Mow Cop

Another beautiful day and we decided to take a walk up Mow (as in cow) Cop. This is a hill nearly 1100 feet above sea level, today the view was a bit hazy, but you look out over the Cheshire Plain, and into Wales. 

The building on the top of Mow Cop, was built originally in the 1754 by the local squire, Randle Wilbraham, who lived at Rode Hall. It was built in the style of a castle and the family used it as a summerhouse for picnics and entertaining friends.

Close to Mow Cop Castle is this large lump of gritstone left standing after gritstone was quarried here.

It is known as The Old Man O Mow, and from this angle I suppose it does look like a man.

On the way down, this old tree, making a lovely sight, mostly dead but what a great size and shape against the blue sky.

Then we walked along to Little Moreton Hall a fantastic example of a Tudor black and white timbered, moated house, once belonging to the Moreton Family and built between in the 15th century with impprovements added over the years. 

The timbers would have originally been left their natural colour, weathered to silvery grey. The black and white was a Victorian improvement.

The house was built with green oak, easier to carve and to work making the joints etc, which has meant it has moved into the irregular shapes you see now.

Inside the courtyard these wonderful windows, a later addition (1559) can be admired. Tiny panes of glass in oak frames, with lovely carving around.

Richard Dale the carpenter left his mark for all to see.

The doorway into the great hall, also beautifully carved,

Hard to believe these have been here for over 500 years.

Outside, the knot garden surrounded by yew hedges, with box hedges making the knot pattern,

being trimmed by Alan the gardener, it takes him 80 hours to cut the box hedges alone.

In the orchard a Medlar tree, ooh I'd have loved to have a go at Medlar Jelly with some of these!

Once we got back to the boat, we moved on along the Macclesfield to the junction with the Trent and Mersey, at Hardings Wood.

The Macclesfield Canal crossing the Red Bull Aqueduct, before it takes a sharp turn and onto the Trent and Mersey going down through 2 locks before passing back under the Red Bull Aqueduct. (I think that makes sense!)

Narrow locks, but in pairs, this is the second lock taken from the Red Bull aqueduct.

Here you can just make out the higher level Macclesfield and the lower level, Trent and Mersey.

and again, its hard to get the two levels of canal in the same picture.

Today's autumn picture, Horse Chestnut trees.

4 miles, 7 locks