From opposite the former Valley Lodge Hotel (now a Holiday Inn) I followed the path that crosses the fields and parallels the river. The pictures in this post were taken with my 'phone, so I apologise for their low quality. However, as usual they can be enlarged by clicking on them.
Some minor side valleys, or 'cloughs' in the Cheshire idiom run into the Bollin and the path crosses these on wooden bridges
Looking back towards my start point, in the valley beyond the trees
River Bollin, and the path running southwards
My route climbed up out of the Bollin Valley as the river swung west towards the tunnel constructed under the new runway at Manchester Airport. This is Bollin House Farm.
Just past Bollin House Farm the path emerges on a bank overlooking the Airport at the Mobberley end of runway 23L / 05R. If you click on this picture to enlarge it you can see the terminal buildings on the horizon, and to the left of those, the Emirates A380 Super Jumbo which has just landed.
Now south of the Airport, looking north in Mobberley
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Looking north from Valewood Farm
A temporary stile over an electric fence, near Wee Bridge Farm. I paused for lunch near here.
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The path crosses the Mid Cheshire railway line south of Mobberley station. It will be re-crossed later between Mobberley and Shaw Heath.
The path here forms part of the North Cheshire Way. Broad Oak Farm in the background.
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Witchcote Wood, in Tatton Park beyond the boundary fence. Unfortunately there is no path into the park from this Mobberley side.
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Near the finish at Shaw Heath; looking back to Witchcote Wood
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From here I continued to the B5085 just north of Knutsford and enjoyed some coffee from my flask in occasional weak January sunshine as I awaited the 'Connect 88' bus to run me back to Davenport Green. It had only been about five and a half miles, and very muddy in parts (as ever with Mobberley in winter!), but it had been a most enjoyable day out.
Update 1st February
I repeated the walk today in lovely winter sunshine and extended it into Knutsford. Far less mud as it was frozen! I caught the 'Connect 88' back to home from Knutsford bus station.
A brighter day than last week. The Emirates A380 super jumbo about to touch down on runway 05L.
Among the approach lights for runway 05R in Mobberley I found this ex-heron. It can't have been there long as the scavengers had yet to discover it and in this remote location they'd had plenty of undisturbed opportunity. Manchester Airport was using this runway this morning until about 09:30 for landings, and the adjacent 05L was in use at the time of my walk for landings and take offs. I wonder if the heron was the victim of vortex wake? It appears to have impacted the ground violently and in one piece (if it had been in collision with an aeroplane, I'd have expected severe injuries).
Winter sunshine near Shaw Heath, Tatton Park on the other side of the hedge
The end of today's walk; St John's parish church, Knutsford
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Have you done any other walks like this ? Have linked to your walk from http://www.blog.freebustravel.co.uk/?p=5176 and would be interested in other walks accessable from bus routes.
ReplyDeleteHi John
ReplyDeleteTake a look at http://www.footpaths.org.uk/ I am the secretary of that group and have described some walks in the 'Blog' section of the site. All are circular as we tend to drive to a start point and walk from there.
I will find more of these 'bus pass' walks as they enable a linear walk to be done; starting from the same point as this walk one could, for instance, walk the Bollin valley to Styal mill and get the 200 bus back to Wilmslow from there.
Cheers
Vince
Hi Vincent
ReplyDeleteI've read most of your very interesting blog now and I must say what a great time you seem to be having!
My sincere condolences on the very sad loss of Elaine.
We really must catch up soon!
Best wishes
Nige
Hi Nige. Excellent to hear from you. Glad you like the Blog; I decided to do it so friends snd relatives can follow it as I wasn't happy with the way Facebook was doing stuff with personal data that I hadn't approved (uncommanded emails to people in my address book inviting them to become 'friends' for instance).
DeleteI found that super picture of Mrs Snape's class at Park Road on your Friends Reunited page. That brought back memories! I was able to add a couple of christian names, too, and at least one complete name (Joan Brown, for instance).
Yes, it would be great to get together. Must think of a way to make it happen!
Vince
Hi Vincent
DeleteYou're absolutely right about Facebook!
Joan Brown - I remember her well. Rowena Dutton was my favourite. The last time I saw her was at an 18+ get together. She never married, and in 2007 I heard she had passed away. She died before her mother. Very sad.
There's far too much to say here, so here's my email address:- nigel@nigel-turner.com
Cheers
Nige
Rowena.. I remember her well. But even as an 8 or 9 year old there was something I detected there, not for discussion here. Pat Dodgeson was my favorite! (I'll tell you when we meet - entirely innocent as those days were, but... ). Do you remember Sally Watson? And her younger sister Christine? And Pat's younger sister, Brenda?
DeleteWere you on the school trip to Rothesay? Remember those Clyde steam paddle steamers?
"I'll tell you when we meet - entirely innocent as those days were, but..." Ha! have we got to catch up!
DeleteYes I remember the the names, but I can't remember the faces. No doubt you'll refresh my memory.
I started a diary in 1961, which has entries for the trip to Rothesay. Do you remember the itching powder incident there, and the train journey getting there? The tomatoes thrown at the cows? Yes, I remember the steamers. I have photos somewhere.
I stopped writing the diary, but on the 1st January 1964 I started again. I don't have one day missing to this day! My life from 14 all down on paper - well most of it! ;-)
Let's meet soon! My tel. no. 0161 718 5277. You've got my email address.
Cheers
Nige
P.S. I like your new bike!
Delete