{"id":1002749,"date":"2020-10-15T16:19:03","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T15:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1002749"},"modified":"2022-11-07T10:28:27","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T10:28:27","slug":"cheshires-border-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1002749","title":{"rendered":"Cheshire’s Border Country"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Is this man <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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taking on the role of this man?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today’s walk took me from England into Wales and back. If he gets his way, it may become illegal for this Englishman to do this walk after tomorrow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I doubt that Mark Drakeford, Welsh First Minister quite sees himself as Owain Glyndwr, but who knows!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This walk started about as far from home, but still in Cheshire, as I can get, the hamlet of Chorlton, to the east of Malpas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel time 70 minutes each way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walk time of around 3.5 hours, and a distance of 8.4 miles, so I exceeded my normal aim to be back in 5 hours. It is a lowland walk, mostly through posh rural Cheshire. Much of the walk is over fields, though I encountered no cattle, and quite a few stretches are on very quiet minor lanes, – perhaps not ideal for those wanting to give the dog a run off the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weather – dry, with lots of good sunny spells and some cloudy interludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 257<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parking – on the road in the very quiet hamlet of Chorlton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chorlton<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My walk began to the left of the splendidly maintained Womens’ Institute building and I soon approached Cherry Hill Farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Heading left just before the farm and over some stiles I soon came to the delightful mill pond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Autumn colours were soon in evidence as I walked alongside a wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oldcastle Heath<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next section of walk was on minor roads, affording great views over the maize fields to the Clwydian Range of hills to the west.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Welsh Section<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was soon heading down into the valley of Wych Brook at Oldcastle Mill. At this point the brook marks the border between England and Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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England on the left, Wales on the right!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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sdr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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dav<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
A couple lovely views back to England!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After heading out of the valley, and walking across road and fields to Lees Farm, I headed back down to Wych Brook at Dymock’s Mill<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dymock’s Mill <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The former mill has a handsome pond!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From the mill, the return walk was mainly on minor lanes and bridle paths – I think everyone in this part of Cheshire must have a horse!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Another splendid autumn tree caught my eye, as did this week’s bird of the day, a low circling buzzard (which is probably not visible if you’re on a small device)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cuddington Green<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From Cuddington Green I took the opportunity to return to Chorlton via the still photogenic pond at Cherry Hill, where the walk had begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, an easy walk with just a couple of short uphill stretches exiting the Wych Brook Valley, and an are of the country that merits further exploration of the nearby villages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Finally<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of our favourite artists of the last ten years, Nottingham’s finest, Jake Bugg to sing us out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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