Distance 15.5 miles
Ascent 400m
Weather: sunny
Kestrel, buzzards, long tailed tits, Mr Squirrels, bunnies, donkey, jay
Hangovers from hell: 1
After a delayed start (due to me nearly being murdered by a glass of wine) we caught the train from Manchester to Whitchurch and by 12.45 were on our way on the Sandstone Trail. The walk first crosses town, which is very attractive little streets, through the edge of a park and out along the Llangollen Canal.
The sunshine was warmer than we'd dressed for, but quite welcome.
Things we saw floating in the canal: pretty boats, logs, rabbit.
Things we saw that had recently been in the canal: small boy and his scooter.
Lunch was had at a bench by Grindley Brook Lock no 5 watching the narrow boats navigated the waterway.
We crossed fields of cows, fields of maize and fields for fancy racehorse training. There are lots of big farms and estates here, you could tell it was proper countryside because of the bonfire and pungent smells.
The last part of the day was up on Bickerton Hill, which is actually two Bickerton Hills, sandstone hills rising high above the Cheshire plains. There were lots of views, plus the fort of Maiden Castle, Mad Alan's Hole and a deep tree covered ravine at Muskets Hole. The woods were also covered in young pheasants, they were everywhere.
It was getting towards dusk and we were getting very hungry indeed, me especially as I had not made it to breakfast, as we dropped down off the hill to the welcome of the Bickerton Poacher.
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