Leeche one

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I walked this route from Cheadle to Leek in August 2023. It starts as a comfortable, hard surfaced route and continues like that until it crosses Lockwood Road where it becomes a footpath. Strangely, although the original route seems to follow a footpath between Tay Close and Cherry Lane, once I switched navigation on my app (OutdoorActive), it took me in a rather convoluted manner round the streets around Hales Hall Pool.

Once over Lockwood Road the path goes into the woodland where you have to be on your toes as it takes a turn downhill, away from the clearer track that follows the contour of the hill. The tricky bit starts when the path starts following the river Churnet. The section from the pond at East Wall Farm to Froghall is pretty impenetrable in places - nettles, bracken, mud, take your pick. Long trousers and walking poles are definitely helpful! The photos I uploaded are mainly from that section.

The section from Froghall to Cheddleton follows the canal and it's a stroll on a wide, shady path. The downer here was the fact that the Black Lion in Consall - where I planned a drink stop - was closed for refurbishment. The next pub is 30 min further (The Boat Inn in Cheddleton) and is well worth a stop. This is a good point to stop if you had enough - follow the canal to the bus stop on main road in Cheddleton and take a bus to Leek.

From Cheddleton to Leekbrook the route follows lanes and good paths. From Leekbrook, the route stays on a main road which is very busy and not at all pleasant to follow. I'd suggest the following change: After leaving the footpath at Leekbrook, follow the main A520 Leek Road until just before the viaduct. Take a left turning (marked Leekbrook Junction) ignoring the "no public right of way" notices: the road is the only access road to a footpath leading to Leek and everyone uses it. Continue past the industrial bit and a few houses, under a viaduct until a newly constructed footpath that follows the old railway line to Leek. The footpath ends close to Morrisons, and from there there are a number of routes that can be followed to the town centre. It might be a tad longer, but it is much quieter that the main A 520.

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