Rudyard Lake, Staffordshire Way And Churnet Way

Introduction

Rolo is here to stay for a few days, so I selected a very familiar walk, knowing it to be very suitable for the dog. It is also a walk on good, well made surfaces, essential after recent rains.

I last walked here in February 2020, a few months before I started writing the blog.

Today’s weather was very mild, cloudy and dry until a brief shower caught us in the final 5 minutes.

This is an easy, flat, 7 mile walk, and it took 3 hours, plus 20 minutes for lunch. The walk can easily be reduced to about 4.5 miles by parking at the south end of the lake, and just walking round it. There is a cafe and toilets here too.

It’s a 45 minute drive from Cheadle Hulme.

This walk is great for dog walking!

I parked on the Lakeside Railway Car Park, postcode ST13 8PF, and walked anti-clockwise. Here is a link to the Steam Railway website, with opening times and timetable. If you do the walk with children, why not start or finish with a lakeside trip!

http://www.rlsr.org/

The walk is on both OS Explorer Map 268 and Map OL24.

The Railway Section

The station is beautifully maintained and looked a picture, even in this dull weather..

As we set off, Rolo posed for a portrait.

We soon reached the first train stop, The Dam.

There are many homes and boathouses on the far side of the lake.

And there are plenty of yachts resting on the still water.

To the right of the railway line, there is a water-filled “moat”, beyond which woodland rises up the bank.

The scenery is beautiful, and changes little, all the way to the end of the lake.

Back To Rudyard

Turning left, a drive leads over a small bridge where bird feeders are alive with tits and nuthatches. Beyond here, there is a great deal of swampy land, filled with willow trees.

After this, the ground rises gently, affording great views over the lake below.

Rolo was loving it here.

Cliffe Park is a derelict mansion, and has been so for as long as I can remember. Spooky!

The track heads downhill and through a pretty copse, Rea Cliffe Wood.

There are some lovely properties here, overlooking the lake.

We were in civilisation now, and a short stretch on the lead was essential. However it’s not long before we were back on the paths which Rolo loves.

At Rudyard we stopped for the toilets, then lunch.

Canal Feeder

Rudyard Lake’s purpose was to supply water to the canal network, so below the dam is a man-made feeder system.

The path runs alongside the feeder stream.

It’s much quieter on this part of the walk. I watched a grey wagtail on the stream’s edge, and flushed out a pair of little egrets.

All I got to photograph was this kestrel in a nearby tree.

Oh, and some anglers at the nearby fishing pool.

After leaving the canal feeder, and crossing some fields I reached the railway embakment. Here’ the railway once crossed the River Churnet below.

From here it was a simple stroll back along the old track bed to the car park.

This is a very easy and super winter walk, whatever the weather conditions, and just great for the dog.

And Finally….

Listening to MY Favourites playlist on the way home, this brought back some great memories.

44 years old, this is Iggy Pop and “New Values” from the album of the same name.