Author Topic: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack  (Read 1626 times)

vghikers

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2605
[TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« on: 12:45:43, 07/07/19 »
A solo 2-day varied linear route based on the historic pack-horse trail of a medieval salt way from its mining source at Northwich on the Cheshire plain to Saltersford Hall in the hills of the western Peak District.

Needing a quick backpack route for a couple of days near to home, I thought of this little known trail that has gathered dust for many years on our books and, to our knowledge, has never been reported. Most of the Cheshire plain section is new territory of low level country walkling, while the Peak District section presents some new paths and some familiar hillwalking landscapes from a different vantage.

On public transport, Lostock Gralam station seemed a better choice than Northwich for walking to the start of the SW: though a little longer, there is a towpath to follow along the Trent and Mersey canal. To complete this backpack, from Saltersford Hall I ascended to the ridge of Windgather Rocks and descended into the Dale of Goyt to join the Midshires Way northwards to Whaley Bridge station.

Northwich, along with Middlewich and Nantwich, are the main towns historically based on the salt trade and the westernmost section of the SW passes a number of working brine pump installations. Other industrial themes both old and new feature periodically on this route.

Full report & photos

karl h

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2350
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #1 on: 14:27:19, 07/07/19 »
Great stuff Geoff  O0
Amazing what you can find on your own doorstep.
I love the contrast in the first two pictures..talk about worlds apart ;)

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #2 on: 20:31:11, 07/07/19 »
Smashing write up and pics.  Enjoyed reading that  :)

vghikers

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2605
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #3 on: 12:22:11, 08/07/19 »
@karl - thanks a lot.  The Cheshire Plain is flat as a pancake and made a change, unusually interesting in parts. The industrial bit on the canal had interest too, better than walking along a busy road from Northwich.

@Mel - thanks again, appreciated.

sunnydale

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9105
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #4 on: 09:47:06, 09/07/19 »
Great photos & blog post vg O0
***Happiness is only a smile away***

pleb

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5761
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #5 on: 10:56:18, 09/07/19 »
Excellent  O0
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

barewirewalker

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4226
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #6 on: 12:41:19, 09/07/19 »
Interesting route and TR.
We did a walk in South East Cheshire on Sunday. A little south of you, flat yes, but uninteresting no. There is a an area devoid footpaths, in NE Shropshire, surrounding an Estate owned by the family of a Chairman of the Shropshire County Council in the 1960's.

It is terrain that deserves exploration, you will look across flat land, then walk up on pure beauty that drops away at your feet. Trouble is several Cheshire RoW stop dead at the county boundary, some in the middle of a farm. I was talking to a retired farmer there, his daughter had married the grandson of a close friend of mine. Small World  :D .
Your TR made me take a closer look at the map around there. O0

BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

April

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9687
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #7 on: 15:11:21, 09/07/19 »
Interesting route vghikers  O0 Like Karl says such contrasts in the photos. Love the Windgather Rocks shot  :)

24 miles  :o So beyond what I can manage  :-[
Hate will never win

vghikers

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2605
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #8 on: 16:38:33, 09/07/19 »
@ sunnydale, pleb - Thanks a lot,
@ April - thanks very much, really interesting stuff in the contrasts. That distance again is just a sedate pace starting early, I was hanging about for an hour or two waiting for the stragglers to depart on Tegg's Nose.

@barewirewalker - Interesting stuff. I think you peruse maps as much as I do, I read them on my monitor like most people read books, for hours at a time. There are many frustrating oddities with footpaths like those you mention, as well as pockets of access land with no ROW means of reaching them.

Zizag

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 618
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #9 on: 22:28:13, 09/07/19 »
Very Interesting Walk /Hike .
I walk a lot around Cheshire ,having done walks around Northwich ,Mersey forest also did lots of walks on the Trent and Mersey Canal and all the areas you have mentioned .
Especially The Goyt Valley and the route you went ,Saltersford Hall near Jenkins chapel Pym Chair and Windgather  rocks also Along The Midshires way ,Taxal edge around Toddbrook reservoir .Whaley bridge .  

 
Having crisscrossed these areas lots of times .  
all lovely places for days out .  

vghikers

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2605
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #10 on: 10:58:10, 10/07/19 »
@zigzag - Thanks, there is much to enjoy in all these areas with plenty of interest.

barewirewalker

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4226
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #11 on: 11:43:49, 10/07/19 »
@barewirewalker - Interesting stuff. I think you peruse maps as much as I do, I read them on my monitor like most people read books, for hours at a time. There are many frustrating oddities with footpaths like those you mention, as well as pockets of access land with no ROW means of reaching them.
I do indeed, and have lot to thank you for.  O0

The oddities are often the explanations, but I think a quirky mind is needed to see them. The great part is being able to read the terrain when it is under your feet, to have the right questions to ask local people without putting there backs up, that I seem to here anyway!
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Jac

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3553
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #12 on: 07:21:32, 12/07/19 »
Fascinating industry contrasting with the lovely scenery. Where does the brine get pumped to?
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

vghikers

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2605
Re: [TR] The Salter's Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #13 on: 10:47:14, 12/07/19 »
@Jac - thanks, it was surprisingly pleasant in the outer parts of the quarry especially.
Those brine pumps, pumping water in and brine out, are doing "controlled pumping", as opposed to the old "wild" methods that gave rise to major subsidence problems in the area. I don't know exactly what happens to the brine and it's difficult to find out. A quick web search gives most results about subsidence issues and links to turgid PDFs about compensation and regulations.

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy