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Posting for Alan aka Backpacker...



Walking took place over the holiday period.  Alderley Edge home of the Alderley Wizard was the first recce for the walk I will lead at the end of January.

For those who have never heard the tale of the Wizard, do read on.


The Legend Of The Alderley Edge Wizard

Many many years ago a farmer from Mobberley set out one cold October morning .  He was riding a milk white -mare that he intended to sell at Macclesfield Fair.

To reach the Fair he travelled over the Edge but upon reaching Thieves Hole the mare refused to move on.

The farmer became aware of a old bearded man strangely dressed and holding a staff on the road in front of him.   The old man wished to buy the mare, but the farmer believing he could obtain a better price at the Fair ,refused to sell.  The old man said that although the horse would be much admired , no one would buy it and he would await the farmers return.

At the Fair the farmers horse was much admired , but there were no offers to buy.  On his return journey he again encountered the old man at Thieves Hole.  This time the farmer agreed to sell and the old man asked the farmer to follow him a short distance.  He led the farmer from thieves hole, past Seven Firs and Golden Stone, to Stormy Point and Saddle Bole.  The old man stopped in front of a large rock on Saddle Bole and touched it with his staff.  With a large roar the rock split in two, to reveal a pair of iron gates.

The frightened horse reared up, throwing the farmer to the ground, where he begged for mercy.  The Wizard [as he now appeared to be to the farmer]calmed both the horse and the farmer and led them through the gates and down a tunnel to a cavern deep under the Edge.

Looking around the farmer saw many sleeping knights of old, and besides all but one a milk-white mare.  The Wizard paid the farmer in gold and told him that in the countries hour of darkest peril, the knights would awake and ride forth to do battle on the plain below.

With this the Wizard asked the farmer to leave, overawed by what he had been told and seen, the farmer fled.  As he passed through the gates, the crack in the rock face crashed together with a noise like thunder.   Although the farmer returned on several occasions to search for the gates, he never saw them again.

[Ellen Beck claimed to have seen the gates but many said she was mad].  

Although many have searched the location of the Iron Gates remain a mystery.

Posting for Alan aka Backpacker...



Starting the walk from the market town of Chelford.

Market as in cattle fruit hay straw you name it and they sell it.  Anybody lucky enough to buy a new home or are thinking of replanning the garden can take a trip to Chelford and enter one of the many buildings and buy a complete garden contents at half the price.  Be it Lot1 variety of shrubs or Lot2 specimen trees.  Local town traders buy there stock from here and sell on.  The Horticultural side of the market and cage birds etc takes place on certain evenings of the week.  I could say it resembles Alladins cave at times.

The cattle/livestock market side of this place disgusts me the way the stock are handled. One jerk cramming rabbits into a cage when I pointed out one was dead he threw a sheet over the crate before the animal welfare people appeared.  He bought the poor creatures for the many chinese/indian restaurants from the area far far away were he had drove from.  Pathetic when you think animal transports are inspected but who stops a van or pick up with a sheet tied over crates.  Could be apples or pears but no they are living breathing creatures and no doubt half will be dead time they reach their destination.

I find the human race pathetic at times  or should that be most of the time???  As my aunt and uncle once told me you have to forget thinks like that as they tucked into their free beef Sunday lunch at my sisters. [I say free because never ever did they return the favour to my sister or her family]  Could they be correct do you tuck into your dinner and not care were the produce came from or how it landed on your table???  

Carter Lane is the first part of the walk looking at the map it informs me that I have two paths on the right hand side then one on the left which skirts the woodland.  Nice lane families out walking converted barns turned into family units which is the case these days.  I now hit the main road which I should not be on so it is back I go.  This is what a recce is all about easy walking over a mountain top studying the terrain and putting compass to map and walking on a compass bearing.  Finding footpaths is another thing.  Example would be the barn conversion for barn conversion read luxury dwelling place.  Now long ago this would be a farmyard and the public footpath would take you through the yard and over the fields.

No sign to inform you of the path which to me looked like the nice gravel path over the new lawn.  Couple of feet along the lane in the ditch I located a sign informing me that a footpath went through this property.  This sign should have been alongside the gravel path the indication of the sign told me it went through the front door of the conversion.  Now if it was a properly located sign Tom Dick and Josephine would soon be trampling through the property on that nice gravel path.

The sign was two feet high in the ditch!!

Ok you say I would not want anybody going through if I bought the place.  But the deeds would tell you and no doubt the solicitor/lawyer that a path ran through. So if you do not like do not buy.

It is nice to explore and see the areas it does help to see were the lanes go just in case of a emergency. Part of a leaders recce is to allow for the unforseen.   Escape routes etc.  This walk will be a linear there are no escape routes.

I found the woodland and was soon on my way again.  If I was just out for a stroll I would have taken the gravel path over the lawn and then told the council to put a correct sign in place.  But not today!!

Nice walk along the woodland edges and soon I was going under the railway bridge and across the fields towards Alderley Edge my destination.  Couple of horses in the fields came running towards me.  Sorry no apples today only bananas.  Besides most horse owners are against Joe/Josephine Public feeding their horses because of the things that are given.

I have now hit the main road again and a quick look around to see the best place for crossing with the group.  Quick dash across on your own is fine but a group is something else.

Consulting the map to see were I am now heading.  I now find the footpath and lifting the interlocking sheep fencing which I have never encountered before.  Times like this I am glad my parents bought me a meccano set long ago.  I am now through and the vast field is ahead.  

Now heavy cold freezing rain.

Posting for Alan aka Backpacker...


Quick... throw a log on the fire.

Compass for this one just walk on a heading.  Map informs me that I skirt a sand quarry to the right of the quarry.  More meccano type fencing.  The clay on the ground informs me that it has not been walked for a long time.  Round the quarry I go to reach a electric sheep fence normally this is a place rucksack on the fence and climb over.  This one was to high.  Thoughts of not one of those farmers who detest walkers not realising that these walkers put money in their pockets when they buy their produce.

I stood alongside the woods and took the map grid reference from my GPS and looked at my map.  Yes this was the trail.  One of those what the heck am I doing here in this pouring rain freezing cold passed through my mind.

I spotted dog walkers in the distance and thought I will have to plan my walk again using that far away footpath.  Skirting the quarry I headed over the fields I then noticed a stile in the corner of the left of the quarry.  Walking closer I then noticed a footpath sign.  It was the footpath I had been looking for.  Things flashed through my head like what a pathetic map read am I.  Then I noticed a sign informing me the path had been moved for twelve years because of the quarry.

Two things why was there not a sign at the bottom of the field informing me of the path being moved and why not were the old path used to be!!!

Grid reference to inform the local council I think!!!

Now passing the many old sand quarries filled with water.  Will these be the new landfill sites soon I thought to myself.  Councils are looking for holes to put there rubbish in all the time.

Now I find a country lane this should take me through the grounds of Heaton Hall onwards to Mere and Yarwoods another barn conversion old farm complex.  Screaming of the aircraft from Manchester going overhead.  To think the price of the property in this area and the noise from the aircraft overhead is unbelievable.

I can see the church of St Mary's at Alderley this will make a nice stop and a visit.  A surprise of a old school alongside the church dated from 1669.  Took a few photos the sky was dull this was changed on the computer later to a nice blue sky and a shining sun courtesy of filter lens flare.

Sadly the church was locked sign of the times.    

Bottom of the lane is the old watermill looking in the magazines it looks so much like a country setting.  In the real world it is located on a very fast and busy road.  As if you should dare to slow down Mr and Mrs Brain dead in their latest status symbol thrashing round the country lanes killing all the wildlife.  And any walkers!!

Now passing Nether Alderley home of the "BECKS" another group of celebrities who the media think we must know about at all times.  I am waiting for "BECKS" toilet paper to hit the shelves.  It must happen some day??

Down the cobbled Bradford lane consult the map to see if we have another escape route these cobbles are not the best of surfaces to walk on find one and now heading down a nice woodland setting.  Divert over the fields through the farmyard up towards a woodland climbing now but nothing strenous.  See how it looks behind.  What a view the radio telescope at Jodrel Bank pointing to the heavens searching for a signal from the Mars satellite poking through the landscape. It has now turned into a nice afternoons walk. Skirting the woodland I noticed  it was not just a woodland but a kind of long canal structure complete with a terrace.  Myself I think it is a duck decoy or something to do with the shooting people, breed the ducks on the water chase them away then we they gain height and shoot them out of the sky.  All in a days sport.  I always thought sport was a contest between parties that were near equal???  

Now over the fields and I hit the lane should be a path to the left of me going through another woodland copse.  Passing the riding school always looking out for good photo opportunities I now reach the main road so what happened to the footpath??

Look at the map I know it will come out up this road a bit so I walk along the road I then find the track see why I missed it.  I follow the path through the woods and it emerges alongside the riding school.  Own fault for looking at the riders and horses.  In future do keep your eye on the job in hand thank you.

Back down the track across the road and now heading for the"EDGE" light is fading but I do want to finish the recce to the "EDGE".  I find one view point and the sight of the old beacon that was built to warn of the approaching Spanish Armada so long ago no time to look for the "WIZARDS WELL" and other interesting things that make up the tale of this place.

It is now time to head back to Chelford and the car. Cross the road down the woodland track German Sheperd pops its head around the corner of a tree.  Stands back and thinks its a wolf. Then small brain tells me No! its not we do not have wolves in England anymore.

Last one was shot at Last Wolves Fell in Lancashire.
Somebodies claim to fame!!

Dogs guardians appear and we laughed when I told them I thought it was a wolf.  On the serious side large dogs should always be at the side of the person the dog is taking for a walk.

Now leaving the woods and entering the kingdom of the
stockbroker /footballer.  Properties for can they be called homes??  So large you would need a map to find the rooms.  When viewing properties like this I often think of Mother Theresa helping the people in the slums of calcutta.  Or the African mother searching for water with a cracked vase.  Do these people stop and think how fortunate they are. Of course not they are to busy making money in anyway possible.

Now heading for Nether Alderley and the country lanes.  Again light is fading fast but I do have my head harness light for later.  Stop to consult the map deciding to stick to the country lanes many of the paths pass through desirable residencies and they have undesirable dogs loose in the grounds at night time.  

Best to stick to the paths.

It is now dark and time to shift the pace a touch at the junction map tells me go left but high banking and fast cars plus darkness tell me no can do.  Cars headlights show me as if by miracle a footpath sign across the road.  With having failing eyesight and darkness I was unable to see the path on the map.  Guardian Angel was here today.  Thanks!

Across the road and over the fields and a quick look at the map and I had found my original trail again.  Few hundred yards and I was back at the car.  Then it was head for home to take the dog for a walk.  Covered about fourteen mile with the return leg so the walk should be about eight.

Best Wishes

Alan

Posting for Alan aka Backpacker...

Posting for Alan aka Backpacker...

Posting for Alan aka Backpacker...



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Posting for Alan aka Backpacker...

Hi Alan.......I have enjoyed your pictures very much.   I have been to England many years ago and found the country fasinating, especially the rural and country part.   I stayed in some pretty old places while there and had a great time.  

God Bless


Ruthie

AL i also have enjoied your photo's very much
They are beautiful
Thank you for sharing to us
RIA

Thank you Alan for sharing your photos with us...and to Pat for posting all the writing.!

Thankyou Alan...very interesting!

I heard that Pendle was known for Witchcraft.. It certainly looks very frightening there.
The Old church looks very like my Church.St.  Edburghas, Old Yardley Village.

Also, thank-you Pat...Don't overdo things dear, we can wait!

Jenny  

Great editing with the skies.  The look great!

I like all the pictures, but the one that stood out to me was the landscape one with the sheep.  Beautiful country!  I will someday visit and walk those paths.

Thanks for sharing.

Great stories!

Posting for Alan...



I had 28 0n that walk poor old Ruth fell in the churchyard and dislocated her shoulder and broke her wrist.  Ambulance was called and of she went for National Health care/ treatment.  American Bob asked who pays for the ambulance who pays for the treatment.  We do every time we spend a dime in this country.

It was sad to hear them ask were the nearest pub was
located after the walk.  Two miles into town I informed them so that makes it four miles if you want a pint of beer.  I settled for hot chocolate at the Wizard coffee shop.

Hi

Thanks for viewing my photos and the kind comments.  Been very busy lately so apologies for not answering sooner.

And a big thank you to Pat for taking the time to post photos and writing.

I sent the church photo to a digital photo magazine they phoned to tell me I had won a prize.  Sure hope it is something I can use.  Please not photosuite?

Alan

Alan, some breathtaking photos.  But I get tired just reading about your hikes/walks/rambles...  whatever they are!  

Quote from: Backpacker1uk on February 28, 2004, 10:14:43 PM
Hi

Thanks for viewing my photos and the kind comments.  Been very busy lately so apologies for not answering sooner.

And a big thank you to Pat for taking the time to post photos and writing.

I sent the church photo to a digital photo magazine they phoned to tell me I had won a prize.  Sure hope it is something I can use.  Please not photosuite?

Alan

What photo mag. was that, Alan?  I want a copy.  I can say "I know that guy". hehehe...
Congrats!

Alan...Congrtatulations!  You do deserve a prize.  Let us know what they give you please.

Hope you are well dear brother.

Jenny  

Jeanne

I think it is more tiring writing about the walk than actually doing the walk.  I read it back sometimes and think did I actually do all that.

I will keep you informed on the name of the magazine it is due out in April.  Not heard a thing since they phoned.  

Best wishes to all.

Alan

Don't forget your "publicist" over here in Guelph, Alan!  I need to see a copy!  HAhAHAHA!  (just joking)

I just found this article as somebody was viewing it, seen it before, but I thought to look in it again, so found an old slide, I took years ago of an evening view looking nort from the edge itself, friend was doing an errand for someone down that way so we decided to look around the countryside, and climbed up to the edde itself.

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Again Jodrel Bank radio telescope is close by to Alderley so we can't miss that view out either.

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