9th January, The Trans Pennine Trail

….well bits of it

It was Rick’s fault. We’d pencilled-in a walk from Stockport for the day but Rick’s bits were causing him aches and pains so it was agreed to postpone the expedition.
An email popped into my inbox suggesting a walk with the Blackshaws of Timperley. They had this plan, to travel by bus from Altrincham to Warrington and then, using part of the Trans Pennine Trail, walking back to Timperley . 14 miles she said.
Recent experience has led me to come to the conclusion that I’m really quite gullible and easily duped….so I didn’t question the distance and I agreed to tag along.
At 09.30 the No38 bus set off westwards, the talkative driver regaling us with tales of his days in the army. By the time we arrived in Warrington we knew the ins and outs of accurately firing machine guns, long distance yomping and it’s effect on knees and all manner of other stuff.
Suitable educated, we set off westwards (which isn’t eastwards). The first half mile was spent walking in a sort of spiral route….our leader was in search of a loo and she wasn’t about to spend a penny in order to spend a penny. It’s being careful with money she says.
It was well past 11am when we eventually left Warrington. West at first, passing the very ornate gates to Bank Hall that dates from 1750. The building now houses the Town Hall.

Bank Hall – now Warrington Town Hall

Then passing this war memorial to those who lost their lives in two world wars:

The Joseph Crosfield & Sons war memorial  

Joseph Crosfield was a Quaker and a successful local business man. His business manufactured soap and chemicals.

Onwards and westwards,,,,then southwards, crossing a railway line at Monks Siding. The line links Liverpool with Manchester and seems to be used mainly for freight. This area was once very heavily industrialised and the line was much busier in earlier times.

Following the River Mersey in the misty murk didn’t afford any decent views:

It wasn’t raining although it was damp and cold and I was glad to be wrapped in my Velez, I didn’t take it off until I arrived home.

Arpley Meadows sign gives an idea of how far we’ve got to walk. .

A rather damp wooden bench seat appeared as we walked through Arpley Meadows – we didn’t need to ask. A pleasant stop for coffee and cake was most welcome, we came across one of the very few walkers of the trip – a Lymm man who had dropped his car off for a service and was using the time to explore the area.

Passing Morley Common and heading towards Wilderspool we came across the disused Runcorn & Latchford Canal. Bits and pieces of machinery in remarkably good condition are still in evidence here although the old lock gates have seen better days.

Maritime mangles?

Lock gates

Builders at the pretentiously named Stockton Pointe construction site didn’t want cylclists cylcling close to their site. The cylclists may well have fallen off their bicylcles when they saw this sign:

Heading in a very definite easterly direction along the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal.

Crossing the canal by the old swing bridge at Knutsford Road (the A50) marked a change in flavour of our route.

The Blackshaws, desperately trying to shake me off.

We were now walking on tarmac for the next mile or so, passing a fine example of Victorian construction:  the now disused railway bridge at Latchford:

Next came Latchford Locks – although they looked to be in good condition I can’t imagine them being used much these days.

Latchford Locks

A relic from busier times

Onwards and most definitely eastwards we left the Manchester Ship Canal behind and joined a disused railway line that ran between Liverpool and Altrincham. This section of the T.P.T. runs through Thelwall (famous for it’s wall of thells) and  Lymm (famous for Sooty & Sweep) before crossing the River Bollin (famous for, er, something).

We didn’t follow the T.P.T. as far as Lymm, preferring to divert to the Bridgewater Canal towpath for the short stretch into Lymm….and to show Steve where Sooty & Sweep live. Steve’s led a sheltered life.

Once Steve had been suitably educated and we’d enjoyed a quick butty & coffee stop, we rejoined the T.P.T. disused railway line to walk through Heatley. Hats were doffed as we passed the site of the the much-missed Railway Hotel (a listed building) that mysteriously burned down in 2011. It was so fortunate that there was a JCB parked very locally at the time of the fire. The site is now fenced-off, no doubt awaiting the arrival of a new housing estate.

Around here the T.P.T. passes through farmland – much of which was suffering from the recent high levels of rainfall – heaven knows how high the water table is.

     

Wet Gate Lane Farm. Famous for being wet.

Steve’s plan was to once again leave the T.P.T., this time just before Dunham. We followed footpaths that crossed muddily slippy fields, eventually delivering us to The Vine in Dunham (Sam Smith’s). Light was fading so we deemed it prudent to pass the pub and continue to Dunham Park. En-route to the park we spotted an interesting variation on environmentally friendly transport….perhaps as green as it gets:
Dunham Park was emptying as we arrived, just before 4pm. The convenient conveniences and convenient bench seats made for a convenient last coffee stop on our little walk.

A Dunham resident

The light was fading fast now and the temperature was falling. Leaving the park we crossed over Charcoal Lane to scoot across the rather posh golf course. We’ve walked across this golf course many times before (there ARE public footpaths across it) but the gathering darkness had us quite confused. I’m easily confused.

Eventually we escaped to cross the A56 to walk through the Devisdale and past Denzell House. We couldn’t resist a quick smirk as we passed the offices with people still beavering away at their desks.

Denzell House 

The Devisdale in the dark is a completley different place to it’s daytime companion – but somehow we managed to navigate our way across. Exiting in Altrincham it was then just a couple of miles of tarmac to home.
The ‘fourteen miles’ ended up being 19 miles when the walk from home to the bus station was taken into account. I did tell you that I’m gullible. Ask anyone.

…and this is where we went.

It was a good day – if a little longer than I expected, although it certainly wasn’t an excessive distance. The ascent was negligible….around 200ft. Not a lot.

More piccies are here.