Denice wrote: -- My reputation for wet walks was saved this time as it was a glorious sunny day when 15 of us set off from the Staffordshire Knot Car Park at Rushton Spencer along the former Macc-Leek rail line, then heading south-west along the lake road at the head of Rudyard Reservoir passing Cliffe Park House which has known several lives since a wealthy Victorian industrialist had it built. Private home, Golf Club House, YHA (where Jack remembers painting bunks on a very cold weekend in the 60s) and back into private hands. Coffee stop under the trees towards the southern end of the lake, then west across many stiles of all shapes and sizes and two fields bang full of cows to a pleasant lunch spot on a grassy bank, animal free, looking over marvellous views. Linda who wore sandals and white trews (!!) was as pristine at the end of the walk as at the beginning, which was partly thanks to Campbell & Jack swinging her across a muddy gateway on the gate and her own fairy footwork at other spots. After several ups and downs through meadows, across streams and the path through St Lawrence Churchyard we re-joined the old rail track fairly close to our start point. The majority of us adjourned for a well earned drink at the newly re-furbished Knot Inn by the car park, having thoroughly enjoyed a 9 mile walk, despite some of the SAS style manoeuvres over neglected stiles. Chester the dog was pretty tired though.
