Bosley Reservoir from Bosley Locks

 

This is the final walk of three from Bosley locks. This loop takes in a walk along the canal, around the hills to the east and then returning via Bosley Reservoir. The walk passes up the hills with some views west to Cheshire.

Distance 7.5 miles, climbing 650 feet.

One busy road to cross twice and another busy road to walk along, cows may be in fields along the route. 

Link to OS Map route.

The two other walks from Bosley Locks are:

7.5 miles circular to Gawsworth

5.8 mile balloon canal walk

From Bosley locks had north along the canal for 2 miles until the swing bridge at Oakgrove were we cross the canal (footbridge also available), cross the main road and continue up the side road ahead, when this gets to the entrance to Hawkshead Quarry turn right and head up the track.

Oakgrove Swing Bridge (footbridge to the right)

Disused bridge.

Follow this until it forks, taking the left track until arriving at a duck pond. Follow the track off to the left which takes you along a ditch. Follow this ditch it will pass an old disused stone bridge before meeting a stream with bridges, continue ahead after a while. Eventually the path turns away from the stream and heads uphill after a while the path turns sharply left onto a small foot path uphill until it arrives at a gate turn left after the gate and follow this track until a T junction with a track where we turn left. 

This track takes us to another gate on the left just before a T junction head through the gate and follow the track up the hill, after a short distance a footpath sign points to the right, follow this across the field.

This path takes us along the edges of fields until a line of trees where we turn left going uphill again to a farm track where we turn right, follow this to Upton Fold Farm. Turn left to head downhill, first through fields and then along a distinct concrete farm track.

Shortly after passing through a gate the path enters woodland on the left, and over a short bridge, head diagonally right on entering the field to join a track leading up the far bank, this track takes you down hill passing a derelict barn surrounded by fencing.

Walk all the way downhill to the road, carefully cross the road (it is a fairly busy, windy road) and walk along the road, after a short distance you can take the style on the left to head down the east shore of Bosley Reservoir, and walk around the reservoir and rejoin the route before heading back towards the Locks. However for the main walk continue on down the road until the junction at the bottom of the hill.

View of Croker hill.

Turn right onto Brooks Lane, a short distance after the garage on the left there is a style cross over this and head up the slope, pick up the tree line, saying to the right, after a dip follow the left edge of the field up the slope and continue until a farm, heading straight ahead along the track.

At the junction turn left onto Stoneyfold Lane which takes us down to the A523, turn left and then right into Bull Gate lane to return to Bosley Locks and the Parking.

Bosley Locks, North Rode Church and Gawsworth

This is the second of three walks from Bosley Locks.

Distance: of this walk is 7.5 miles over relatively flat farm land and roads,

If you would like a little more up & down in your walk try the hills to the east and Bosley reservoir, or for a shorter walk visit Bosley Locks Balloon Walk.

Bosley Locks is a flight of 12 Locks located near Bosley, South of Macclesfield. 

There is a small roadside parking area at the northern end of the twelve (Lock 1), from here you can walk south past all twelve locks, but the walks I describe start at lock 1 and head away from the lock flight norhwards. The towpath can be joined by either crossing the road bridge and turning right through a gate, or when the facility vehicle gate is open using this and crossing over a small footbridge. On weekdays the 109 bus between Leek and Macclesfield passes on the A523 1KM to the east, please check to see if it stops at the Conquest Plants Nursery stop.

This walk starts at the Locks and heads west along Bullgate Lane, after the railway bridge the road swings right and becomes Shellow Lane, head straight on into Park Road, and straight ahead, to the left of the gates onto the drive. 

Continue along the drive, past the lake on the right and continue along as the drive bends to the right and up the slope. Towards the top of the slope there is a gate to the left, pass through this and walk towards the church in the distance. Approaching the buildings there is another gate, pass through this. After a short distance a track leads off to the right, head north up this to continue the walk. If you like you can continue ahead to the left to visit the Church, before returning to the track.

Follow this track, taking the left fork, taking the style straight ahead at the farmyard and continue straight ahead through the field until it joins another track. This track takes you over styles/gates all the way to Pexall Road where you turn right and then starlight over the style at the junction. Continue along the field edges on the obvious path until it dips down to some fishing pools. Follow the signs pas the pools and head up a slope to continue along this path until it arrives at Church lane and turn right to head into Gawsworth. 

When we went through this route we stopped and rested on one of the many benches in the church yard.

Continue through Gawsworth and turn right just before Gawsworth New Hall Following the road, past a statue oof Robert Peel and straight ahead as the road turns to a farm track before entering fields. This path follows the hedge on the right of the fields before joining a road, which takes us all the way to join Macclesfield Canal.

Turing right onto the canal through the gate and follow the Canal all the way back to the parking area at Bosley Locks.

Bosley Locks 'Balloon' walk along the Macclesfield Canal

This is the first of 3 walks starting at the Bosley Lock Boater's Facility walking along the Macclesfield Canal.

Link to OS Maps route.

Bosley Locks is a flight of 12 Locks located near Bosley, South of Macclesfield. 

There is a small roadside parking area at the northern end of the twelve (Lock 1), from here you can walk south past all twelve locks, but the walks I describe start at lock 1 and head away from the lock flight norhwards. The towpath can be joined by either crossing the road bridge and turning right through a gate, or when the facility vehicle gate is open using this and crossing over a small footbridge. On weekdays the 109 bus between Leek and Macclesfield passes on the A523 1KM to the east, please check to see if it stops at the conquest plants nursery stop.

This is an easy 5.8 mile walk along the towpath and some minor and quiet roads. There are a few steps off the road to rejoin the canal. For a 7.5 mile circular walk to Gawsworth try Bosley Locks, North Rode and Gawsworth, if you want to head around some of the local hills try the thired walk out to Bosley Reservoir. 

Follow the Canal Towpath north from the boaters facility passing fields, which often have geese and other birds in them, there are unfortunately only two seats on this walk, the first shortly after setting off and the second just before the swing bridge where you leave the canal.

Continue alongside the canal as it transitions from fields to a wooded terrace on the side of a hill with farmland sloping off to the left. As the cutting on the right descends to meet the canal level there is a gate, beyond which is the Oakgrove swing bridge, pass through the gate and turn left to descend down Woodhouse End Road. Follow this road, until you come to the railway bridge and just after this turn left to follow Cowbrook Lane.

The Lane crosses back across the railway before descending past a farm and climing back up until it reaches the canal where you rejoin and head south back to the Boaters facility.

Welshpool Airport to Powis Castle Walk

Welshpool airfield to Powis Castle and return.

Distance: 5 ½ miles.

Terrain: Some busy roads, tracks, paths and tow paths, a few styles.

Refreshments: Welshpool Airfield Cafe & National Trust Cafe

Setting off from the airfield requires a walk along the fairly busy A490 up to the roundabout, although the road does have reasonable grass verges to stand on whilst the traffic goes past. 

Once at the roundabout we crossed the road to follow the second exit on to the A458, before after 50 metres a small road comes off on the right, following this to the end past some cottages there is a right turn to head up Lime Kilns Lane towards a bridge over the Montgomery Canal.

Montgomery Canal - Belan Lochs

Just after the bridge there is a gate on the right and a style, passing over this and following the wide path as it heads up hill passed some trees and before long passes into another field where the path bends right to follow a fence line on the left before heading down to a gated fence and then another bridge.  Following the track until it becomes grass across a field with a style at the edge of a road. Directly across from the style is the single track road leading into the grounds of the castle.

We had been advised to head further up the hill to the other entrance to the grounds (which, for cars is the exit) as this was the shortest way to the castle. We chose however to walk up to the castle using the vehicle entrance which meant we followed the road as it wound around passed the gardens and around the back to the car park. As we found out later this was probably the best idea.

Following the road around gave us a good view of the land around the castle and also a great view of the castle from outside the lower part of the gardens. Following the road round it continues through the grounds before turning in to the large car park towards the rear of the castle. Continuing further on at the end of the car park is the final short climb up to the entrance of the castle.

Powis Castle is run by the national trust and so we had our cards scanned and had a map of the garden stamped and entered the castle.

There is a National Trust Cafe here and so we had a couple of expensive juices before walking round the grounds and taking in the view.

View across the valley from the castle.

As time was getting on we decided to leave the castle and head for the airfield, initially we started walking down the vehicle exit, but after passing over one cattle grid we came across a number of cows sitting either side of the road, with one of them looking suspiciously like a bull, so we turned back and retraced our steps out of the grounds along the road that we had arrived on.

Exiting the grounds, instead of crossing the road and heading back across the fields we turned left and followed the road down the hill until, at a T junction it met the main road. We turned right passing over the road. After 150 metres a path crosses the road and goes through a gate, entering this there is a short walk between fences until the patch joins the towpath for the canal.

Belan Loch Cottages.

Following the canal took us to Belan Lochs at which point we turned off and followed a short road through the houses until we rejoined Lime Kilns Lane and followed this back to the cottages.  Turning right at the bottom of the road we took a path along some trees until we arrived at the A483, which we crossed and headed for the roundabout and then back down the A490 to the airfield.

Links:
Welshpool airfield
Powis Castle
Montgomery Canal