Day Trips 28th & 29th July (Macclesfield Canal & Thames Path)

 Day Trips 28th & 29th July (Macclesfield Canal & Thames Path)

28th July – Macclesfield Canal Part 3

Having walked from Congleton towards Marple (via Macclesfield) over 2 trips in May, I decided it would be a good day to finish the canal with the section from Congleton towards Kidsgrove.  Due to a reasonable finish time for my week of late shifts, I decided to make use of a tactic I used last September to avoid the potential of overcrowding on the first off-peak Manchester train (since Avanti are not running the 09:33 service from London, the first off-peak train is the 09:53).  The day started with the 06:19 service from Grateley, with 159010 & 159106, getting quite busy after Andover as the previous service broke down. It was also quite lucky I did this service rather than my more usual 06:57 service as that didn’t call at Grateley due to signalling issues at Tisbury, the next departure was a delayed 07:27 which didn’t get into London until after 9am.

Anyhow in London, I had my usual stroll to Euston, dodging the cyclists on hire bikes who think red lights are optional, and onto the 08:46 London Northwestern service for my first pair of 730/2s for a few months with 730225 & 730208 for the speedy journey to Rugby.  My fester at Rugby was extended due to the Manchester train being delayed as a mostly empty 390121 rolled in for the nonstop run to Stoke on Trent (coach U had 5 other passengers on this ‘peak time’ service from London).  After visiting the toilets at Stoke station, I boarded 323236 on the local stopping service to Congleton, delayed by a couple of minutes due to another late running Manchester bound Pendo.  At Congleton my walk began.

323236 at Stoke On Trent Station

Unlike in May I joined the canal via the access from the opposite side of the railway (rather than a path & steep stairs near a pub), heading underneath the railway and west towards a Roving bridge over the canal (designed to allow a horse to cross over the towpath without the need to be unhooked).  The towpath was quite reasonable quality along this section, a bit narrow in places but nothing that major.  I crossed over Canal road on a nice looking aqueduct, passing the remains of Congleton Wharf, swapping sides of the canal once more near Lamberts Lane as the urban area started to give way to countryside (on the right hand side at least).  The towpath changed from a solid smooth surface to something a bit more rougher, still solid but something you wouldn't want to take a road bike along.

Leaving Congleton behind, passing the Astbury Golf Club before heading into peaceful Cheshire countryside with the occasional sound of a train on the nearby railway, the towpath now being more rural in nature (certainly one not to do during the winter months, unless you like mud).  I continued passing an old hall (Ramsdell Hall) heading towards Scholar Green with the sound of traffic returning from the A34.  The canal skirted round the edge of Scholar Green (the settlement being on my right hand side with the railway reasonably close on the left hand side), the towpath returning to more solid ground as I reached the Hall Green Stop Lock where the Macclesfield Canal ends and the Hall Green branch of the Trent & Mersey begins (something I only found out when researching this walk, as I had assumed it was the Macclesfield Canal all the way to the junction at Kidsgrove.

Hall Green Stop Lock between the Macclesfield & Trent and Mersey Canals

I continued along the canal towpath reaching Red Bull, gaining wings with a crossing of the Liverpool Road (via an aqueduct) and crossing the main Trent & Mersey canal.  The towpath swapped sides once more with a sharp 90-degree bend.  This section was a bit overgrown in places (I suspect most people will drop down onto the main canal at the aqueduct).  I soon reached another sharp bend where the Hall Green branch ran into the main Trent & Mersey canal, the last section taking me underneath the railway towards Kidsgrove station where I had a couple of options, either head to Stoke or head to Crewe.  Due to the timetable for this line being a bit unbalanced (yes, that's the word) I had just missed a LNR service to Crewe so had a short wait (which was made longer due to running late) with 170516 to Crewe (at least the late running meant it didn’t have to sit at the junction protecting the single line for 7 minutes).

Annoyingly earlier in the day 197041 was showing as running on Crewe – Wrexham services, but when I checked when heading to Crewe, I saw it had disappeared somewhere at Chester and replaced with another 2 coach 197, so that unit escapes me once more, so with little else to do at Crewe I boarded a lightly loaded 805013 on a service from Chester for a speedy journey towards Euston, arriving near enough on time.  I had an option of going after a winner 730 on a Tring stopper, but the connections to get towards Clapham were a bit rubbish, and I didn’t fancy trying to board a short-formed sprinter at Waterloo so decided to leave that 730 for another day (not like it will be going anywhere).  I had a gentle stroll in the heat to Waterloo and onto a hot 159106, 159010 & 159019 which wasn’t that busy in coach 3 of 9, even after Clapham Junction.  This took me back to Grateley arriving near enough on time and I had a gentle stroll home.  An enjoyable day trip to Cheshire, even if I did get a bit warm at times.  Looking at the chaos out west I’m just glad I didn’t decide to change my plan to head towards Cornwall to finish the Camel Trail.

Trent & Mersey Canal in Kidsgrove

29th July – Thames Path (Part Who Knows!)

The plan for today is to do another section of the Thames Path, heading between Lechlade & Cricklade, this section being another rural section but thankfully not as long as the last section I did earlier in the month.   The day started with a drive to Salisbury, swinging via Tesco to grab some breakfast items before taking 166201 to Westbury, followed by 158766 to Swindon arriving a few minutes ahead of schedule due to other long-distance services running late.  After making use of the toilets on the station, I made my way to the “J” bus stop within the Fleming Way bus station, via Tesco for lunch items and onto the route 64 bus to Lechlade on Thames where my walk began.

Leaving the bus stop area near the church (fenced off for works so couldn't get a photo), I headed towards the River Thames at Halfpenny Bridge, dropping down the stairs used earlier in the month (when following a school group), this time turning west towards the Lechlade Riverside Park.  This area was quite scenic as I passed a few moored boats near the limit of navigation, leaving the riverside park behind for a rural stroll along the edge of a grassy area.  I reached a footbridge near to the former canal junction where the Thames & Severn Canal joined the Thames, the path heading south.  After crossing a cow filled field (moo) I reached the disused church of St John in the tiny settlement of Inglesham.

River Thames between Lechlade & Inglesham

The next section was a bit overgrown in places, but nothing that major as I soon re-joined the edge of the Thames in the countryside, the only sound being from the A361 before the river twisted and turned away from the road to head west.  I reached a point where the Thames Path moves away from following the actual river, heading alongside the edge of fields before picking up a farm track heading towards Hannington Wick.  A short section along the road before picking up another footpath, passing a couple of other walkers.  I reached the edge of the river for another short section before the Thames Path moved away to follow a minor road towards the village of Castle Eaton.

Pausing for lunch on a handy bench near the church, I resumed the walk, picking up the Thames again on the western side of the village.  Another rural section of twisting river walking along the edge of fields (some which were bumpy at times).  In hindsight maybe doing this walk on a hot day wasn't the best plan due to the very limited shade offered, but it was peaceful and quiet.  The Thames Path flipped sides of the Thames at a footbridge across some more fields, the river hiding from view from trees, before going back to the 'South' bank near Eysey.  The rural peacefulness soon ended as I headed underneath the busy A419 into Cricklade.

River Thames between Inglesham & Hannington Wick

I passed the Cricklade Millennium Green, heading towards the town centre of this North Wiltshire town.  Leaving the riverside behind for the final time I followed the roads to the High Street, detouring north to a road bridge over the river.  After this little detour I headed towards the centre, swinging via Tesco for a cold drink (and an ice-cream) making my way to the bus stop alongside Calcutt Street.  I didn't have long to wait before a Stagecoach route 51 arrived to take me towards Swindon, where after a gentle stroll in the town centre I made my way to the railway station.  It was onto 158766, which unusually was using platform 3 (rather than the more usual bay platform, which I took to Trowbridge for a same platform change onto 158959 & 158747 to take me to Salisbury to end the day.

An enjoyable day alongside the upper Thames, another section of the long Thames Path covered, leaving just the rough 13-mile section from Cricklade towards the source near Kemble (although this time of year, I would imagine it will be mostly dried out).  As always thanks for reading, I’ve got some time off work in August, with many ideas forming, a lot depends on the weather.  More photos can be found on my Flickr here.  The month started with a 158 and ends with a 158:

158766 at Swindon (using P3)