On Top of the World in the sun.

 Today we were having a walk for the day so the boat is to be left in charge of Macy the Cat.

We didn't need to go to far from the boat to get this view of Manchester city centre in the distance. (Obviously zoomed in a bit).

It was great to see the Cross Green Methodist church which was of the New Connexion persuasion. It was built in 1861 and it is well maintained and used for weekly services too. It also offers temporary meeting places for meetings, groups of walkers etc. So it seems to get well used. It is really close to the West Park Gate to the Lyme Estate.

The walk up the hill towards the National Trust Lyme Park was lovely with the sunlight filtering through the trees. It was an easy climb and so lovely and quiet. I think we passed only two couples on the way down.

It was already getting busy when we arrived at the big house just before 11am. The east front was lit by the great day.

We headed to the Timber Yard where the cafe and shop were to be found. We even sat outside in the sunshine and beat the crowds too. By the time we finished the numbers in the car park had doubled.

We left on the Grit Stone Trail as we walked up through the estate towards the ridge above the house. On the hill behind is the Cage. This can be glimpsed from the canal. It was built in 1524 and was probably used as a hunting lodge or a watch tower. The name Cage comes from the period when it was used as a holding prison for people who had been caught poaching on the estate. You can also make out the avenue of trees leading to it from the house.

The walk through the Knightslow Woods above the house was as enchanting as that below. We were soon out on to the moor and ascending up to the ridge. It wasn't as steep as I thought it may have been and we soon reached the Bowstonesgate at the top.

The view to east and west was stunning in the light of the beautiful day. We were going to take the first path off the top, but it was so great we carried on for another mile. This is the view to the north east.

e stopped to eat our sandwiches at the view point at the high spot and in the distance we could see Manchester city centre, Manchester Airport and Jodrell Bank Telescope. It's actual name is the Lovell Telescope and it was built in 1957 and it weighs 3200 tonnes of which the bowl weighs 1500 tonnes and it is over 76 mts in dia.

As we start to descend the ridge we could see the trees coming up to meet us. Manchester Airport is the long white stripe towards the horizon near the right hand side.

Moorside Quarry is now a big bite out of the countryside, but obviously worked out. In 1870 there was no quarrying here, but the hill was full of coal mines. There were several pits all around the top of the moor. There was a tramway down the slope to the road where there was a brickworks from around 1820 where the coal was used to fire the fire clay also from the mine. By 1886 they were making white glazed bricks. Later they were exporting bricks to South Africa, Rhodesia and Australia. The mines were closed in 1956 and filled and capped by 1968. The brickworks was still making refractory cement and chemicals into the 1990's and it is now a mixed uses industrial estate. Some quarrying was also taking place by 1890's but the main level of quarrying seems to be coming up to WWII and afterwards.

As we descended further from the moorlands we came across these ponds that are obviously used for fishing and they are overflowing the weir, onto the path between the two pools. They were obviously attached to the Birchencliff Farm.

Birchencliff Farm was built as a model farm in the early 1800's It had a three story farm house and two courtyards with farm buildings all around. It seems to have largely been converted into homes and I expect it is mainly older people there as it is very quiet, although not far from Macclesfield, Manchester airport etc.

As we followed the track down from the farm to the road we came across this building. At first I thought it was another 'tin tabernacle' chapel building, and we were surprised to see it was called the Coffee Tavern and was open, so it would have been a sin to not call in. It was a lovely place with the stove going and a highly polished floor, and several people all enjoying their food! It had been 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee and was used as a lending library. By the early 2000's it had become the Coffee Tavern. The food looked great and was not expensive. It is only about 20 mins from Bridge 18.

It has been a fantastic walk in the beautiful weather and a nice break from the gloomy weather.