7 May 25 Great Budworth to Arley Leader: Keith, Length of walk: 9 miles, Driving Distance: 14 miles, Number walking: 16
The what3words address for the start of the walk is ///belt.bagels.shrubbery
Tap here to see it on a map of Great Budworth.
Click here to see the route
The walk is a combination of fields, farm tracks and roads. Taking in the picturesque villages of Great Budworth and Arley Green.
There are a few stiles in the stretch between Arley Green and Pickmere as we cross several fields.
The walk is 8 3/4 miles and apart from a short ascent towards the end of the walk it is never strenuous and enjoys a splendid walk through agricultural landscapes enriched with woods and copses and historic estates.
21 May 25 Ilam Wetton & Dovedale Leaders: Clive & Helen, Length of walk: 10 miles, Driving Distance: 32 miles, Number walking: 13
Click here to see the route
On a gloriously sunny day, the walkers set off from Ilam Hall car park across the fields to Wetton. The weather forecast suggested there might be rain later, but not everyone was persuaded, and two walkers left their waterproof jackets in the car. They later realised that this was a bad move.
After climbing a hill overlooking the Manifold valley, the leaders announced that the coffee stop would be near the trees at the top. When the group reached the site, they found that another group had already bagged the bench and the best ground seating. Sandbach walkers were relegated to the cheap seats. Happily, the leaders came round with Welsh cakes and chocolate brownies to cheer everyone, and they were delicious.
The other group had some sort of hierarchy in place so that their leaders sat on the other side of a wall to their party. When the leaders shouted “5 minutes”, the walkers all jumped up and made ready to leave. Not a bit like Sandbach walkers.
As the group approached Wetton, the clouds that had been massing released the rain that gardeners have been craving for weeks, and the walkers donned their waterproofs. All except the two who ignored the forecast. Between them, they managed to find an umbrella that collapsed down to a small size for carrying in a handbag, but opened up to a size only big enough to cover the handbag. They bravely huddled under it while the shower kept them cool but not dry. There should have been a picture for the gallery but just as the photographer prepared to snap the sight, they took the umbrella down realising that the rain had stopped.
The sun came out and dried up all the rain in time for lunch in the gorge of Hall Dale, where the cakes made another welcome appearance. The group then made their way carefully over the loose stone that litters the path without any serious injury before they reached the riverside path in Dovedale.
They climbed the hill that features Lovers’ Leap but with the sun out again nobody was leaping. All was equally calm at the stepping stones, where conflict had broken out in July 2024. Lesley decided to paddle across instead of using the stones; she must have tough feet.
After the final climb over fields to Ilam Hall, the walkers awarded themselves a trip to the tea room for lashings of ice cream and lemonade.
In the post-walk analysis, nobody could explain whether the top of Thorpe Cloud is naturally flat or has it been amended by human intervention. Answers on a postcard please to the usual address.
