My Way

THE LONG WALK -  DAY SEVEN

A Very Long Walk to Mow Cop Castle
Various hesitations, deviations and repetitions made this a very long and muddy last day. But, despite some gloomy skies, the rain held off until the very end of the walk!

We met again at the Ladderedge Country Park car park, by the information board. After the previous evening's mud, Anne was not surprised to read that it had been 'unimproved countryside'.

The Way led first alongside the canal feeder, which flows down from the Rudyard Lake reservoir to the Caldon Canal we walked beside on Day 6. The footpath was fine at first,

but soon became very muddy indeed, and at times we found it easier to hop from tussock to tussock through the waterlogged pasture below the path.

However, flooding kept driving us back onto the footpath, and we made slower progress than we'd hoped. Two of us lost our footing, the first fall greeted by some golfers with "That's one down!"

Eventually we reached the dam head at Rudyard Lake, and the Activity Centre cafe. Here we'd arranged to buy sandwiches to go, so we decided to stop for early elevenses too.

Refreshed, we walked on through Rea Cliffe Wood, with occasional views across the Lake between the trees and lakeside houses. The path through the woods was muddy!

Jane walking under an avenue of limes in Cliffe Park

Eventually the track joined the disused North Staffs Railway line, now a pleasant greenway which leads from Ruyard past the village of Rushton Spencer.

We soon had our first view of Bosley Cloud, which at 1126 feet is the highest point on the Way.

It was when we left the old railway to walk through discouragingly waterlogged pastures to Ravensclough that we somehow came to deviate. "Isn't that the Rushton Inn again?" asked Jane. Alas, it was! However, a woman we met suggested a way to get ourselves back on track. Although she assured us we would be able to cross the brook that way, we did wonder if there was going to be a ford

and were relieved to find there wasn't.

Once we'd got back on track, it was definitely time for lunch.

From here it wasn't far to the point where we left the lane and began to climb Bosley Cloud, a pleasantly grassy ascent for once, hardly muddy at all.

The panoramic views from the top were worth the climb,

Jane K and Sarah on top of The Cloud

And who should come striding up from the other side of the hill but Jill, Judy and Sandy from NWR Crewe, coming to lift our spirits and bringing chocolate!

So now we were not just four

but seven (including the photographer)

The descent down the other side was quite a contrast to the ascent: moorland, then muddy woodland

and finally steep steps.

At the foot of the hill, in Timbersbrook, we were pleased to find Jane O waiting to rejoin us, so now we were a cheerful company of eight

as we set off over the fields towards Congleton Edge and the end of the Way at Mow Cop, clearly visible in the distance.

From Dane in Shaw the Way led us along another disused railway track, once used to take sand from Cheshire to the Potteries, and to return with coal. As Anne explained to her husband, "First we're in fields, and then we're not in fields." Simple, really.

From the railway track, we crossed fields to Congleton Edge, and then contoured along the edge through the inevitable muddy woods.

A small pony's very small foal

Nick i'th'Hill, a glacial meltwater channel through The Edge

From Nick i'th'Hill we continued along the Edge to Pot Bank, where Anne's son encouraged her on: "Only ten minutes' walk now, mum!"

Maybe it would have been ten minutes for a fit thirty-something! On and on we went, at one point walking a fair way along the narrow A527 with cars passing in both directions.

Rainclouds were beginning to close in.

Finally we reached Mow Cop where a white pony was waiting for us by the gate. Did he intend to set us a final challenge, perhaps a riddle, before letting us pass? Thankfully, he remained silent.

Another five minutes, and we passed The Old Man of Mow - the rest of the stone has been quarried away!

A banner caught our eyes. Was it a Health and Safety warning not to jump over? Evangelical Christians? Or could it, could it possibly be for us?

It was for us! We pressed on

and rounded the corner to welcoming applause from Sarah A, Jenny, Trevor, Dave, Reg, Ben, Josh and the lady who lives in the house below the Castle. We were even presented with medals by Trevor and Jenny!

A last few steps to the Castle

where Dave poured champagne into crystal glasses.

101 miles in 7 days (by Chris & Anne's pedometers) is something to celebrate!

And so is over 50 miles in 5 days (especially when you usually only do 5)!

This welcome will be a very special memory and made a wonderful end to a wonderful walk.

Finally, many, many thanks to Marilyn, who started the whole thing off, to Jenny, who kept everyone's interest through her blog, to Tessa, who was the most welcoming of hostesses, to Anne T & Jo, Lois, Tessa, Jenny and Sarah A, who gave us lifts, sometimes to places they'd never heard of by routes they'd never known existed, and to our families, especially our hubands, who acted variously as chauffeurs, photographers, chefs, award-givers, masters of ceremonies and general supporters and encouragers. We couldn't have done it without you all!

Fellow walkers, you were great company!

Now, I see there's another Way leading on from The Staffordshire Way ...

The Gang of Four were Anne P & Chris (Trentham) and Jane K & Sarah (Stafford), joined on Days 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 by Jane O (Stafford), on Days 1 & 2 by Pauline (Moorlands), on Day 2 by Maria (Stafford) and on Day 7 by Jill, Judy & Sandy (Crewe).


Submitted by Sarah