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after a couple of days of family stuff in Guernsey i took flight to Manchester (Aug 15) to stay overnight with a friend in Northwich. on August 16 we had a browse in the Warrington Outdoor, i bought gas, and then took a (absolutely rammed) train to Frodsham. i will walk the Sandstone Trail and then the South Cheshire Way, aka South Cheshire Assault Course!
i took minimum clothes (wearing, a partial spare set) so overall a bit lighter than the last trip. during the last trip i got used to not changing clothes much at all:-) this trip i planned no changes - lighter yes:-)
started the Sandstone Trail in drizzle and light rain from Frodsham:-( there are other marked walks in the area so it took me a while to work out which markers were for each walk: a couple of small detours:-) the weather stayed a bit grey and damp all day. the famous views were often in cloud or drizzle. i walked out after 17 km to camp after another 3.8 km at Fishpool Farm Caravan Park.
my friend picked me and with her friend and we ate at The Fishpool Inn: good grub and company.
Fishpool Caravan Park: flat pitch (++), clean toilets and showers (++), close to pub (++), helpful staff (++), caravans and larger tents (=).
more low cloud, drizzle, and rain, of course:-) i took a 3.3 km route back to the trail along main roads; pavements:-) and a Right of Way across a waterlogged field:-( i'd planned to breakfast at Fishpool Caravan Park but the mobile breakfast guy did not arrive in time.
5.7 km along the trail to walk out 1.5 km for a breakfast at the excellent and helpful Ginger and Pickles in Tarporley i dried out a little and bought snacks and water. i had a cable failure but a small DIY and Garden supplies shop had one in stock. another 1.5km saw me back on the trail.
5 km saw me at Beeston Castle for a walk round the grounds, a coffee, and a place to try and dry my kit a little between showers lol.
after a 10 km hike to the A534 (Wrexham Road) i was getting a little tatterd with the weather and poor trail condition, missing markers etc. thankfully i'd arranged a pitch at the Durham Heifer Cafe (good pitch), 3 km off trail. no food there and most pubs closed but they were incredibly helpful and gave me lift to The Bickerton Poacher, the only open pub for miles around. I had a good feed and charged up my tech gear but then had to walk 4.3 km back to my pitch and by now in the dark. the road was not too busy so i opted to mainly follow the A534 as i could see the lights of the traffic well in advance and hop on the verge. i usually wear a hi-vis jacket when hiking or walking on roads and had a head torch on.
The Durham Heifer: pitch (+), helpfulness (++), pub nearby (+) this was closed like many due c-19 but normally open, toilets and showers (+), normally food on site (+) not available due c-19.
a damp rain and drizzle start to day and another inside out pack (getting practice at this). 2.7 km saw me back on the Sandstone Trail at Bickerton Municipal Cemetery.
9 km took me to near No Man's Heath village with only a km to hike in and out for supplies at a small shop cum post office. i was now near the end of the Sandstone Trail and 12.2 km saw me at the end in Whitchurch (badly marked end of trail!). finding that i quite enjoy walking canalside from time to time:-)
i recharged myself and phones in The White Bear (helpful staff and good grub) before walking back to near near Grindley Brook Locks for a stay at the Hotel Farm no frills field campsite: no frills (+), friendly welcome (++), toilets and washing area (+), close to cafe (++), close to pub (++), close to many trails/ways (+), close to shop (++).
i had a good feed in The Horse and Jockey where they managed to give me a table despite no booking (+++).
so what to do next? Sandstone Trail completed and some days left!
South Cheshire Assault Course (Way) - poor ROW again, fine where the dog walkers walk, but outside of that crap unmaintained, missing, deliberately blocked patchs, or my special favorite: the marsh!.
after 11.6 km i found myself near Wrenbury-cum-Frith where remarkably i found The Park Coffee shop open and serving a good breakfast and close by a shop for a stock up of water. i was of course soaked again by now lol and considering what the term "right of way" might mean these days!!! not much upkeep about! the walk to and from Wrenbury-cum-Frith only added 1.6 km to the day.
i stayed the night a Fox Farm, near Hankelow after an 11.7 km hike: welcoming (++), helpfulness (++), toilets and showers (++), pitch (++)(farmhouse lawn). the pitch was just about on the trail; bonus. no pubs or shops anywhere near by foot (anticipated) so i ate from the tins that i'd bought earlier in the day.
the issue of the day was finding a campsite anywhere close to the trail with my limited knowledge and resources - so i pressed on!
9.5 km to Weston and found my planned breakfast and stock up shop closed (like gone closed with posters up for the return of their village shop!). The White Lion Hotel was closed - but just closed not gone. another 5.4 km saw me near Haslington with a 1 km walk in and out to a One Stop Stores for a quick stock up then the biggie!
without a place to pitch booked i decided to start solving one problem at a time:
so 24.4 km later i finished the trail (but with a missed turn with a missing sign adding 6 km to the hike!!!). along the way i managed to get enough food and water at Rode Heath to keep me going. i arrived at Mow Cop at about 20:20 after the usual hiking through rain, drizzle, showers day. after a few selfies at the top of mow cop i moved to problem 2 (with uber and hotel as plan z). fortunately the National Trust Car Park was closing and the helpful attendant directed me to a local campsite and pub. i checked the opening hours of a local shop on the way to the campsite - just as well!! the campsite had a number to call on the sign and they took me in. :-) :-) after a quick pitch i set off for the pub to feed but stopped at the shop for a reserve dinner and breakfast stock up - wise! the pub had stopped serving food before i'd finished walking so after a celebratory glass of wine i walked another 20 minutes back to the campsite to dine from tins.
Castle Camping near Mow Cop: toilets and showers (++), helpfulness (++) found a place for a not booked somewhat worn neil late evening despite being quite full,
pitch (++), close to pub and shops (+).
of course i work up in cloud and drizzle and rain: what else would i expect lol! i had a couple of days left so i thought that walking in the peak district would be good - but now i was limping badly due left foot pain. i later suspected a break after a stumble the day before but after the trip i had it checked out and it was a soft tissue thing. i suspect that my shoelaces tightened in wet conditions and caused the injury.
5.3 km saw me at the Kidsgrove railway station via shopping for food at Tesco in steady moderate to heavy rain.
trains to Buxton and a 2.5 km walk to the Lime Tree Holiday Park. reasonably close to a supermarket and town i stocked up then ate in Buxton at the Railway Hotel; weather still dismal and my left foot very sore. the walk in and out of Buxton was about 30 minutes.
Lime Tree Holiday Park: helpful staff (++), pitch (+) but like everywhere a bit wet and muddy after days of rain, toilets and showers (++), close to supermarket (+), close to town (+).
woke up in cloud, rain, drizzle again - so no Peak District views! foot still sore - went shopping in Stockport at Decathlon instead of walking - let the train take the strain. that said i still did do quite a bit of walking that day but spread out between coffees and eats. back to Buxton for the night in the tent.
train to Stockport for more shopping in Stockport with a friend who i was introducing to Decathlon then a comfortable day and night in Northwich - sun was out so i dried my kit in the garden.
back to my island home:-)
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