Crebig one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Crebig here.

I walked from Crewe and was pleased when I reached Bignall End. Walking footpaths I occasionally get the impression of not being welcome. Sometimes it’s that the adjacent landowner wants nothing to do with path users and erects a screen to protect them and their property from path users. Other times it’s a belligerent acceptance of the path blighting their land with actions to make our passing as unpleasant as possible. This walk has it all but I got through, give it a go.

Crewe station has no architectural merit, being a junction station I guess the Company Directors didn’t expect passengers to arrive and depart only change trains. Having said that the adjacent hotel was built to wow guests. The walk along Weston Road is noisy and at the far end a sign directs cyclists to cross so that may be a better route. I can’t see any easy alternative so looks like we are stuck with it.

The first real footpath isn’t countryside, it runs alongside a narrow road that serves Arriva Train Care. There was a time when railways were served by railways, now they rely on road transport, I wonder what that tells us? Two vehicles were held up at the end where a high vis person supervised the crossing of the Stoke Line. Our path turns off to follow the line alongside a tall concrete wall. The surface was good and it was clear of overhanging vegetation, I have walked far worse. I was also impressed by the duck board section, what dedication from Cheshire East to provide a good surface on this otherwise depressing path. It ended with a level crossing of the railway for those who don’t like them.

More essential duckboards on the other side then the path bursts out into a large green area, escape at last. Cynical me wonders how long this will remain green as large scale development is taking place on the other side of the hedge and west of the A5020 where a roundabout is ready and waiting for connecting roads. There are signs for our footpath but they are not pretty. Will Crotia Mill Farm survive? I didn’t fancy following the plotted route here and fortunately Mill Lane did get a bridge provided to cross the A500, so I used it and would advise you do likewise.

Weston has, or more likely had, a convenience store but it does have a large inn cum hotel perhaps filled with users of the three recreational walking routes that pass through. So we follow the Two Saints Way (TSW) briefly on a roadside pavement. The two saints, saintly stays on the road and we foolishly take to the fields. We can’t go wrong to the road crossing although something is not quite in the correct place. The road is straight so fast but at least sight lines are good. Entering Access Land we need to regain the original line stepping right a short way which mirrors the offset on the approach side.

The area now entered looks absolutely weird on the map, on the ground it fails to make the same impact. It appears that this and other housing estate developments around here have been dumped in open countryside. The map also shows a labyrinth of paths in addition to our own definitive paths but only the latter serve any purpose other than dog walking, they fail to link with any other access points. The access land meets Snape Lane but there is no access point so we stay on the plot and take the admittedly quiet lane rejoining the TSW.

The plotted route uses a challenging footpath around Englesea-Brook so misses the chapel and museum to Primitive Methodism. Feeling saintly? That would be a better route. Leaving the village things do improve with an uncultivated strip showing us the way. All well and good until approaching Balterley Green and entering Staffordshire where the householder has diverted the rain water from their substantial outbuilding some six foot across their land to ensure it floods our footpath.

Staffordshire stiles, for Staffordshire read decrepit, take us to Mill Dale Farm where users of Audley FP12 are required to walk on water so it’s a bit confusing. At a wooden pole we are required to scramble up the bank again meeting the Saints who will have to prove themselves or get wet feet as they depart along FP12. Our path, Audley 10 has been broken up into small cattle grazing paddocks. There are stiles at the many electric fences so no complaints there but was this also the only location for the large drinking troughs where the cattle will congregate blocking access to the stile and turning the grass into mud?

Crossing the road we take Audley FP81 where a sign warns ’Beware of Alpaca’. I’ve seen them in fields but never got up close so didn’t know what to expect, do they bite, do the spit, do they kick? The path was fenced from the field but the hedge was very overgrown and brushed my coat as I was forced to stay close to the wire. At the bottom of the field the segregating fence ends and two alpaca appear. One is very nosey and extends it’s long neck towards me. Sheep I can deal with although I’m less happy about the rams who have been known to live up to their name when I encountered a group without ewes. I decided to find an alternative route through the hedge. I now read that they are friendly but then all the sites seen are offering alpaca expeditions, I’m not convinced and why the sign to beware of them?

That wasn’t the end of it. What a convoluted path this is. I cross a dilapidated bridge then head up the field, checking the plot, I’m wrong. I back track to find a fallen step stool in a hedge gap then another bridge to recross the stream, whew!

Under the motorway then crossing a minor road to rejoin the TSW passing a reservoir and a very muddy field and eventually dropping down towards Audley. Back on roads there is a climb to the site of a motte close to the parish church, contour lines also indicate a good defensive position especially as we now take a big dipper fall and second climb to Bignall End.

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