{"id":1007014,"date":"2023-03-08T20:24:31","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T20:24:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1007014"},"modified":"2023-03-08T20:24:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T20:24:35","slug":"prestbury-circular","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1007014","title":{"rendered":"Prestbury Circular"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

Thursday’s weather forecast being quite grim, I had worked out a short walk relatively close to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the opportunity arose to complete the walk a day earlier than usual, I thought it worth taking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prestbury is a location for big houses and pleasant, rolling countryside, interspersed with streams and coppices. This walk also includes a huge private school, and an exclusive golf club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weather was cold with hazy sunshine for the most part. The sleet and snow arrived just as I completed the walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a 15 minute drive from Cheadle Hulme to Prestbury via Handforth Dean, A555, and the newly opened this week, A523 Poynton By-Pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equally easy, would be a short train ride, as it’s just 3 stops away from Cheadle Hulme, and would add about 5 minutes to the walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a 5.7 mile walk, with no steep hills. I walked anticlockwise and it took 2 hours 20 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s mostly on fenced paths and tracks so it’s good for dog walking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I parked on on the road at the entrance to Prestbury Tennis Club, postcode SK10 4JJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is on OS Explorer Map 268.<\/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

River Bollin To Hunter’s Pool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The views along the Bollin Valley belie the fact that the path along the river heads straight to the sewage works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Bollin is a small, yet pretty river here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I crossed the concrete bridge from where, looking back, the hazy sun was reflected in the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The path rises gradually out of the valley before dipping over a series of wooden bridges to cross a small stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Woodend Farm has a nice duck Pond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The hills above Macclesfield now mark the eastern skyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At Legh Hall, the Old Hall is quaint, and the new hall is grand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And there is of course, a duck pond!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After crossing the A538 I dropped down to Hunter’s Pool, a local fishing site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hunter’s Pool To Prestbury Golf Club<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The path heads back up to the main road, then out across open fields, with views to a couple of modern mansions. Here’s one! Two ravens were in a nearby tree bellowing their guttural croaks – I love this big, confident birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After the fields, the path enters Big Wood, and across Spencer Brook, where an owl was toowit-toowooing. (Actually it must have been two owls as I understand that one gender toowits, and its mate toowoos!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On leaving the wood, I found myself at the back of the recently fully reconstructed, private school, King’s School, Macclesfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I put my camera and binoculars away as I went straight through the school grounds, on the public footpath! After traversing the rugby pitches the path emerges near more mansions. Here’s another one. How many rooms can you need?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Another path leads downhill, and emerges on the golf course. I’ve never seen such immaculate bunkers, and all the sand is clearly new. However, the fairways and run-off areas were, I thought, unexpectedly scruffy looking in quite a few places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prestbury Village<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I left the course onto Chelford Road. Lots more big houses here as I sauntered down to the pretty village with the sandstone church and ancient priest’s house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This timber framed building was once a vicarage then cottages and later a bank. It dates back to the 16th century, but was, apparently, altered a lot in the 17th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk ends as it began, with a stroll alongside the bubbling River Bollin!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is a lovely, easy walk which could comfortably fit into a morning or afternoon, and finish with lunch or tea in a hostelry or cafe in the village centre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Finally….<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We headed to Liverpool University Student’s Union on Monday to see The Lathums. What a fantastic band they are. It was the Students Union yet the audience age range was about 7 to 75. They would be categorised as an indie band, but there are influences from the 1960s to the 2020s in their music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their new album, released last Friday, is “From Nothing To A Little Bit More”. This track is called “Struggle”. If you struggled growing up through childhood \/ adolescence, or can relate to that, then watch the video, listen to the words and love this song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then listen to the whole album. Magnificent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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