Sunday 14 March 2010

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal

The Christmas holiday and, yes, it does seem a long time ago, involved me in driving around the Peak District and re-walking some of the routes in my Teashop Walks book.

The day I went to Lyme Park was wet, cold and icy.

From Lyme Park itself I walked west for a few hundred yards before taking the path out of the park and heading towards Platt Wood Farm.

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

Once I'd clambered over the tall, slippery ladder stile I was greeted by this ...

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

So ... I was prepared ... but as I walked through the next few fields there were no cows or calves to be seen.

Just east of Platt Wood Farm stands Peak & Northern Footpath Society signpost number 266, where two paths cross each other ...

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

 The canal was frozen in part when I reached it.

I passed one of the stone mileposts beside the canal ...

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

Then a warning for all dog walkers though from what I saw it was being ignored by some ...

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

I wonder how many fines have been paid so far ?

I've always wondered about living on a canal but I'd be too far away from the place where I want to live ...

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

As I mentioned quite a lot of the canal was frozen ...

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

The photo below shows a view that's actually in my book but the one in the book was taken on a sunny day in spring or summer ...

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

It's only a short walk and I was soon climbing over another ladder stile to get back into Lyme Park.

This photo also gives some idea of how much standing water there was ~ the ground must have been really sodden.

The park boundaries are so high to keep the deer in of course.

Lyme Park and the Macclesfield Canal ~ 30th December 2009

I had a steep climb from this point. Perhaps I'd had too much Christmas cake because I was puffing and panting by the time I'd completed the climb.

Alternatively it may be that I'm not as fit as once I was ...

Date of walk ~ 30th December 2009

Length of walk ~ 4 1/2 miles

Total since 1st September 2009 ~ 126 1/2 miles.

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