One of the feeding stations overlooking Budworth Mere, Marbury Country Park.
Tufted duck on Budworth Mere.
All quiet at he Anderton Boat Lift.
Looking North across the Trent and Mersey Canal towards Great Budworth.
Looking North across the Trent and Mersey Canal towards Great Budworth.
Mute swans in farm fields North west of School Farm, Marston
St. Mary and All Saints Church Great Budworth.
Walk stats: Distance: 7.0 miles. Climb: 734' (Wind assisted GPS reading). In reality around 400'.
Time: 2 hours 1 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.7 m.p.h. Overall walk average; 2.4 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Jim.
We set off from Marbury Country Park, knowing that it would be feeling pretty cold with a strong South easterly wind making feel like -5 Celsius, but after lunch rain and snow could play a part too.
We started by looking over the mere from the hide/screen where we saw plenty of birds using the feeding station and a good number of Tufted ducks and Great crested grebe were quite near.
Just after leaving the park, we stopped in our tracks as the footpath we wanted to us had was closed until further notice.
We took the easy option and followed the road as far as the Anderton Boat Lift where we picked up our planned route once more.
All quiet at the Anderton Boa Lift, so we continued our rout along the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath back towards Marbury Country Park.
Arriving near the footbridge over the canal back into Marbury Country Park, we saw a noticed informing us that there was no exit from the towpath heading towards Marston due to a dangerous building and dated 2014. The date seemed a little odd as we had walked this section as far as Wincham in 2017 without any problems. The only building in disrepair I could think of was near the Lion Salt Works and remembered a path off the can towards the Salt Barge pub just before it. so we ignored the notice and continued on route.
This was indeed the problem building but we were able to escape via the Salt Barge Pub onto Offershaw Lane at Marston.
After vsiting Great Budworth village, we decide that our best option was have lunch at Marbury Country Park and have lunch there. It was a good decision as it started to rain just as we turned into the park and coupled with the cold wind sitting anywhere for lunch would have been unpleasant.
Birds seen or heard today included: Wood nuthatch, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit. European Robin , Common chaffinch, Mallard, Common coot, Great crested grebe, Moorhem Lapwing, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Mute swan, Great cormorant, Tufted duck, Gadwall House sparrow and Pied wagtail.
We cheated and had lunch in the car out of the wind and rain.
After lunch we decided that w didn't want to join the dog walking training group and head home or at least to the Netherton Arms for a pint of Lees beers. although pretty busy we were able to find a table near one of there open fires.
An enjoyable walk, capped with a good pint of beer and home early too.
No comments:
Post a Comment