2 Oct 24 The Roaches Leaders: Lesley & Karen, Length of walk: 11 miles, Driving Distance: 22 miles, Number walking: 15
Click here for the route taken.
The weather was cloudy and windy at first as all the cars managed to find a space in the marked bays underneath the Roaches. Lesley announced that the route as reccied was too muddy and she would find another route as she went along.
The alternative approach started by walking up the road to the top of the ridge, where the ice cram van can normally be found. Although there was a large group of young people in the area, there was no ice cream for them or for the old people either.
Having reached the top, the group then dived down into Back Forest out of the wind. At a suitable area free of undergrowth, the group sat down for coffee and Lesley issued banana and chocolate cake to the weary walkers. It might have been appropriate to bring Back Forest Gateau, but that would not have travelled well in a rucksack. There was some confusion about the identity of the baker of the cake, but whether it was Lesley, Karen or Karen’s daughter, it went down well. Even Mick enjoyed it and he is one of the rare people who don’t like bananas.
Refreshed by the coffee and cake, the group made their way through the muddy paths into Lud’s Church. This chasm formed when a chunk of the bedrock slipped down towards the River Dane leaving a narrow space that is now filled with moss and dampness. Various legends have grown up around the feature as often happens when people find something unusual. Inventing legends was a common hobby before the invention of television and social media. Now it’s a major industry.
After leaving Back Forest, the group followed a track near Swythamley Hall surfaced by stone chips but two walkers managed to fall by slipping on the thin layer of mud in the centre of the track untouched by vehicle tyres. They both recovered and bravely carried on.
By the time the group reached Danebridge, the sun was out and it was a no-brainer to choose to have lunch sitting at the picnic tables belonging to the Wincle Brewery. The kind lady in the shop just required one walker to purchase something and the tables were available.
After lunch, the path by the side of the River Dane beckoned and the group joined it. While the walkers were spread out along the path through the woods, an unprecedented event occurred. A 10-foot length of rotten tree trunk fell off its stump and narrowly missed some of the walkers. Nobody will be surprised to learn that the tree in question was a silver birch. This is what they do and that’s why nobody loves them.
After a long period walking up and down along the path through the woods, the group emerged hoping that an ice cream van would be in place. It wasn’t. After this disappointment, the group had to decide whether to do more up and downing along the Roaches or hit the tarmac along the road they climbed on the way up. They chose the road and several walkers used the plentiful streams pouring along the side of the road to perform rudimentary boot cleaning on the way down.
16 Oct 24 Biddulph Leader: Kevin, Length of walk: 12 miles, Driving Distance: 14 miles, Number walking: 13
Click here to see the route taken
The walk had the misfortune to occur on one of the wettest days in a very wet year. Although rain was falling at the start, the group stopped to remove layers as they climbed up to Congleton Edge. When they reached Nick I’ th’ Hill, the rain had set in and waterproof gear was required again.
The viewpoint at Cheshire’s Close offered no views over Cheshire because of the low cloud, so the group moved into a nearby field to enjoy a coffee stop with a choice of cake. The walkers could choose lemon drizzle or boiled fruit cake from Karen’s mum. (Because Karen is an only child she is pampered and shares her mum’s bounty with the group). Of course some chose both; it takes lots of energy to walk 12 miles in the rain.
The route down to Biddulph Valley Way went through some seriously muddy and lumpy fields passing bullocks that kept out of the way of the group.
The group left the Biddulph Valley Way and ventured through Knypersley past Knypersley Hall without really noticing it. they crossed a few soggy fields before diverting into Greenway Bank Country to take advantage of the toilets and picnic tables for lunch. After lunch the route toured the Serpentine Pool and Knypersley Pool – both created by the engineer who completed the Caldon canal. They are fed by a leat from the nascent River Trent which starts in Biddulph Moor. The leat is overlooked by Knypersley Tower – a gamekeeper’s cottage in the form of a miniature castle built in 1829. The Landmark Trust launched an appeal in 2008 for funds to convert the Grade II listed building into a holiday home. Sadly in 2010 they discovered that the upper room of the tower is now a summer maternity roost of Daubenton’s bats. They cannot be disturbed, so there will be no holidays in the tower.
From Knypersley Pool the route went north to Biddulph Moor passing the Wicken stones (Not to be confused with Wiccan stones, which witches use to enhance their magical powers). The Wicken Stones are an exposed crag of sandstone forming an important watershed; water to the west drains towards the Irish Sea whereas rain falling on the eastern side drains to the North Sea. No matter which side it fell, the rain was plentiful on the walk and flooded the roads.
The route as planned should have gone across fields where the road in Biddulph Moor lacks a pavement, but the recce team, distracted by another heavy shower, walked along the road. This time the leader tried to find the path across the fields, but nobody could find it, so it was back on the road.
Eventually the group reached Biddulph Grange Country Park at 3:15pm and was disappointed to find that the café in the visitor centre had closed, contradicting the sign seen on the recce that announced it was open until 4pm.
Given the conditions underfoot, the heavy rain and the walk taking 2 miles more than the estimated length, the walkers did very well to complete the walk without falling over or suffering serious injury. The only injuries reported involved fingers ripped on barbed wire fixed to stiles.
