my legs!

Where I went today: 

Around 9 miles with 1650’ of ascent.

 

Mobberley 8, Covid-19 Edition 2021

Good Friday came round again and it was time for a solitary and socially distanced ride to, and around the closed pubs of Mobberley.

The day had dawned dry, bright, and pretty damned cold – but there was no wind so the cycling was easy.

This ‘event’ is usually attended by 100 or so cyclists, but in these days of Covid-19 restrictions this just couldn’t be.

In spite of restrictions, other cyclists had a similar idea to me, by the time I’d arrived at the Plough & Flail at around 11.45am, I’d ‘collected’ Pat and Vanessa en-route. Other cyclists had beaten us to it.

The former Stag Inn

There was just enough time for a photo call and a beer when it was time to head out to the Stag at Warford. The Stag, a one time excellent pub, closed it’s doors for the last time some years ago. In spite of various promises to re-open, it looks like it’s being converted to offices.

Still, a quick beer was quaffed as a mark of respect.

The Frozen Mop was next, followed by the Bird in Hand – a Sam Smith’s pub that Humphrey Smith had closed a long time before Covid-19, for reasons best known to himself.

The Bird in Hand....anyone want a job?

A sign in the pub window advertised for someone to run the pub. I don’t think there’ll be many applicants, most folk I know want at least SOME job security.

The Bull’s Head & Roebuck were next, along with a couple of pints of Cheshire Cat. The Roebuck has become a village shop, selling lovely pies. And beer. No photos I'm afraid, I was too busy eating my butties.

The sun continued to shine brightly – and almost hotly. Not bad for an early spring day.

The Church Inn, preceded the once excellent Chapel House, now a private house, but still sporting the pub sign.

The former Chapel house, now a private house

 The last pub of the day was the Railway, a former Greenall’s house. This pub is unusual in that it has retained it’s bowling green – so many pubs have converted their greens to beer gardens – or car parks.

 The Railway rather unwillingly hosts a music and singing session at the end of the ‘Eight’, it’s proved popular with customers and M8ers alike, but for some reason this enthusiasm isn’t shared by the pub management. 

 With no pub to play in this year those remaining headed for the Manchester-bound platform of Mobberley station. A few tunes were knocked out, no singing though, before we all began our responsibly distanced journeys to our respective homes.

And we all lived happily ever after.