Not sure if I shouldn't have started the subject with a TR. Perhaps
someone will let me know.
So far I've been following other people's routes in my walking or going
out with friends. Last weekend I decided to try to find my own way.
I looked at the local map and headed for nearby Mow Cop, a high point
and site of a folly. It's owned by the NT and there is a small car park
there. The weather was drizzly so there was plenty of space but it gets
full quickly.
As I set off towards the South Cheshire Way a thought meandered through
my tiny brain. This is the highest point - it';s going to be downhill
all the way out and uphill all the way back. I mused that this was
perhaps not ideal but figured that a, it was only 5 miles or so and b,
the route back did not look as steep as the route down (from my
rudimentary map reading skills.
I set off and soon passed the Old Man of Mow,
http://www.mowcop.com/htm/oldman.htm a large standing rock.
From there the path goes downhill and through a wood. Eventually you
come to a canal and join the Cheshire ring canal walk. I followed this
for a while before heading back uphill. The way back is a bit
convoluted because I couldn't find a direct route and at one point the
path led across a field. Unfortunately the field contained about 30
very large and very curious bullocks. They hemmed us in against the
electric fence and so I hopped over it and walked along in between the
fence and the barbed wire. However, eventually that route was blocked
and so I had to scramble under the wire and cross a stream. I was off
the path and it got very wet and boggy. I couldn't make out where I was
in relation to a path but I spotted an old quarry and managed to work
out my position. I wasn't in too much trouble because I only had to
keep heading uphill, but I thought a little navigation practice would
always come in handy. Eventually I made it back onto the path that led
up to join the Gritstone trail back to Mow Cop castle. All in all a
very pleasant and varied walk.
I was pretty wet under my waterproofs, even though it hadn't really done
more than drizzle and I concluded that it was all condensation. The non
breathable trousers were the worst. I hadn't really noticed that much
when walking because I was quite warm enough.
OK, not much of an adventure compared to what some of you do but I
arrived back feeling quite pleased with myself.
--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/