A Canalside walk from Marple Bridge

10.5.14
Walking with; Ruthy and Rach

  Sometimes in this world of highest, longest, fastest and furthest where the walking blogosphere is filled with tales of derring-do as packs are hefted across the wilds of Scotland, one forgets about the simple pleasures afforded by a gentle stroll amongst the plants and birdlife of Spring. Sometimes, simply putting one foot in front of another and meandering aimlessly along a towpath or two can bring a kind of quiet satisfaction unburdened by superlatives. Any walk that contains encounters with a Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, numerous families of Mallards and Canada Geese and the odd Moorhen can't fail to please and this canalside ramble certainly did just that.
  We left Marple Bridge and cut onto the Peak Forest Canal in the midst of the Marple Locks. The walking was easy, the weather was short, sharp showers interspersed with brighter intervals and in the first mile we already had a Kingfisher and Grey and Pied Wagtails to our name. This innocuous patch of path is actually part of the E2 route, a trans-European path running from Galway to Nice, a distance of over 3000 miles, it's also part of The Cheshire Ring Canal walk which comes in at a more manageable 98 miles and might make a good project for a long weekend! We followed the path towards Strines before crossing beneath the canal at Stanleyhall Woods and following the lane towards Ridge Fold where we cut cross country and hit the Macclesfield Canal which is also part of the Cheshire Ring. We mooched and meandered back to the confluence of the two waterways and from there onto The Midland http://www.midlandmarplebridge.co.uk/, where the beer, the chips and the welcome were enough to gladden the heart and remind one of the joys of such simple pleasures as a canalside stroll followed by a pint.

A Canalside amble

15.11.12
Walking with; Nobody

A combination of family weddings and man flu have meant not much in the way of walking lately and, on the rare occasion I've been free, not a great deal of energy to climb tall, pointy things. The beauty of walking however is, of course, you can do it anywhere, and there is a lot of pleasure to be gained from doing little more than strolling along a canal tow path and drinking in the beautiful Autumn colours of the Cheshire countryside!
Setting off from Hawk Green I was soon on the banks of the Peak Forest canal communing with the ducks and the geese and keeping pace with the odd long boat puttering by trailing wood smoke! Overhead there were two gaggles of one hundred plus Canada Geese heading South honking away as they went and the hedgerows were alive with Robins and Finches. The canal which opened in 1796 was once a major industrial route used to transport limestone from Dove Holes but today seems to be the habitat of Cheshire set dog walkers! I passed the Higgins Clough swing bridge before the path swung away from the canal and into Disley. Disley has two of the "golden" post boxes to represent the husband and wife Paralympian gold medalists who live in the village, Sarah and Barney Storey.
I headed into Lyme Park for a bit of lunch and to make the most of the beautiful Autumn colours under the bluest of skies before continuing on through increasingly muddy fields towards the Macclesfield canal, putting up a magnificent male pheasant on the way.
There was nothing spectacular about today's walk, but neither did there need to be. I can't wait to head back to the Lakes next week (man flu permitting!) but it won't be long before a pleasant amble along a canal will be on my agenda again!

To see the full album please click on the link below;
https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=oa.300191240099788&type=1

A stroll on the Middlewood Way

12.6.12
Walking with; Nobody

A good walk doesn't ALWAYS have to involve ascending something big, rocky and sticking out of the ground! A gentle ramble through the Cheshire countryside along an old railway line and, sticking to the theme of genteel transportation, back along the Macclesfield Canal can be just what the body needs on a lazy, sultry Tuesday morning.
The Middlewood Way is a self designated linear park running along the old railway line from Macclesfield and ending in Marple. The link below describes a little about the history of the railway
http://www.marple-uk.com/middlewood.htm. I parked in High Lane and descended the slope onto the Way and was immediately struck by the profusion of wild flowers, they were everywhere. There were rambling Dog Roses, some beautiful Foxgloves and the path was lined by Clover, Common Vetch, Forget-me-not and Cranesbill. There were bees and bumble bees darting in and out of the flowers and Dunnocks, Wrens, Swallows and Swifts swooping and flitting overhead and in the undergrowth. There were masses of thick Bramble patches and the Elder were starting to flower as they are in my back garden (nearly time to start harvesting for some elderflower champagne I think!). The path was reasonably well used with dog walkers and cyclists but in-between times, there was almost perfect peace and some gorgeous views of rural, agricultural Cheshire. There were horses running around the Buttercup meadows and sheep and lambs grazing quietly next to a thatched farmhouse. I meandered along to Marple where I fortified myself with a cup of coffee or two before deciding on a return along the canal. The route skirted the immaculately manicured fairways of Davenport golf course and avoiding flying balls I emerged on the canal and watched a couple of narrow boats puttering by and a mother Mallard gather her fluffy brood under her wings and eye me with a mistrustful expression. The walking on the footpath was easy and pleasant and I found my way back to High Lane in no time at all.
This was not a challenging or spectacular walk but it was a beautiful one and one anybody could manage. It was a welcome reminder that almost anywhere can be spectacular if you approach it with the right attitude!