{"id":1007043,"date":"2023-03-16T15:52:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T15:52:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1007043"},"modified":"2023-03-16T17:19:21","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T17:19:21","slug":"goostrey-allostock-and-boots-green","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1007043","title":{"rendered":"Goostrey, Allostock And Boots Green"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

Once again, the weather forecast was poor enough to keep me off the hills, so I elected to continue my discovery of the paths and byways of mid-Cheshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weather was cloudy, dry, and fairly warm in a brisk southerly breeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a half hour drive from Cheadle Hulme to Goostrey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like last week, equally easy would be a short train ride, as it\u2019s just 5 stops away from Cheadle Hulme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a 7.5 mile walk, over flat terrain. I walked clockwise and it took 3 hours 15 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s mostly on fenced paths and tracks so it\u2019s good for dog walking, but there are a few road sections too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I parked on on the road at Mill Lane, postcode CW4 8PN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is on OS Explorer Maps 267 and 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

Goostrey To Rudheath Woods<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Goostrey is quite a long village on an east-west axis, with farmland never far away. Starting in the eastern part of the village I crossed fields to reach Swanwick Hall Farm, with its fine weather vane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A track beside a strangely orange field led back to the western part of the village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After crossing a road, an unadopted road led me past some large detached properties and over Brick Bank Lane to the first of many flooded quarries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lakes are often hidden and well fenced, but there are occasional glimpses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Just before the A50 is a small industrial area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve no idea of the purpose of these huge steel objects! Perhaps they provide protection for an inner pipe of different material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coming into Allostock, I passed the Airey houses which we refurbished and over-clad in brick during my early days at weaver Vale, 2004-5. The privately owned ones remain in their unimproved, prefab state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Leaving the A50, London Road, I was able to get closer to the lake on my left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I then turned off to the right to pass through the pretty, and marshy, Rudheath Woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rudheath Woods To Boots Green<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The M6 motorway was now roaring nearby, but the lakes were still very picturesque.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The great crested grebe was not put off by the motorway.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Beyond the lakes the path passes under Middlewich Road at its bridge over the M6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Soon enough, the motorway is fading into the background, and I headed off down the pretty Dams Lane cul-de-sac. At the end of the lane, the path just carries on in the last house’s back garden. The recent rains have swollen the small streams here, though the fields wer easily navigated without getting my feet wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A long west to east section starts here. The first section, crossing the A50 is on quite a busy rural lane, but I soon reached Boots Green where I took the very minor lane to the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Boots Green To Goostrey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a lovely quiet lane, and I was delighted to spot a pair of red-legged partridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After Fullers Gate, I reached these signs, erected at the boundary between West and East Cheshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The road finally ends at Woodend Farm, though just before the old farm stands this quite dramatic modern house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beyond the farm, the road becomes a wooded path. I found a few, also quite dramatic, fallen trees and branches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My recent walks seem to have regularly taken me near to Jodrell Bank, and sure enough, it popped up again today as I crossed the field to Galey Wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are several typical lowland ponds in the wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the second part of the wood, the drama is being played out in a large noisy rookery. Here’s a short demonstration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n