Sandstone Trail Day 2: Bickerton to Kelsall

Distance: 13.5 miles
Ascent: 400m
Weather: Rain, rain, drizzle, mist
Swallows, wet cows, wet goat-sheep

Day two started by heading back up uphill on to the Peckfordton Hills, it was already raining, a big bank of rain forecast to cross the entire country during the day.

We walked through the tall sweet chestnut trees over Bulkeley Hill then around under Peckfordton Point and Table Rock. From further along, we looked back to these hills to see Peckfordton Castle Hotel, flag flying, rising out of the trees.

Ahead of us was Beeston Castle on the next hilltop, we skirted it through the woods, then peered over the wall at the medieval reenacters sheltering under their tarpaulins in the grounds. We crossed the canal at Wharton's Lock then we were out into fields. The ground was deeply cracked from the long hot spell but today's rain had made it muddy and slippy underfoot. The route crossed many fields and narrow quiet lanes, the rain continued to fall all day. We had lunch at a partially sheltered bench under an oak tree on the edge of Willington Woods.

Primrosehill Woods' deciduous trees, ferns and fungi looked primordial in the mist. We walked along Urchin's Kitchen, a narrow gorge formed by glacial runoff with mosses and ferns, swampy ponds in the bottom. The hum of the racing at nearby Oulton Park audible in the peace of the woods.

A last stretch of rocky sandstone path ended the day on the trail, before leaving the path and heading into Kelsall where we are staying at the Royal Oak.