Good spot for a team picture
After the indulgences of Christmas, what better way to get invigorated than a brisk walk through the Cheshire countryside, add in 4 pubs and its like winning the lottery...kind off...without the good bits.
Were it not for Andy we would have been setting off prompt at 10.30am as planned, as it was prompt at 1o.47am had to do. Thanks to everyone for turning out and making a walk from my house back to my house so much fun.
The good news for everyone was that it's only about 200 yards from my house to the nearest field in the shape of The Dingle, so on a frosty misty morning we managed to get mud on our boots pretty quickly.
I'd planned the walk to pass a few pubs so here is one that we missed out on to catch up some time.....blame Andy... I do.
As we reached the higher levels of the Cheshire plain we came out into bright blue skies which certainly put a smile on the horses faces,
and thus with a spring in everyones step we headed for Hatton and the first pub. It's amazing how spring can get unsprung pretty quickly. That signpost didn't help at all, and no matter how much Judith stared at it, it just wouldn't change.
It really was time for a pub and a much needed rest break, so thanks to a brilliant shortcut (we followed the roadsigns) we managed to arrive at Daresbury just after 1pm. It must have been desperate as there was no more than a cursory glance at the world famous 'Alice in Wonderland Church' we strode passed. Thankfully the Ring o Bells was open too, but as we were just a tad behind schedule still, drinks only.. no time for pub food.......at least we had all packed a sandwich!!!
The mist returned in force (if mist can 'force') as we headed cross country to pick up the Bridgewater Canal, and with some walking on the flat the pace picked up a bit.
I think this may have been down to the promise of the next pub and the after effects of the last one.
A very pleasant 40 minutes in The Walton Arms and then the final mile to Stockton Heath and The London Bridge. It may not have been the most tasking walk in the world, but it did the job as far as social interaction and clearing of cobwebs were concerned. A couple of pints and then back to ours for home made stew and dumplings. Splendid.
Just in case any one doesn't know who made us late, Andy is the one on the left in the blue coat
Cheers everyone
4 comments:
First: How was I to know that there was fog on the motorway? It was clear in Manchester
Second: I hadn't anticipated that all the motorways in the North West had also been turned into constant 50mph zones...I had assumed that Gordon was only spending all our money this way down South
Thirdly: Why do people with horse boxes drive then really slowly? Four legs must make it easier to balance for heaven's sake!
Fourthly: That first pub was most likely shut...just like the next one you took us to (for lunch)...and where we most likely clawed back the missing 17 minutes.
Other than that, the review bears some similarity to the walk I remember.
Love the new avatar, I've never promised any facts, you should know that after 25 years
Nice trip report and pic's Paul. Wendy and I would just like to publicly thank both you and Pam for your invite to this walk and your smashing hospitality. We shall never forget the "Dark Side". Happy New Year.
Robbo.
No worries we all had a top time. Just glad you made it out of the dark side in the end, I think there are people still over there from the New Years Party.!
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