Monday 1st May 2023
At the start of my final day on the Gritstone Trail I woke to hill fog enveloping the Wild Boar Inn campsite where I had been staying for the weekend. This didn’t seem hopeful for the walk but after packing up I drove away from the campsite and was soon below the level of the clouds as I made my way to the railway station at Kidsgrove. The Gritstone Trail lends itself to being done using trains which almost run alongside the trail and indeed it starts and ends at railway stations. I had caught a train to Disley at the start of the trail and on each stage I was able to walk to a railway station to get back to where I needed to be, and now I caught a train from Kidsgrove to Congleton where I had reached the previous day. A short walk along the Macclesfield Canal and Brookhouse Lane brought me back onto the Gritstone Trail not far from Timbersbrook where the third and final stage of the trail begins. Soon I was on the Biddulph Valley Way, which follows the course of an old railway, and I loved walking through the gorgeous woodland which was filled with birdsong and overflowing with greenery including bluebells and stitchworts that was very soothing and uplifting for me. I couldn’t help contrasting this with my state of mind at the start of the Gritstone Trail when I had felt stressed and overwhelmed, but now the trail had completely restored my mind and spirit.
Eventually I moved away from the Biddulph Valley Way to climb slowly past a campsite and up onto a ridge, finally reaching the top at a dip known as Nick i’ th’ Hill whereupon I proceeded along the wooded ridge with bilberries lining the path until I reached a road. While the sky brightened with the sun briefly trying to break through the clouds, the trail continued along the road on top of the ridge with extensive views west across the Cheshire plain. There were many parking laybys beside the road to afford motorists the opportunity to appreciate the extensive views, but it was distressing for me to see that these were covered in litter despite bins being provided. I picked up loads of the litter and put them in the bins, but I could have been there all day and I would have needed many bins. This was very frustrating, but eventually I tore myself away and finally branched off the road to reach the Old Man of Mow where a tall, rock monolith sat amongst burnt heathland. Quickly, I made my way around the gritstone pillar and up to the trig point that marks the highest point on the hill behind before carefully making my way back down and across to Mow Cop Castle, though it was the millstone grit outcrops that the folly sits on that was of more interest to me and I enjoyed scrambling amongst them. There were extensive views south from the castle, but this only reinforced the knowledge that I was coming to the end of the trail and the high ground that I had been following throughout was no more.
I had enjoyed this walk which had succeeded in lifting my spirits more than anything else could so I was sad for it to end, but now I descended to the Cheshire Plain and picked up the Macclesfield Canal which I followed beside delightful displays of bluebells, briefly coming off to find somewhere to sit and have my lunch. Upon returning to the canal I followed it out to the junction with the Trent & Mersey Canal, which was a dirty brown colour from the iron oxide seeping into the water, mainly from Harecastle Tunnel. The urban surroundings of this canal were much less appealing to me than on the rural Macclesfield Canal, so I felt fortunate to not be following the Trent & Mersey for long and soon I returned to Kidsgrove railway station. This was a relatively short walk, by my standards, having reached the station by 1.30, but I wasn’t bothered by this as it meant that I was able to get home and enjoy the afternoon sunshine. This holiday performed wonders on my mental health after starting the trail feeling anxious, stressed and in a fragile state, but by this last day I was feeling relaxed and carefree. After just three days, the Gritstone Trail had performed a miracle on my mental state. The trail was surprisingly hilly, but I could have easily done it in just two days, though I enjoyed the more relaxed schedule which gave me a chance to relax and obtain the refreshment I needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment