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Churnet Way: Cheddleton to Leek

It was a grey and misty day in a succession of grey and misty days. The sun seems to have gone into hibernation. There are still autumn leaves around to brighten things up, though, and I was glad to get out.


Cheddleton is not well-endowed with car parks. I found a roadside spot near the primary school and walked back along the road, past a war memorial gate, to St Edward's Church. Inside there were candles to light - always a nice touch.


door to St Edward's church


I followed a well-used path along one side of the canal to Basford Bridge, where I finished last time, and then back along the towpath on the other side. Two miles' walking to end up almost where I started! A metal fabricating business proved that there is still some functioning industry in the area. Its yard was piled with galvanised troughs and what looked like giant coat hangers.

Basford Bridge



The Flint Mill is a reminder of past industry. There are two water wheels which used to power machinery to grind flint for the potteries. A volunteer pulled up in his car just as I arrived, which triggered a flurry of ducks. "I'm late with their breakfast today," he said as he scattered seed around. "We started with seven ducks, and now there's sixty."



 

I continued along the Caldon Canal towpath. It was nicely surfaced, so very easy walking. I was surprised to discover some overgrown rails just off the canal. There used to be a line running down to Stoke-on-Trent, but it's marked as dismantled on the map, so I assumed the track had long gone.


Getting to a road, I turned right, walked uphill a short distance, and found myself on another canal. I was slightly puzzled for a moment, until I realised that this was the Leek branch of the Caldon Canal. It comes off the main canal and runs parallel for a while, higher up the side of the valley, before curving towards Leek.


view across the valley

This house had a long sloping garden with a unicycle leaning against the wall at the bottom. Did someone unicycle down those steps? I wondered. Or did they pedal around that small patio, perilously close to the canal?


The Leek Branch meandered along, ran through a short tunnel (were these cows waiting to go through?) and ended abruptly at a former aqueduct. Underneath was the River Churnet. On top, a sign welcomed me to Leek. A nice touch, even though it was really just an industrial estate on the outskirts of town. I wasn't getting as far as the town centre today.



the end of the canal

Hello Leek!

Instead, I turned left and dropped down to the River Churnet. I enjoyed being beside a brisk bubbling river, after so long next to still, silent canals. It wasn't so pleasant trying to find a safe place to cross the busy A53. There I joined the Staffordshire Way and crossed Ladderedge Country Park. A picnic bench on a hill made a good spot for lunch. I'm sure the views are even better on a sunny day.

River Churnet with aqueduct

A53 milestone

lunch at Ladderedge
 

Scurrying across the A53 again, I scooted past a garbage truck on a narrow lane. "You're all right on that side, duck," the bin man reassured me. The lane became a track, then a footpath, before widening to a lane again. Looking at the map, I realised I was walking along the same bit of valley for the third time. First the Caldon Canal at the bottom, next the Leek Branch a little higher up, and now this section of road, looking down on both canals. Soon I was back at the bridge over the Caldon Canal again.

misty views

My original route plan took me along a single-track road called Park Lane, which would have led me directly to the car. However, there were "Road Closed" signs and I could see a bulldozer blocking the way. I wasn't at all disappointed to be forced to walk through Deep Hayes Country Park. It looked interesting, even though it was a longer route.

old outlet valves from the reservoir

There used to be a reservoir here, but it closed decades ago and was repurposed into several smaller pools to provide wildlife habitat. I liked the waterfalls with stepping stones beneath them. Once the pools had dwindled to a stream, the path got muddier. This was the first real mud I'd encountered on this walk - it had all been remarkably dry and well-paved, in contrast to previous sections.


a mossy spring


Joining a public footpath, I passed a bench dedicated to several footpath workers and members of the Ramblers Association. Then the route took me across a few horse fields and back to the Old School Tearooms, just over the road from the new school. Sadly the cafe was closed, but it was nearly an hour's drive home and I needed to get going anyway. I'd have some coffee at home.


Old School Tearooms

Cheddleton - Leek  9.6 miles / 15 km

5 November 2024

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