Todays walk was a 10 mile walk along the Bridgewater canal from the Cheshire town of Lymm to Stockton Heath, near Warrington and back again.
Although the morning started with freezing mist the sun soon burnt the mist off and it turned into a blue- sky day.
Angela with one of the larger boats moored at LymmThe path lies ahead
Myself and Angela set off along the towpath taking in the views and watching the wildlife along the way. We passed a few Anglers and quite a few dogs walking their humans. Everyone was enjoying the sunny day!
The path close to Lymm was good but as we progressed the path became very muddy which was not what we had hoped for.
Good section of pathA muddy towpath
We passed under the M6 motorway.
M6 Motorway bridge
There were some lovely houses adjacent to the canal along the way – quite a few had balconies so that their owners could sit outside sipping a chilled white wine watching the canal world pass by – although that is in the summer when the weather is warmer!
Passing under one bridge I noticed a really cool piece of graffiti – possibly not to everyone’s taste?
I liked this piece of Graffiti
We passed a weird looking boat – not a type I had seen before.
The strange boat
There were plenty of pleasure cruising boats moored up along the walk.
We stopped at a handy bench for a butty and cuppa and so, feeling refreshed ,resumed our walk.
Getting back into Lymm the weather was still holding.
Arriving back into Lymm
Lymm has a very old monument which was restored in 1897 by public donations in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria – the stone is gradually washing away.
It was a delight to do this walk today – the sunshine certainly lifts your spirit – and we look forward to the next one.
Today myself and Angela had a walk at Skipwith Common – a national nature reserve in North Yorkshire. It is an ancient landscape with 270 hectares of open heath, ponds and woodlands.
Nice path through the woodslowland heath
There are numerous paths through and around the common. Today there was plenty of water from the recent rain in evidence.
The heathland was formed at Skipwith about 3,500 years ago when settlers tamed the ancient woodland with fire. Their descendants grazed sheep and cattle preventing trees invading open areas thereby allowing heathland plants to thrive. Peat digging created many of the ponds on the common.
One of the many ponds
During World War 2 in,1942, the Common and some of adjoining Ricall Common was the site of RAF Ricall – a base for training aircrew to learn how to fly four engine Hadley Page Halifax bombers. There were 32 aircraft and almost a thousand men stationed there until the war ended in 1945 when the base was decommissioned. It remained as a storage facility until 1960 when the final off-Common parts were sold.
A memorial (based on a propeller) was raised in 2010 dedicated to members of RAF Ricall who lost their lives in accidents.
War memorialOne of the many bunded areas where former RAF buildings resided
We walked along some nice wooden walkways that led to wildlife viewing points.
We only had time for a brief but enjoyable visit.
Walking back to the carparkSilver Birch trees
All being well, myself and Angela should walk a new section of the Bridgewater canal over the weekend. I am looking forward to that.
Today myself, Angela and Mick took a 10 mile walk along the Grantham canal from Hickling basin to Cropwell Bishop and back.
The route
It was a sunny morning with very little wind as we set off along the towpath from Hickling basin towards Kinoulton.
On the way to Kinoulton
The towpath was in very good condition given all the rain we have had recently.
Arriving into Kinoulton
As we have come to expect along the canal we saw some swans. At one point two swans took off into the sky, with speed, and you could see just how powerful their wings are.
Leaving Kinoulton the sun was still shining and we were enjoying the views 😊😊.
The canal stretches ahead
Soon, the canal was noticeably more weedy and we reached a point when there were trees growing in it. For those who are not aware, the canal has not been used for many years and is currently being restored by the Grantham Canal Society – it is a very long term project but steady progress is being made.
Greenery in the canalA nice caravan on the opposite bank
When we reached Cropwell Bishop (our halfway point) we found a handy bench and had a cuppa and a butty. Refreshed we then began our return leg. A tree had been blown over across the canal recently – no surprises given the winds recently.
Tree blown over
It was a peaceful walk – we had hardly met more than half a dozen people.
Heading back to Hickling
Arriving back at Hickling basin we were surprised that the very popular café (The Old Wharf Tea rooms) situated by the basin was closed. Turns out it is closed until the 5th of February.
Yesterday we had a lot of rain from Storm Henk resulting in flooding because the rain falling on already saturated ground.
This morning myself and Angela made our way to Belton House to do a walk in the park. The gardens had been closed because of flooding we were informed on entry.
Belton HouseBelton House
Belton House is a National Trust property on the outskirts of Grantham.
The first mile in the park was through very boggy ground and surface water – it was raining.
As we reached higher ground we saw that a couple of trees had been blown over and the ground was less boggy.
We stopped for a cuppa taking in the nice view.
Time for a cuppa
Our route took us past Belton Woods Golf Course where we helped retrieve a wayward golf ball for a golfer. We crossed over a stream which was carrying much more water than normal.
As we walked along our route we wondered what the river Witham, which passes through the park, would be like. We found that it had burst its banks and was flooding the surrounding land (no surprise there!).
Angela inspecting the floodingRiver Witham in floodRiver Witham in floodRiver Witham in flood.
We soon found ourselves wading through more boggy ground to reach Belton House – the finish of our 4 mile circular walk.
It had been an interesting walk taking in the flooding and wondering when the wet weather will cease. Apparently, colder drier weather is forecast for next week so that’s something to look forward to.
This morning myself and Angela parked at Navigation Road tram stop and caught tram’s to Salford Quays, with the aim of walking back out of Manchester along the Bridgewater canal to Timperley – an 11 mile walk. We changed trams at Cornbrook interchange.
Tram arriving at Navigation RoadTram arriving at Cornbrook
Yesterday we had been walking in Tatton park and had got drenched 😒so we had to dry our boots and trousers overnight. The rain we encountered yesterday was biblical and combined with the strong winds made for a very unpleasant walk. We were hoping that we would get less rain today.
The tram to Cornbrook was very full but the tram to Salford Quays was a better ride with less people on board.
Our first view of Salford Quays
Salford Quays is an impressive waterside location hosting Media City, The Lowry theatre, The Imperial war Museum and many other venues for food/drink/hotels and a substantial number of apartments. It was quite bleak when we arrived with a cold wind blowing.
Apartments at Salford QuaysThe Lowry TheatreThe Lowry TheatreThe Imperial War MuseumAngela looking chilly at Salford Quays.
We could see Old Trafford – the Manchester United Football Club stadium across the water – we would be walking past that later.
Old Trafford
Leaving Salford Quays we walked through streets, passing a quirky Amazon delivery vehicle, to pick up the towpath of the Bridgewater canal.
We had never seen one of these delivery carts before – double yellow lines don’t apply??Passing one of the old Quays on the way to the canalWhere we joined the canal
We were to find that the canal is a pretty straight run most of the way and that it is well used by runners and cyclists as well as by walkers.
The Tram line follows the route of the canal quite closely.
Tram and canal side by side
We continued along the Towpath and crossed over The Throstle Nest bridge to the other side of the canal. A boat passed under the bridge.
We were now approaching the impressive Old Trafford Stadium.
Old Trafford
A little further on we took the left hand branch of the canal.
We took the left branch here crossing over the footbridgeHeading up over the footbridge.
Shortly we reached Stretford Marina which housed quite a few boats.
We passed over the river Mersey.
Passing over The Mersey
And then under the M60 motorway.
M60 crossing the canal
We were now heading towards Sale.
At this stage we started to encounter light rain showers. We were both delighted when we came across a café serving from a boat by Walton Park. We stopped for a nice latte 😊.
The rain started to get heavy so the last mile or so from our destination was not pleasant. We were both relieved to get to the car and out of the rain. It was an enjoyable walk and didn’t feel like 11 miles. Our walking gear will be drying out again overnight!!
Hello and welcome back to my blog😊. I thought this might be a good opportunity, having achieved my 2023 walking challenge, to look back on my walking year.
I began 2023 with the objective of walking 1,000 miles during the year. I had done this for the first time in 2022 and had enjoyed the challenge, so I thought why not do it again.
My 2022 1,000 mile challenge finishers medal
By the time I had reached the end of June I was way ahead of my target so I decided to increase the target mileage from 1,000 miles to 1,800 miles and then again, a month later, to 2,000 miles.
So, just what sort of commitment was needed to walk this distance? A few simple calculations can illustrate this.
Assume that you walk on 9 out of 10 days you will need to walk on 329 days of the year. On the day’s that you do walk, you will need to walk a minimum of 6 miles. Assuming you walk at 3 mph this will take just over 2 hours per day to do.
I think the numbers speak for themselves – it was a BIG commitment.
This is before you start to take into account the vagaries of the British weather. I needed to keep walking daily even when it was raining and the paths were boggy with mud – as it has been for most of October, November and December. When it was scorching hot it was easy to do an early morning walk to avoid the heat of the day. I started to become fixated with the weather forecast!
A cold start to early December
Some days I struggled to motivate myself to go out walking (usually when I was feeling tired) but these were few and far between. I would find that after a few miles I was back into the groove again.
Thankfully, I did not to pick up any injuries during the year.
A boggy Viking Way in October
Walking outside for 2 hours plus a day certainly puts you more in tune with nature allowing you to absorb the sights, sounds and smells that vary from month to month in the countryside. Harvest time is particularly interesting.
Wild flowers
Whilst walking I found I could think clearly with thoughts drifting into and out of my head. Most people are by now aware of the enormous positive benefits of walking, both for the mind as well as the body.
Of course, walking in new places is a great way to explore this wonderful country of ours and build cherished memories. I was fortunate during the year to visit many beautiful places and to do some great walks. The 2,000 mile walking challenge is indeed a challenge but the experiences along the way are what makes it special.
In February myself and Angela went walking on the Lincolnshire coast. The section between Anderby Creek and Chapel St Leonards is particularly nice and at that time of year you can find yourself with the beach to yourself.
An empty beach February Lincolnshire coast
In May we visited the Yorkshire Wolds where the dry chalk valleys are a joy to walk.
Yorkshire Wolds in April
One of my favourite places to walk is The Peak District. It is easily accessible and there are some great walks with cracking views.
The Peak District in MayThe Peak District Stannage Edge in May
In May we returned to East Yorkshire because we had decided that we would like to walk The Yorkshire Wolds Way -so that is what we are doing in short sections as and when we can. We love Thixendale, Fridaythorpe and Huggate and never tire of walking these Wolds.
Walking part of The Yorkshire Wolds Way in MayYorkshire Wolds Way in June
Walking The Dales Way (83 miles) in the summer was an additional challenge that gave my mileage a boost. It was great walking from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere in one continuous walk even though I was fed up with crossing stiles by the end of it!
The Dales WayThe finish of The Dales Way
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan – like when I fell off when crossing a stile into God knows what!
In September myself and Angela returned to the Peak District.
The Peak District in September-view of the Mam Tor ridge
October saw myself and Angela in Northumberland in wet and windy conditions following Storm Babet. The walk from Alnmouth to Caister and back was particularly scenic. We visited Rothbury and walked from there to Simonside and along the tops of Dove Crag and The Beacon in the mist.
Northumberland Coast October
Finally, I visited Church Stretton in November and enjoyed a couple of walks taking in The Stiperstones and The Lawley.
Church Stretton in November-view of Caer Caradoc
One of the benefits of the challenge has been that it has prompted me to search out local walks which has allowed me to explore more of my local area.
Mick has accompanied me of many of my local walks and I have enjoyed the chat!
I am building up a nice little library of walks and have a greater appreciation of my area and its history.
I have enjoyed walking along The Grantham Canal ( I have now walked the full 33 mile length from Grantham to the river Trent in Nottingham) and because I have enjoyed using the canal, and will continue to use the canal, I decided that I would volunteer for The Grantham Canal Society who do great work in restoring and maintaining this canal. So, I am now a volunteer 😊.http://www.granthamcanal.org/v17/
The Grantham Canal
Back in June, prompted by my daughter, I started writing the oldblokewalking Blog and have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my journey. Blogging is something that I had never done before so I was on a learning curve. But, like most things in life you soon get up to speed .
It is especially gratifying when people say that they enjoy my walks vicariously (sometimes because they are unable to get out themselves) and, in a way, go on the journey with me.
Because I get so much from walking I have now put myself forward to be a walks leader for Wellbeing walks with my local medical centre. If I can help others to experience the joy of walking that would be give me immense satisfaction.
Volunteering for The Grantham Canal Society and Wellbeing Walks are both unexpected, but welcome, consequences of doing the challenge.
So, I have plenty to look forward to in 2024. It will see me enjoying more walks and getting into my volunteering activities.
I hope that you will continue to follow my walks via this blog.
Today myself and Angela took a 7 mile walk along the Bridgewater canal from Dunham Massey to the Timperley Tram stop and then back.
There were, as predicted, quite a few people taking advantage of the lack of rain to stretch their legs. The first section we walked was quite muddy.
A muddy towpath
The Bridgewater canal was commissioned by the third Duke of Bridgewater and is often said to be the first true canal in Britain. It was built to service his coal mines at Worsley transporting the coal to Industrial Manchester.
Leaving the countryside the canal entered the suburbs.
Despite the weather forecast saying that there was 0% chance of rain we had a small shower – trust Manchester to rain when it shouldn’t! We passed a house with some colourful flower pots.
As we continued along the towpath we passed a couple of nicely designed apartment blocks that looked great and gave a nod to the boats that ply their way along the canal.
Nice reflection in the canalNicely designed apartment’s
What was interesting was the contrast between the new apartments and an old Industrial building along side it. The canal has had a number of these old units converted into apartments where the facia adjacent to the canal is kept. This is a great idea and a reminder of the areas Industrial heritage.
The old and the new
We took a small detour from our walk and visited McDonalds at Broadheath to get a coffee 😊. We had a nice Latte – impressed with the quality.
We passed an old Industrial building used by Linotype Machinery that used to make ‘line casting’ machinery for the printing industry- this was cutting edge in its time.
The Linotype Machinery building
It was interesting to see an old crane used for putting timbers into the canal in the event of a breech or if maintenance is required. I wonder if anybody maintains the crane?
Before too long we had completed our walk and arrived home to a glass of mulled wine – well, it is Christmas!
Weather permitting ,we hope to do other sections of the canal this week- from Timperley tram stop to Sale water park and from Sale water park to Salford Quay’s.
This morning I met up with Mick and we did a 9 mile walk starting in Bingham and going via Newton and Shelford to reach Radcliffe where we picked up a bus back to Bingham. We were both keen to see what state the river Trent was in after all the recent flooding.
It was a dull day but thankfully we didn’t get any rain. After walking through Bingham we hit the busy A46 which we crossed via the pedestrian bridge.
Pedestrian bridge over the A46
We followed footpaths to bring us around the old RAF station at Newton with its iconic control tower, and headed towards Shelford.
Art Deco style control tower
On our way to Shelford we stopped for a cuppa and Mick produced some festive mince pies from his rucksack . A very nice surprise 😊.
We had to do a small detour on the way to Shelford because the field we should have crossed was badly waterlogged.
Waterlogged field near Shelford.
Having reached Shelford we turned right past the church (St Peter and St Pauls) and followed the road to reach the river Trent.
St Peter and St Pauls ChurchThe river Trent.
This section of the river has a grass embankment to walk on. The river height had dropped but debris along the bank was clear to see where the water had been.
Debris from the recent floods
There were many tree branches, bits of wood, plastic bottles and a life buoy stranded by the embankment.
The river Trent
I wonder whether the rubbish will get cleared up?
The walk followed the river towards Radcliffe where we ascended a hill and had some views of the river through the trees. We also passed numerous memorial benches along the footpath.
A weir across the TrentA nice railway bridgeThe footpath into Radcliffe with memorial benches.
We soon reached the centre of Radcliffe and a bus arrived after only 1 minutes wait – they run every 10 minutes which is a great service.
I am delighted to announce that, today, I have completed my last 7 miles which means that I have walked 2,000 miles in 2023!
I feel that this is a fine achievement for me and I am extremely chuffed to have done it. It has taken both determination and commitment to arrive here.
It was a nice sunrise as the day dawned on this auspicious of days.
OK, so you wouldn’t think that today would be a big deal, but it turned out, that for me, it WAS a big deal. The previous day I had waxed and polished my walking boots in readiness for my last walk on this challenge. As I stepped out of the front door I was definitely feeling emotional and a sense of occasion.
Coffee break on my walk
By the time I had reached The Viking Way I wondered why I had bothered to wax and polish my boots as it was in an atrocious condition.
Still, I waded through and before too long I had finished my last 7 miles and was ready to collect my finishers medal 😊.
The Latin inscription on the medal translates as ‘I walk therefore I am’. The medal was obtained from Country Walking Magazine who sponsor these walking challenges. https://www.countrywalking.co.uk/
Having finished this particular journey, I have to say that it is not arriving at the destination that is so important, but the enjoyment of the actual journey itself and I will talk more about this in a future blog to be released on the 28th December.
Christmas is very nearly upon us and I guess that we are all looking forward to this special time of year and the magic of Christmas. I am hoping for a white Christmas but its far too mild!
This morning I met up with Mick to do an 8 mile walk along the Grantham canal to Denton Reservoir followed by a walk along the disused railway track back to Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir.
It is very difficult at the moment to find walks that do not involve too much walking across mud laden fields. This walk was chosen because it mostly avoids poor footpaths although we did pass along side a very muddy bridleway.
It was a cloudy and dull morning as we set off close to the Dirty Duck pub at Woolsthorpe -by-Belvoir.
The Dirty Duck Pub beside a brimming Grantham CanalThe bridge at Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir
The towpath was quiet all of the 3 miles to Harlaxton Bridge. There were a multitude of Swans along the canal. It is always a joy to see these majestic and beautiful birds.
We passed my favourite bridge – the Casthorpe bridle bridge – and noticed the cracks in the brickwork so this might need repairing in the near future.
An archive photo of the Casthorpe Bridge.
When we reached Denton Reservoir we took a seat and had a cuppa.
A tranquil Denton reservoir
The reservoir was the lowest that I have seen it so that was very surprising given the recent weather. We were also surprised to see a dead swan and 3 dead fish ( these were big fish) close to the edge – something that we have never seen before and wondered what had caused their deaths.
Leaving the reservoir it was a walk along muddy paths into Denton then along the road to pick up the disused railway line back to Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir. This was a good dry path.
The disused railway line
A steady walk brought us back to our cars. A good stretch of the legs and we did’nt get too muddy!.
My 2,000 mile challenge is getting tantalisingly close now with only 14 miles left to walk to reach it 😊😊.
My Walking Journeys 