Walk to remember with good views and ancient woodlands
A RECENT nine-mile walk by the East Cheshire Ramblers started in Biddulph Grange Country Park.
This is a beautifully wooded area with a brook and pool.
Parts of the woodland are classed as ancient, indicating that there has been woodland continuously on the site since at least 1600.
A local colliery owner, James Bateman, in 1842 built a house on the site of a earlier farm and developed the gardens, where he set about creating what has been called ‘a Great Exhibition of a garden with planting to reflect the spirit of Italy, China, Egypt, England and the Americas.’
The site became a Country Park in 1991 and the National Trust took on the ornamental gardens and restored them to their former glory.
We left Spring Wood to join the Staffordshire Moorlands Walkway and as we walked higher, the lovely views opened out across the valley towards Congleton Edge and Mow Cop on this bright and sunny morning.
The lunch spot gave the group another viewing point over Knypersley Reservoir which is located in another country park at Greenway Bank.
From the reservoir there is a canal feeder built in 1827 which supplies water to the Caldon Canal.
On the return journey the walk continued over Congleton Edge, this time looking across the Cheshire Plain with views as far as Liverpool.
The route took us on to Nick i’th Hill before returning to Biddulph through Willocks Wood and Gillow Heath.
For further information visit ramblers eastcheshire.org.uk