Sandstone Trail Day Two Willington to Burwardsley

Today’s section of the Sandstone Trail turns out to be a walk of two halves, the first, fields and crops, the second canals, woods and castles. I’m dropped off where I finished last week and the early walking is a very pleasant downhill section along a pretty tree lined track. Thick old oaks and beech trees line the trail, roots exposed on some by the erosion of the path. The walking is easy along soft earth with views between the oaks of flat green fields and distant Welsh hills. It’s another warm dry summers day and the morning sun is strobing through the leaves.

I could walk this kind of path all day but unfortunately it ends all too soon at a country lane called John Street. From here the trail crosses lots of farmers fields, all full of varying crops of maize, barley and wheat with occasionally cows to provide variety. I say cross but invariably the path skirts around the edges of the fields as they are full and ripe for harvesting and it would be unwise to go traipsing across a farmers income. If, like me you are doing this section in summer, be prepared for diversions, nettles and overgrown paths.

Once Wharton’s Lock is reached however, the landscape changes. The fields are left behind and Beeston Castle, which has been looming ever closer on the horizon for a while now becomes the focus of attention.

It’s just about lunch time and having read a plaque on a bench by the lock “commemorating the lives of Frank and Iris Snelson, rest awhile and enjoy what they enjoyed” I feel compelled to do just that. Sitting in the sunshine enjoying my sandwich I watch a man on a narrow boat negotiate what seems a rather complicated procedure of turning handles, shutting gates, turning handles and opening gates in order to lower his boat twenty feet down the Shropshire Union Canal.

Lunchtime over I cross the canal bridge and make my way up to Beeston Castle. The castle dominates the Cheshire plain sitting as it does on top of a sandstone crag three hundred and fifty feet above the surrounding countryside. Built in the 1220’s by the 6th Earl of Chester after his return from the crusades it is now owned by English Heritage and is a popular visitor attraction.

I pass by the main gates and head down a path that runs behind the cafe and opens out into a small but quiet and secluded wooded area with tall straight pines reaching for the sky and a soft pine needle carpeted floor.

I walk down through the wood, cross a couple of fields and then enter the larger woods of the Peckforton Estate at Peckforton castle. Unlike its near neighbour Peckforton Castle is not old or historic. In fact it isn’t even a castle. Built in the middle of the nineteenth century in the style of a medieval castle It is now a luxury hotel. The only part of it seen from the route is a turret rising above the trees with a Union Jack blowing in the wind.

I’m nearing the end of this second section and am tiring a bit but walking through the woods of Peckforton Estate is possibly the highlight of the day. The wide well trodden path provides easy walking and the dense well established forest is rich with ferns and bushes of every shade of green. All is still and the gentle singing of the birds is the only noise, the sun dances on the path and the atmosphere is perfect for some quiet contemplation at the end of what has been a satisfying days walk.

Initially the path passes through the heart of the wood but soon reaches the edge of the forest where it contours around the slopes of Peckforton Hill. To my left, the seemingly impenetrable forest rises up giving a view of perhaps thirty metres whilst to my right the hillside drops away revealing views across to the Clwydian hills thirty miles away. My day ends at the Pheasant Inn enjoying those views over the Cheshire flatlands whilst waiting for my lift home.

To see a route map, stats and geolocated photos of this walk click ‘Learn more’ below