Introduction
With a busy day ahead tomorrow, I took the opportunity afforded by a warm and pleasant day today to take this short walk in the Cheshire countryside.
It would have been longer, but many of the fields were now holding cattle, and after avoiding two such fields I decided that climbing more wire fences wasn’t for me today!
It’s a 35 minute drive from Cheadle Hulme to Arley Hall.
The walk is 4.8 miles long, and the land is flat. So, it took just about 2 hours to complete.
The lanes and paths were great for dog walking, but the fields definitely weren’t.
I walked in a clockwise direction.
The walk is on OS Explorer Map 267.
I parked on the roadside near Arley Hall, postcode CW9 6NA, What 3 Words /// cubs.tight.stunt.
Arley Hall To Litley Farm
Setting off along Back Lane, I enjoyed a quite distant view of the hall across the fields.
I turned off to the left, just before this handsome house.
The path takes the edge of a field, next to a copse of ancient trees. The dying ash trees are all too evident here.
There is a very pretty path from The Ashes to Cann Lane.
The short road section crosses a bridge over a small brook.
At Litley Farm, the path is poetically signposted.
Sack Lane To Arley Hall
Sack Lane is lined with more ancient woodland.
It is punctuated by this delightful old cottage.
Back at Arley Green I stopped to enjoy the pretty meres.
From here, I headed south into the fields alongside Big Wood.
This is where two fields held young, inquisitive cattle. Fortunately I could hop over the fence into the wood to avoid their rush to see me on each occasion they noticed me!
When I reached Willow Lodge, I’d intended to head south and swing round to return north via the North Cheshire Way, but this would have involved several more field sections, so I decided to return up the Arley Hall driveway which is both safe, and pleasant.
As it cuts through the fields, I spotted a buzzard enjoying the sunshine on a not too distant fencepost.
From here, it’s just a short stroll back to the hall, and another of those interesting signposts, though I can’t 100% make out the first line on this one. I think it says “No cartway save on sufference here”, followed by “For horse and foot the road is clear, To Lymm High Legh Hoo Green & Mere”.
So, it was indeed a short, easy walk, barring the cattle challenge.!
And Finally….
I’ve been listening to new Leeds band, English Teacher, starring Lilly Fontaine. Their debut album is “This Could Be Texas” a very varied collection of songs. This is “You Blister My Paint”.