As November approached and the rich colours of Autumn were in full vibrancy I decided to take this opportunity to experience autumn before it faded into winter, and headed across Cheshire for a low hill, woodland walk.
This took me to a circular walk up and over the hills that run on the Sandstone trail, a popular long distance walk that runs 34 miles/55 kilometres over Cheshire’s countryside. I chose this area as it features dramatic sandstone ridges and outstanding panoramas, which at this time of the year provides a beautiful scene of contrasting colours. It is also an area steeped in history with hill forts and settlements featured along the ridge dating back to the Iron Age.
This took me to a circular walk up and over the hills that run on the Sandstone trail, a popular long distance walk that runs 34 miles/55 kilometres over Cheshire’s countryside. I chose this area as it features dramatic sandstone ridges and outstanding panoramas, which at this time of the year provides a beautiful scene of contrasting colours. It is also an area steeped in history with hill forts and settlements featured along the ridge dating back to the Iron Age.
View across North Cheshire
Having parked at the Sandstone Pub, formally known as the Copper Mine, I crossed the A534 and headed through a gate and into the field alongside Fullersmoor Farm. At this point the skies were blue, holding a hazy, low-hung sun, whilst the air was crisp and filled with the smell of chimney smoke, creating the perfect autumnal atmosphere. I made my way up to Park Wood which provided a great view across the north of Cheshire, where I could make out certain features, such as the River Dee and Stanlow Refinery, amongst the rich autumnal colours.
From here I continued on the path passing the enclosed woodland to the right and walked down into the small village of Harthill, passing the church and a house with an intriguing and abundant display of different ornaments in the front garden. After the Harthill Cookery School I continued down the narrow path, gradually increasing in gradient as I paralled the fields that contain ‘Hales Superbole’ track – a rugged trail with obstacles and such for a mountain style skateboard to be ridden on.
Spot the pheasant in the corn crop!
After stopping for a while to watch I then continued uphill to Bodnik Wood, an area where the true force of autumn was in full bloom as I crunched across the leaf scattered woodland. Here I stumbled across a bouquet of pheasants in all their squawking glory! Now, for those who are familiar to the sound of a pheasants call, I’m sure you will agree that for such a beautiful and graceful looking bird, its call is anything but. It is more like a broken fog horn, and can be a bit unnerving if you didn't know what was making the noise!
For the next hour or so, this was the noise that dominated the sandstone ridge, which was actually quite nice once you had got used to the sound. Having come out of the woods and down the hill into a field next to a cosy looking house with its chimney going, I crossed the narrow track and continued on the path through a small beech wood which brings you to a quiet lane. Here I took a left and walked up the lane to a point where the path to Raw Head was signposted to the right. Here I walked through the woodland and stopped when I noticed a woodpecker flying to and fro, easily identified by its unique flight style. I watched for a while to identify it as a lesser spotted woodpecker, and then began to notice the abundance of small birds flying about the trees. From Nuthatch, Tree Creeper, to Robin and various others, it was a hive of activity and quite splendid to watch as the sun shone through the wood sending beams of light amongst the trees.
The path eventually leaves the woodland and brings you up to an exposed hillside where I could look down to the valley and see where I had walked from. Turning right, I followed the path along the sandstone ridge passing a meadow to my left which feature a grand view across the south of Cheshire behind it. After a short while I reached the summit of Raw Head (227m Highest point in Cheshire, west of the Pennines) where a trig point sat and there was a great view across the Cheshire Plain and beyond, thought a couple of trees slightly obscured what used to be an open view.
Mad Allen's first cave house
Though the view was incredible, what really intrigued me with this part of the walk was in fact a cave that is situated a few metres away from the summit. This cave is said to be ‘Mad Allen’s Hole where apparently, in the 18th Century, a hermit used to live having chosen to live this way after being spurned by a girl he had asked to marry him. Having got the hump, he sold his possessions and went to spend the rest of his years living in caves, firstly this one before up scaling to another cave on Bickerton Hill. The cave itself is pretty impressive, not huge, but features some tunnels and goes back fairly deep so makes for a decent enough shelter.
I’m sure with a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ it would have made a nice home!
I’m sure with a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ it would have made a nice home!
Having explored the cave and spooked myself enough (there was no one else about but I could have sworn someone called out), I continued on the path that leads from the summit and down through the wooded hillside to the road to Chiflik Farm. Here I crossed the A543 and headed down the road to Bickerton Village, passing the church and taking the path on the right into the woodlands that lead up to Bickerton Hill, where again, the full colours of Autumn were on display. This was a busy area with many people about with families or dog walkers even though it was fairly late in the afternoon, with the sun promising to set within the next hour or so.
Sandstone escarpment
Having followed the well trodden track I came to near the summit of the hill, where again you were welcomed with a splendid view of the surrounding area and I was able to trace where I had walked so far, starting from the Sandstone Pub. Talking of caves, I decided it was time to look for Mad Allen’s next dwelling which I had been told lay beneath the sandy outcrop on which I was stood. There was no path leading to the cave as such, so it was a bit of a renegade approach to getting there. Not that I actually knew where I was going.
Freaky face in the sandstone!
Eventually, having done some jungle style trail-blazing, that I would not recommend, I came across a tall sandstone wall which I figured was the outcrop I had been standing on. Sure enough there was deep cut outs in the wall and a rather cosy, albeit small, cave. I took a look inside and wondered just how mad Mad Allen had become in his later years as this cave was pants compared to the other at Raw Head. Well. The ghost of Mad Allen did not seem too happy with insult to his abode and before I knew it I looked up only to see some scary looking face in the sandstone! I made my excuses and left before questioning my own insanity and continued to nosey around the sandstone wall, only to become face to face with a cave fit for a king (kind of).
Mad Allen's second Cave
The first cave was just the out-building it seems, as the next cave across was much bigger with all sorts of features one would require in their abode. There were a number of ‘rooms’ of all different size that were linked to each other and lead to the main area that seemed to have its own shelves in the sandstone walls. This was probably down to erosion more than a mad man’s DIY attempts, but still added a nice touch to the cave. It even featured a mezzanine floor and has an incredible view from the front!
Now we were talking. This is ‘cave life’ at its best and it's no wonder that Mad Allen stayed here until he died aged 70yrs!
Now we were talking. This is ‘cave life’ at its best and it's no wonder that Mad Allen stayed here until he died aged 70yrs!
I struggled back up the hill and onto the path which lead to the Kitty Memorial, a really beautiful memorial stone for a lady called Kitty who was from the area. It was laid by her husband and features some of the most beautiful poetry written by him in memory of her. It tells of her love for the hills and their times spent walking here, as well as their times spent on the islands off the west coast of Scotland which resonates deeply with me. How amazing it would be to have someone love you that much that they create this as a testament of their love and also of your love for the hills.
The sun was soon to begin to set so I left the memorial and continued on; stopping only when something to the left of me caught my eye. There in amongst the bracken, complete with twigs and leaves in its hair, was a wild pony. What on earth is a wild pony doing on top of a hill on the Sandstone Trail? Before long, I was seeing a fair few of them dotted about and still could not understand why they were here looking like those that I had encountered many times in the wilderness of Scotland.
Confused, and again questioning my sanity, I picked up the pace a bit and arrived at Maidens Castle on Larkton Hill, the remains of an Iron Age fort dating back to first century BC. This fort was part of a group of hill forts which lined the central ridge of Cheshire and the history surrounding those who built it and lived there is really interesting and is worth further investigation.
Confused, and again questioning my sanity, I picked up the pace a bit and arrived at Maidens Castle on Larkton Hill, the remains of an Iron Age fort dating back to first century BC. This fort was part of a group of hill forts which lined the central ridge of Cheshire and the history surrounding those who built it and lived there is really interesting and is worth further investigation.
Leaving the hill I walked on until I came to a cross road in the woods. Here I turned right and followed the path which eventually ends at a wooden gate where there is an information board, which I decided to read and actually answered my questions as to why there were what seemed to be wild ponies on the hill. Apparently they were brought there as part of the Forestry Commission’s project to deal with the overwhelming amount of bracken that is taking over and causing other plant life to suffer.
The view from the Kitty Memorial, Bickerton Hill
Happy that I had not imagined them and that I had not gone Mad like Allen, I continued down the path until it came to a T-junction where I took a right and followed the road down into the village of Brown Knowl. Here I walked on until I came to the Sandstone Pub where I had started just as the sun had begun to set.
This was a great walk which provided a real sense of Autumn as the warm, rich hues of both the leaves and sandstone ridges created a vibrant display of colour. It also allowed for a great ridge walk and some great views across Cheshire and beyond. Add in the crazed sound of pheasants, crazed eyes of wild ponies and mad men living in caves, and you have an endearing walk filled with wonderment and intrigue.
This was a great walk which provided a real sense of Autumn as the warm, rich hues of both the leaves and sandstone ridges created a vibrant display of colour. It also allowed for a great ridge walk and some great views across Cheshire and beyond. Add in the crazed sound of pheasants, crazed eyes of wild ponies and mad men living in caves, and you have an endearing walk filled with wonderment and intrigue.
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