Distance: 4 miles or 6 miles Difficulty: Easy Type of terrain: grassland, paths, road Starting point: Knutsford town centre Resources: 100 walks in Cheshire Knutsford, a picturesque Cheshire town, known for its staggering choice of restaurants and cafes, is the perfect setting to top and tail a gentle Glamoraks walk. Just a few minutes drive from junction 19 on the M6 or by train direct from Manchester Piccadilly, it’s very easy to find this attractive historic town. It’s also great for celeb spotting. One of Take That recently helped someone back into a parking space and it’s not uncommon to see a Coronation Street star walking down the street. Park up in the town centre car park, opposite the art deco Belle Époque restaurant, once the setting for ITV's Brideshead Revisited, and then head up King Street. This street is one way so walk in the same direction as the traffic to reach Tatton Park. It would be a shame to start your walk with an empty stomach so pop into Piccolinos, an Italian eatery for their popular brunch. They have a great choice from traditional English breakfast to healthy options like porridge & fruit. After brunch continue up King Street until you see the impressive stone arch that straddles the entrance to the park. As you pass through the pedestrian gates either side of the cattle grid, you have three choices, left through the wooded area, straight on along the road and or to the right, down beside the lake, known locally as the Mere. All routes eventually lead you to Tatton hall, and even on the road you can get very close to the deer that nonchalantly roam the grassland. The park is popular with joggers, dog walkers & cyclists and one frosty morning, I saw a brave cyclist working up a sweat on a penny-farthing. This is not unusual given that we have the Penny Farthing museum in the town, home to over thirty Penny Farthings as well as what is believed to be the oldest bike in the UK. Worth a visit at the start or end of your walk as they also serve tea & cakes. At the end of the lake, known as the Mere, you automatically come back to the main road, which leads up to the Hall. You can stay on the road for ease or it’s not difficult to spot grassy pathways leading in a similar direction, which is softer underfoot. Once you reach Tatton Hall, which is about 1.5 miles from the main entrance, you can visit the mansion, the housekeepers shop as well as the gardens. In the summer months you can get lost in the copper beech maze, relax in the Japanese shrubbery or explore the walled kitchen garden. You can also buy fresh produce at the garden shop in the courtyard. You can head back on a slightly indirect route by heading left, towards the Rostherne Exit, then bearing right across the parkland, where on a clear day you can see the peak district. We are also in Manchester airport’s flight path and heads always strain upwards, when the impressively huge Emirates Airbus flies majestically overhead. You will hear it before you see it, so deceptively close you think you can touch it. As you head back towards Knutsford centre you can follow the edge of the lake the way you came in or head to the opposite side and get back to the town via Dogwood. Nothing to do with dogs, although it’s popular with dog walkers, it’s just the name of the wooded area with a well-surfaced path. Back in Knutsford there are plenty of food options before you head back to your car, a little taste of French cuisine at Brasserie Blanc or Spanish tapas in Evuna. Suffice to say there’s plenty to lure you back for another visit. If you would like to meet other women who love to walk and get walk idea inspiration, join Glamoraks. About the Author - Vanessa Williams
I am a 52 year old TV Producer & Director, still working in television on programmes like A Place in the Sun. I live in Knutsford, Cheshire, where I am lucky enough to have Tatton Park right on my doorstep which makes me feel like the lady of the manor with my own private estate.
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Many women are lonely. They may only have young children for company all week. They could work from home on their own and barely see another human being. They could be surrounded by a huge social or work network and yet still feel lonely. Their long term relationship might have ended or their partner just isn't as interested in doing stuff together anymore. Their kids may have left home, leaving that hole in their world.
On top of that, modern life with posts on social media, texts instead of calls and superficial rushed conversations means that even those people with a big group of friends can feel lonely and unheard. But there is a cure. Walking with other women. Walking is known to boost your mood, so feelings of loneliness will feel lessened after a good stomp in the fresh air. But, if you add other women to the walk, you get the chance to have deeper, longer conversations that you typically just don't have time for in normal rushed life. When you walk with women you don't really know, you can simply be yourself. You can leave your 'mum', 'co-worker', 'wife', 'school gate friend' persona behind. Your true self comes to the fore and you can talk about stuff far more freely without risk of judgement. And that gives us the sense of being heard and being less alone. Glamoraks was set up to get more women walking and connecting and in so doing, making them happier one step at a time. This February, we are inviting women to take part in Friendship February (#FebFriendship). Join the Facebook group, choose a date and place that you want to go walking and invite others to join you. Here are just a few of the benefits:
The picture at the top of this post was taken this week when a group of Glamoraks got together simply by using the Facebook group. At the start of the day, I was completely lacking in mojo and had a bad case of the blues. By the end of the walk, I felt completely rejuvenated and full of energy. And that feeling lasted all of the next day too. I got through more work in that day than I had in the preceding three days - all because I'd gone for a walk and met some lovely ladies. Don't feel lonely. Don't wait for someone to invite you to something. Join the group, set up a walk and hopefully you will find some fabulous new walking friends. Use the hashtag #FebFriendship on your post. While you're here, please help us reach our goal of doubling our number of members in a single month. Invite your friends to join you in the group. The bigger the group, the more likely women are to find someone to walk with. Happy walking! |
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