12th January, A Burwardsley Bimble

The combination of my recent Sandstone Trail post and reading about Martin’s New Year’s Day walk re-kindled my interest in the area.

It was a chilly morning, between 0 and 2degC according to the car’s thermometer. Leaving the car on the large layby on the A49, just south of the village of Tiverton, I sauntered off to Beeston Castle, preferring to use the quiet lanes rather than the very muddy footpaths. The route south was to broadly follow that of the Sandstone Trail.

Beeston Castle

Circumnavigating Beeston Castle we headed off south in the direction of Peckforton Castle – which isn’t really a castle at all, but a country house hotel built in the mid-nineteenth century.

Peckforton Castle

En-route to the Peckforton Hills: a rather attractive house:

 Welcome to Peckforton

A coffee & butty stop was enjoyed in the woodland of the Peckforton Hills, there wasn’t a breath of wind…and it was cold. There were quite a few walkers and runners out, some were quite mud-splattered – a warning of what was to come.

Leaving this pleasant lunch spot we soon came across a particularly muddy path. We were hemmed in by an electric fence but armed with PacerPoles I was able to safely cross the fence by holding it out of the way of my sensitive bits with the pole handles.

To the west of Peckforton Point the footpath went through the ‘interesting’ grounds of what appeared to be some sort of gate-house:

  The R.o.W. goes through this archway!

 

Soon it was time for a change of direction. Entering Higher Burwardsley from the south we headed NNE along the Eddisbury Way which starts here and ends 16.5 miles away in Frodsham – which just happens to be the start (or finish) of the Sandstone Trail. It just goes a different way.

About here the gloopy muddiness really began. Dry stretches of tarmac and good footpaths had been enjoyed up until this point.

The first muddy field was bad enough. It was made doubly tricky by a very inquisitive horsey that was determined to explore the contents of my rucksack. Slipping and sliding down to the field exit and dry tarmac we thought our troubles were over….until this:

There wasn’t really an alternative so it was just a matter of getting on with it. To the top left of this photo you might just be able to see a rather grand house. It wasn’t until I got closer that I realised just how grand it was:

It seemed that some paths around he building had been diverted. We struggled to follow the diversions, probably because of the muddy fields. Eventual escape came with the appearance of the tarmac of Wood Lane and the chance to clear crud from suffering boots.

Another coffee stop offered a nice view of both Beeston & Peckforton Castles:

Shame I didn’t have the decent camera with me, the titchy one didn’t really do the view justice.

Crossing the Crewe – Cheshire railway line at Ford Lane on the Bishop Bennet Way (ask Martin, he’ll tell you all about it), the route continued north to join the muddy towpath of the Shropshire Union Canal which was followed east (east is good) back to Tiverton.

Whilst enjoying a final coffee stop (and I needed to strap up my poorly knee) across from the Shady Oak pub I spotted a peacock strutting around. The light was fading so the picture isn’t brilliant. And the damned thing refused to pose:

Final approach passed the now closed Beeston Castle Hotel. It’s always sad to see a decent pub close down. I recall it being a bit of a posh place but the beer was good. Ho hum.

The light was really fading and it was getting quite cold by the time I arrived back at the car. Still, it had been a pleasant day out in an area that I’d not explored for a couple of years.
And it hadn’t rained.

 

Around 11 miles (‘cos of the footpath diversion) with 800ft of upness. It was good.