Heading for the woods.
Mike looks as though he has spotted something interesting!
Bluebells seen today.
Only the photographer not in the picture as we cross the river.
Part of the Whitegate Way?
Distance: 8 Miles; Climb: 385'.Time: 3 hrs. and 40 mins. Ovearal walking average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Walkers: Fran, Wendy, Mike, David S (leader)
Parking was at the Whitegate Station Car Park which was free and spacious and also has toilets and a café in normal times.
The rain forecast yesterday had passed over during the night and so it was dry but cold.
The route across fields to Whitegate was fairly straight forward with navigation being considerably aided by Mike’s Smartphone App. We chose the route in front of Vale Royal Abbey, now housing up market flats and a club house, rather than walking across the fairways of the golf course.Reaching the Weaver Navigation at Vale Royal Locks we crossed over and chatted to two Canal Trust men clearing debris from one of the huge locks. Apparently the most recent pollutant is plastic “nibs” which are the feedstock for injection mouldings. Its source was unknown.
Plenty of wildlife was seen as we walked along the riverside path at the end of which, just at 12 noon, we found the single picnic bench just being vacated by a single walker.
After lunch, we recrossed the river and a half mile road walk brought us to the eastern end of the Whitegate way from where it was about 3 miles on a slight rise back to the carpark.
Surprisingly Mike’s App recorded 385 ft. of ascent for what was apparently a level walk. However, the OS map shows the car park at 71 M AOD and the river bank at 17 M. giving an ascent of about 180 ft for the return journey alone. The remainder was random ups and downs on the outward journey.
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