Glow of evening light holds summer magic
EAST Cheshire Ramblers’ summer evening walks season ended with a short walk along the Sett Valley Trail followed by a meal at Rosie Lee’s café in Hayfield.
The evening walks are designed to provide an opportunity for people who are busy working during the day to get into the countryside during the week.
The walks are also popular with other walkers who enjoy walking in the special atmosphere of a summer evening.
This year the walks have all been within easy travelling distance of Macclesfield and between four and seven miles long. Several of the walks have started in Bollington, including an early season Bluebell Walk in the woods of the Harrop Valley.
Other walks have included strolls from Gawsworth, Sutton Reservoir and in the woods round Styal Mill, circuits of Errwood and Rudyard reservoirs and more strenuous walks up Shutlingsloe and from Wincle.
One of the joys of walking in the twilight is the pattern of light on the scenery which is not usually seen during the daytime. On occasions we were lucky enough to see spectacular sunsets.
One of the highlights was a walk from Danebridge on to Castle Rock, through Lud’s Church cavern and past Hanging Stone. The chasm was formed by a landslip which is apparently still moving. It is 100 metres long and 15 metres high, with several side branches, and its walls are covered in vegetation.
It is supposed to have been used by Lollards to hold religious services in the 15th century and certainly presented a very eerie atmosphere in the evening light.
Evening walks will commence again in May 2018. For details visit ramblerseastcheshire. org.uk.