The butties at the Station House café were the 'best ever', and if only we'd also had time to devour one of their giant mince pies, said Tone, who decided to carry out a quick structural survey of the chimney before we left.
It had been a good turnout and a most enjoyable day despite the weather conditions. The quality of food and drink at the pub, together with the service, and of course the fantastic company of everyone in the group, bought the day to a happy conclusion.
Cheers
Yuppers
(enjoy yer slush)
Exiting the final field before hitting the main road back to the Fishpool, there was an opportunity to wash your boots in a waterfall running down some stone steps from the adjacent waterlogged field. Unfortunately it was the only route out of the field so both boots, socks and feet were thoroughly washed and cleaned.
CHECK OUT THE VIDEOS BELOW:
The Shorter Sqwalkers were driven to the Visitor Center to start their walk. Barb had almost dropped out after deciding it was too cold to walk on her own; and Helen had also put up a strong resistance to getting out of Will's warm car. However, the group soon grew to 7 with Wendy, Will, Ann and Helen, and Janet and Mo so a decision to continue was made easier.
The group opted for a relaxing cuppa by a log fire in the Visitor's Centre, before setting off. Wendy enjoyed a hot chocolate drink with whipped cream and a chocolate flake, mmmmmm.
So, the 2 groups set off
The longer walk group of 17 took advantage of the toilets at the Fishpool as the heavy snow storm suddenly stopped, signaling the start of a wonderful dry day, albeit slushy underfoot. How do we do it?
Unfortunately the first stretch was along a road where inconsiderate motorists made every attempt to drench us with slush as they passed. So much for staying dry……
Whilst Yup held back to make sure those at the rear didn't get lost, the front runners continued on and missed the field entrance to the fort at Eddisbury Hill. Thank goodness Janet had kept her phone switched on and wasn't as deaf as the rest, otherwise the walk would have been extended by a few more miles.
THE 99TH OFFICE SQWALK DELAMERE FOREST (Routes shown below the notes)
29th Dec 2017
Up for it were:
Anytime Tone, Part time Chris, Laura, Rachel, Cheryl, Anne Marie, Jeanette, Sue, Gill and Mark, Yup and Barb, Will, Anne and Helen, Tom, Brolly Wolly Bagman of Talke Talke and Janet, 2 Pie Hard Dave, Tim, Janet and Mo, Hecky Thump and Wendy Thump.
Spike's crew, Margy, DCeen and a few more sadly couldn't make it.
It was an early start on a dark and wet morning as the groups of keen walkers turned up at Delamere where a 9am start was proposed.
A 28 seater (Warringtons) coach had been booked for the ever changing numbers of travellers from the Potteries although only around 15-16 eventually used it. The walkers intending to complete the longer 9.6 mile walk were dropped off at The Fishpool Inn and the 'shorter walkers' continued on to the Delamere Visitors Centre where they would complete a more modest 7 mile walk under the guidance of Mrs Yupmeister and eventually meet up back at the Fishpool for lunch. The 2 groups were to meet up just once later at the entrance to the forest.
Following the red markers on the red route around the Blakemere Moss proved difficult for some. Maybe it was because we were walking in an anticlockwise direction? That was followed by a steep climb to the Pale Heights viewpoint where the Mersey estuary could be seen.
The slushy conditions certainly took it out of some of the longer walkers, with Jeanette asking once or twice, 'how much further is it to the pub?'; a question regularly asked however by many of us on most walks. Anne Marie floated around despite the fact she hadn't been a regular walker of late.
Barb led the group clockwise, carrying a yuletide log around the lake, along the red route, until it was time for brekky at the Station House café.
Tables had been reserved for us in the conservatory part of the pub and the food orders were well sorted by a very efficient Irish waitress. Chip connoisseur Barb noted that the chips weren't real. 'No one else chipped in', added Will.
Yup and Helen couldn't believe their eyes as gigantic pies were placed in front of them. Aaaarrh.
The bill took some reconciling until we realized the deposits made weeks before hadn't been subtracted from the total. Phew.
'Darn it', said Helen. 'no signal'.
During the final stretch of the walk back to the Fishpool, Will's balls froze solid, so he had to bang them on a fence to loosen them up; as you do. The relief on Will's face was clear to see.
