Monday 13 October 2014

Some Photographs taken on the October Walk

B Party early in the walk

B Party climbing Loughrig Fell

Lunch on top of Loughrig Fell

Rydal Water Cave

354 November Walks from Burwardsley

Our next walking will be on
Saturday 8th November
and will be from 

Burwardsley, Cheshire

the home of the Candle Factory
 
Albert leading the way along the Sandstone Trail
Cheshires sandstone edge strikes down the heart of the county like a clenched fist. Great knuckles of rock and steep, wooded slopes rise steeply from the lush pastures of the Cheshire Plain. Here you follow a glorious section of the Sandstone trail, passing the ramparts of Iron Age Maidon Castle. This hillfort crowns Larkton Hill. Raw Head is the highest point and gives vast views that take in part of Wales and seven English counties.
  
Burwardsley is a small village known for the Candle Factory which has been operating there for some 50 years. It is alsoclose to the Sandstone Trail as it passes over the sandstone hills of Peckforton and Bickerton, raising us over the Cheshire plains and hopefully giving us drier walking for this time of year.
Beeston Castle and Bunbury are nearby and the Cheshire Workshops provide interest and refreshments for after our walks.
We will be in 'winter time' which means it could be getting dark by 4pm and the cafe in the Workshops could close a bit earlier.


There will be three walks;


 
Beeston Castle

Sunday 12 October 2014

A Walk from Burwardsley 2014

Walk Leader: Stuart Smith
Total Distance: 10+ miles app
Total ascent/descent: 1660/1300 ft

A route starting at Tatternhall


The bus will drop us off at Tattenhall. We will head South east towards Harthill mostly through fields. The route takes us easterly towards Bulkeley hill, picking up the Sandstone Trail north along side the Peckforton Hills. Towards the end of the hills there is the stunning Peckforton Castle which is actually a country house built in the style of a medieval castle now used as a luxury hotel. We head North East towards Beeston Castle which is huge and well preserved standing 350 feet above the Cheshire plains. The castle dates from 1226 and forms a good backdrop for the lunch stop. After lunch we head south easterly towards Beeston. Then westerly crossing the Peckforton hills with good views. After crossing the hills and clearing the wooded area we head southerly towards Burwardsley stopping off at the Pheasant pub which it's self is lovely with great views. The total assent is 507 metres decent is 396 and the total distance is 10.23 miles. For an A walk it is relatively easy suitable for all A walkers.


B Walk from Burwardsley 2014

Walk Leader: Clair McNabb
Total Distance:  6 miles app
Total ascent/descent: 1020ft


B Route clockwise
Leaving the Cheshire Workshop the route takes us along country lanes and through fields to join the Sandstone trail. Looking back, the edifices of Beeston and Pickforton castles may be seen. In fact the whole walk provides a succession of superb views across Cheshire for relatively little effort as most of the climbing is steady rather than strenuous.  
view from Bickerton Hill

C Party Walk from Burwardsley 2014

Walk Leader: Joan and Shirley
Total Distance: 6 miles (ish)
Total ascent/descent: 900 ft

Raw Head Summit: 746 ft.


We start our morning with coffee at the candle factory, though we may have to wait for them to open if we arrive early.  This is an undulating walk with some short inclines punctuated with level stretches through wonderful woods and panoramic views of the Cheshire Plain.  The last part of the walk is on a quiet road which unfortunately is uphill, but there is no other way back to the candle factory and our cup of tea.