Walks and Dates March 2026

"Dare I where this on one of our walks?

 Suggestions for ALL Wednesday walks welcome, especially for the short walks.

Wednesday 4th March 2026.

Astbury Mere and Village.

Distance: 5.4 miles. Climb:300'.
Start: Car Park at Astbury Mere Country Park. Grid ref: SJ846627. Post Code: CW12 4AW
Leave Chester 09-15. (It takes about an hour to drive to Astbury Country Park)

Those planning to walk: Martyn, .

Those not walking: .

The walk is taken from the Pathfinder Guide to Cheshire. It is described as following mainly enclosed tracks, part of the Macclesfield Canal and visits the attractive village of Astbury.

Saturday 7th March 2026.

Walk arranged on request.

Wednesday 11th February 2026.

Tegg's Nose and Macclesfield Forest.

Distance: 9 miles. Climb: 1900'.
Start: Tegg's Nose Country Park Car park. Pay and Display. Grid ref: SJ950732.Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
Those planning to walk: Martyn, Nigel and Fran.
Those not walking: Mike.

This walk is taken from the "Pathfinders Guide to Cheshire". It is described as a varied
walk with good views from Tegg's Nose.
We will visit Tegg's Nose first, rather than at the end of the walk. The walk is also described
as an undulating walk exploring the countryside on the edge of the Peak District.
This is a walk that we have come to like and regularly appears on the list at this time
of the year.

Saturday 15th March 2026.

Walk arranged on request.

Wednesday 18th March 2026.

Mynydd Marian.

Distance: 7-8 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Start: Llanddulas Beach Car Park. Grid ref: SH907786.
Leave Chester at 09-00.

Those planning to walk: Martyn, .

Those not walking: .

This walk is taken from Dave Berry's book, "Walks on the North Wales Coast". It combines an interesting section of the coast line with the attractive limestone countryside between, Old Colwyn, Llysfaen and Llanddulas. This is one of my favourite walks at any time of the year.

Saturday 21st March 2026

Walk arranged on request.

Wednesday 25th March 2026.

Chirk, Church Bank, Temple Wood and Chirk Castle.

Start: Chirk Centre Car Park. Grid ref: SJ291377.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
Those planning to walk: Martyn, .

Those not walking: .

Distance: 8.4 miles. Climb: 965’

This was a walk devised by Ed that allowed us to visit the temple we had seen on earlier walks, but only from the nearby road. This walk includes using a path that goes much closer.

This is quite a varied walk, including sections of the Llangollen Canal and the grounds of Chirk Castle.

Last time we were able to visit inside the church. 

Saturday 28th March 2026.

Walk arranged on request.

I am happy to change the designated walks as long it is requested by the Monday and a suitable alternative walk suggested.

Please feel free to make suggests of walks that you would like to be included.

Please remember, I have a Prayer Praise Meeting at Church on the first Wednesday of each month, so I will be looking for walks not too far away.

Mynydd Marian 18th March 2026

The Little Orme fromour start point at Llanddulas Beach Car Park.

A Turnstone on the rocks.

The fishing jetty, Old Colwyn with the Little Orme on the skyline.

Marsh marigold at Old Colwyn.

The folly at Old Colwyn, apparently the bolt hole for the man of the house to enjoy a smoke!

Didn't we have this discussion last year?

Enjoying the views towards the sea.

Gorse in flower.

Lesser celandine.

Common dog violet.

The view from our lunch spot on Mynydd Marian.

One of many Daffodils seen today.

Lesser periwinkle.

Fran's lichen.

One a few lambs seen on our walk today.

Craig y Forwyn ahead, but only for Nigel!

Llanddulas ahead.

Green alkanet.

The gate to St., Cynbryd’s Church, Llanddulas.

Inside St., Cynbryd’s Church, Llanddulas

Never loose sigh of the beauty of the humble Common daisy!

Distance: 8.2 miles.

Climb: 951’ (About 150’ more for Nigel as he went across Craig y Forwyn)
Time: 4 hour 55 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Temperature: 12.8 Celsius to 22.8 Celsius.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max 3, an 8.6 m.p.h. Gentle breeze on Mynydd Marian
Group: Martyn, Fran and Nigel.
Weatherwise, this was almost the perfect day for walking, blue skies, warm sunshine and hardly ant wind. Definitely a shorts day!
Spring flowers were everywhere and included: Lesser celandine, Common dog violet, Common daisy, Green alkanet, Lesser periwinkle, Marsh marigold, Forget me Not, and Daffodil,
We setoff on the Coastal path, but we did get did get good views across the bay towards the Little Orme. Lunch was taken on the top of Mynydd Marian, where we took advantage of a bench, sheltered from the breeze, but gave views over Llysfaen and the rest of our walk.
Towards the end of the walk, we went inside St., Cynbryd’s Church, Llanddulas, It is always good to see churches with open doors on every day in the week.
Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Blue tit, Great tit, Wood nuthatch, Goldfinch, Turnstone, Great cormorant, Herring gull, Common pheasant, Chiffchaff, Common whitethroat, Common blackbird, Great spotted woodpecker, Grey wagtail and Black billed magpie.
Overall, a very enjoyable walk, demanding to be celebrated with a pint of Lees bitter. Thankfully, our driver (Fran) indulged us, and we headed to the Blue Bell inn in Halkyn.
Gary, the landlord membered that Nigel had asked about a half buying a rather nice half pint glass, which at the time, his offer was denied. However, today Gary remembered the request and gave Nigel one of the said half pint glasses, having found another box of them in the cellar. Nigel and I enjoyed our excellent pint s of Lees bitter, an I think Fran enjoyed her Guinness Zero

A Tegg’s Nose Adventure 11th March 2026

Macclesfield Forest from Tegg's Nose.

Tegg's Nose industrial past.

Is it Langley or Trentabank Reservoir?

Descending Tegg's Nose.

This is definitely Langley Reservoir.

One of two Canada geese on Langley Reservoir.

Tegg's Nose from the bridleway leading to Hacked Way Lane.

Fran and Nigel should be there somewhere.

There they are!

Heading along the Walker Barn path through Macclesfield Forest (our escape route)

On top of the world - no, just the highest point on the path to Warrilowhead Farm.

I think I can see my car in the Tegg's Nose Car Park.

The start of the path to Gulshaw Hollow

The Gulshaw Hollow path looks like it is quite high above bottom of the valley.

Gulshaw Hollow.

The delightful path high across the slopes of Gulshaw Hollow.

Snowdrops near Hordern Far,

Memories of milk being delivered in these churns.

An old tree being felled.

Distance: 5.8 miles.
Climb: 1227’. Wind assisted GPS reading)
Time: 3 hour 52 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.5 m.p.h.
Temperature: 8.2 Celsius to 10.8 Celsius.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max 4, a 13.3 m.p.h. Moderate breeze on top of egg’s Nose and near Walkers Barn.
Group: Martyn, Nigel and Fran.
The weather forecast for today was pretty accurate today, so we can’t complain. It felt cool whenever we were exposed to the Moderate breeze and felt pleasantly warm in the Sun and out of the wind.
The journey to Tegg’s Nose was going well until we found the Old Buxton Road was closed just short of our destination. We ended up doing an extra 30 miles detour before finally arriving at Tegg’s Nose over an hour later than planned!
We set off to the top of Tegg’s Nose, before dropping down to the reservoirs below. The planned route would take us through Macclesfield Forest to Charity Lane, but we arrived at the Woodcutter’s Cottage to find the path we wanted was closed due to fallen trees.
We decide to have lunch there, and look at alternate routes to get back to Tegg’s Nose without just retracing our steps.
We ended up taking the path to Walker Barn via Ashtretop and Warrilowhead Farm. The next part of the route took us above Gulshaw Hollow on a delightful path to Hordern Farm. We then followed the access track up to the New Buxton Road to rejoin the planned route following the Gritstone Trail back to the start.
Along the access track, we were briefly entertained by some tree cutters felling a large tree.
Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Blue tit, Great tit, Wood nuthatch, Goldfinch, Common chaffinch, Canada goose and Common buzzard.
Overall, an enjoyable walk, very different to the original planned walk.
Arriving back at the car, we found that the Old Buxton Road was no longer closed, so we could head home the usual way.
The Upton continents were planning to enjoy drinks at the Wealstone, where they expected to be joined by Elaine and Mike.
I just headed home for a cup of tea, no beer for me, as I have just started a five-day course of strong antibiotics

Astbury Mere Country Park and More 4th March 2026

The notice on arrival.

First view of the mere.

The "enclosed" woodland path around the mere.

Another view of the mere.

A pause in the woods.

Canada geese on the mere.

A male Tufted duck on the mere (1 over 50 reported on the sightings board).

Mute swans by the mere.

Another view of the mere.

On the path to Lambert's Lane.

The enclosed path from Stony Lane to Lambert's Lane.

Strolling along Lambert's Lane.

The "roving" bridge over the Macclesfield Canal.

Heading along the Macclesfield Canal towpath.

St. Mary's Church Asbury from Dodd's Lane.

A better view of St. Mary's church, Astbury.

Elaine at the main gate to St. Mary's Church, Astbury.

The daffodils of Astbury.

This wasn't a path we expected to use, but it kept us of the main road alternative.

Distance: 6.3 miles.
Climb: 525’. Wind assisted GPS reading)
Time: 3 hour 47 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Temperature: 10.5 Celsius to 17.8 Celsius at lunch sitting in the Sun.
Beaufort Wind Force: 0 - 2, often no wind at all, but at one point in the afternoon, it gusted to a 4.2 m.p.h. Light breeze.
Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Elaine, Fran and Mike. Unfortunately Nigel wasn't able to join us because he was still suffering from an infection.
The weather forecast for today was looking good, good enough to tempt me to wear my shorts again.
In fact, we were in warm sunshine all day, walking with blue skies above, probably the best day for walking this year.
Today, this was a very popular place to be, and we had a job to find a parking place. It is now a Pay and Display car park (£1-50 for all day parking).
We set off, following the route description, but missed the exit from the wood onto the minor lane, and ended going round the mere back to the start. The second time round, we managed to find the minor lane, but decided to have a lunch stop before embarking on the rest of the walk. At this point, there was two benches overlooking the mere, just enough seating for the group, and pleasant view of the mere as well.
The afternoon part of the walk wasn’t that inspiring, but a least we were able to explore parts of Cheshire that most of us hadn’t visited before.
After a pleasant stroll, we decided to cut the walk short by following Dodd’s Lane to Astbury village where the village green had an impressive display of bright yellow daffodils.
St. Mary’s Church, Astbury was impressive too, but unfortunately it was closed.
Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Common blackbird, Herring gull, Black headed gull, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Raven, House sparrow, Woodpigeon, Black billed magpie, Mallard, Dunnock, Common buzzard, Song thrush, Blue tit, Great tit, Tufted duck, Moorhen, Common coot, Mute swan, Dunnock, Winter wren, Canada goose and Chiffchaff.
Overall, an enjoyable walk that may become one of our regular short walks.