Leaving Mow Cop Castle.
Jodrell Bank from Congleton Edge.
One of the Buttercup Meadows South of Congleton Edge.
Panorama from edge West of Willocks Wood, looking towards Cheshire and Lancashire.
The Old Man of Mow.
Back at Mow Cop Castle.
Walk stats: Distance: 9.2 miles. Climb: 958'.
Time: 5 hours 50 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Celia.
A good day for walking, not too hot or too cold. We had hoped to see a few Bluebells still flowering, but very few remained. We did however see lots of wild flowers and several meadows that were yellow with buttercups.
The views from the edges were superb. In fact a toposcope showed that Cheshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire could all be seen.
As yet we haven't managed to find the best way across the marshy area West of Cheshire Close, but at least we didn't get wet feet and eventually found the right stile leading to a more obvious path and minor road North of Pot Bank.
Lunch was taken at the Northern end of Congleton Edge. After lunch we headed North to eventually meet up with Gritstone Way/Biddulph Valley Way/ Staffordshire Way near Congleton Golf Course.
The stream on the Eastern edge of Congleton Golf Course had masses of recently emerged insects skimming over the surface, but it was the occasional splashing sound that drew Celia's attention. She initially thought it migh have been some sort of diving duck, but we eventually came to the conclusion that it must have been a reasonable sized fish jumping out of the water to catch insects.
The return route took us a wooded path on the East side of Congleton, quite a pleasant path even if it was a little muddy in places.
Birds seen or heard today included: Common pheasant, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, European robin, Common blackbird, Goldfinch, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, Blue tit, Common chaffinch, Barn swallow, Mallard, Canada goose, Carrion crow, Winter wren, Jackdaw, House sparrow and Common kestrel.
Overall a good walk, always worth repeating.
After walk drinks wee enjoyed at the Stamford Bridge Inn at Barrow. Piffle, brewed by the Conwy Brewery went down well as did the Amstel Lager.
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