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When? Started: 1993 Who? Started with staff and friends from U H S, Chester. Organiser: Martyn Harris We walk every Wednesday and Saturdays, New Years day and May Day. How many walk? Walks take place as long as there are at least 2 wanting to walk on that day. More walk on a Wednesday than on a Saturday. Most ever: 29. Current group size walking: 2-10 in mid-week and 2-4 on Saturday. Where do we walk? Saturday: Anywhere in North and Mid-Wales, Peak District, Shropshire and the Long Mynd and as far North as the Trough of Bowland. Thursday: Anywhere within about 40 miles of Chester. Type of walk: Distance: 6 – 14 miles (but usually under 10 miles). Climb: up to 4000’ (but usually very much less!). People involved on walks in 2020:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage, Wendy Peers, Celia de Mengle, Wendy and Ian Peers, Roger Smith, Paul Collinson, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Celia de Mengle, Sue Pearson.

Saturday 20 February 2010

The Middlewood Way and Macclesfield Canal Walk 20th February 2010.

Canada geese bathing in the canal.
Lunch by the Macclesfield Canal.
The Macclesfield Canal in sunshine!

The snow covered hills above Bollington.On the towpath just outside Bollington.
White Nancy from the Macclesfield Canal as we approached the Clarence Terrace Mill and Bollington.

Walk stats:Distance:10.3 miles; Climb:184'.
Time:4 hours 4 minutes; On the move walking average:2.9 m.p.h.; Overall walking average:2.5 m.p.h.
Group:Martyn, Richard, Roger, Celia and Dave J.
Having been reunited with the glove that he lost on Thursday, thanks to Richard retracing the route on Friday, Martyn proceeded to delay the start by searching fruitlessly for a different glove that he eventually found in his coat chest pocket, rather than the side pocket, its normal home! Alas we're getting to that age when we start having "senior moments"!
We set off along the Middlewood Way at a cracking 3.7 m.p.h. with Celia unexpectedly, even to Celia, leading the way!
Thankfully by the time we reached the Macclesfield Canal, we had slowed to a more sensible pace, and our 3.3 m.p.h. record from two years ago was not in jeopardy!
The Middlewood Way was popular today, especially with horse riders, not a particularly exciting path, but it did provide us with most of the birds that we saw or heard.
The Macclesfield Canal was a little more interesting with plenty of activity on the narrow boats.
Lunch was taken in small canalside memorial garden provided in memory of several of the Hayes family.
Our walk was cut a little shorter than anticipated as the towpath was closed just after bridge 27, preventing us from reaching our planned exit at bridge 29.
Birds sen or heard today included:Robin, Song thrush, Long-tailed tit, Dunnock, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Greenfinch, Blue tit, Great tit, Goldfinch, Mallard, Jay,Great spotted woodpecker, Moorhen, Blackbird and Canada goose.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at The Vale , the brewery tap for the Bollington Brewery. The two beers enjoyed today were Bollington Best bitter and Bollington Happy Valley bitter.
This was a more tiring walk than you would expect from a stroll along an old railway track and a canal towpath. An enjoyable walk and for once home early!

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