Astbury Mere - SHORT WALK

Please Note: this is a SUNDAY walk
Start 10.00 from Astbury Mere Car park (£1.50 - cash best).  Length 5.6 m EASY (ascent 300 ft)

This is an extremely pleasant Cheshire countryside walk with (on a clear day) lovely views, without any climbing.  At different points, the views range from the Macc Forest hills, to Bosley Cloud and Mow Cop,  We do have to cross the A34 and we do walk down one lane which does get a bit of traffic - but I hoped the rest of the picturesque walk would make up for this.  Some mud should be expected when we cross fields (poles and muck boots both helpful).  The cattle in two fields were tidily coralled behind electric fencing when I did the recce.

We will meet beside the Blue Bear (between the car park and the Mere).  From there, we walk halfway around the western side of the Mere, exiting through a residential area; cross the A34 at the pelican lights and walk towards Bent Lane. Branching off on lanes and footpaths towards Brownlow, and Brownlow Heath, we arrive again at the A34 and, after 100 yards or so (pavement and a wide grassy area), cross (very carefully) opposite Pecks Restaurant.  We walk halfway down New Road (again, care needed - this is a lane where some traffic can be expected) and enter some wide gates for our coffee stop.  From there, we follow a field footpath to Watery Lane, shortly branching off to take the footpath from Whitethorn to Glebe Farm, then Brickhouse Farm and back via the eastern side of Astbury Mere.