Day 12 - Sun then rain!

After a faster paced run yesterday, today's run was always going to be a slower affair. Having seen the weather forecast for the expected rain, I figured if I was out by 8 and back by 11, I would manage to avoid the rain and get a long(ish) run in.  I had a fair idea of todays route, out towards the canal, through Dunham Massey and back through Tatton Park. I hadn't got round to calculating the exact distance but predicted it be in the 16 mile range.

Off I set down Leigh Road past the large gated houses (for you movie buffs, this road was used in the film Empire of the Sun to represent a road during WWII in Shanghai). Through the centre of town and out towards the A556 via Mereside Road, another road with even larger gated houses, home to the occasional footballer and lawyer. The pavement consisted of rough cobbles so extra caution was needed. The pace was still a little quicker than I had planned, around 7:30 pace, this would soon come down once I had reached the 8 mile point and the canal.

Once over the A556 the route winds down the country lanes towards the little villages of Agden and Millington and onwards towards Little Bollington. At around 6.5 miles the lane goes under the M56 where there used to stand a Methodist Chapel from 1834. With the onset of the motorway the building was demolished in 1972, the only reminder now is the plaque which adorns the site.

Another mile on and the lane has a couple of steep up and downs, at the top of the hill it affords a great view towards the hills in the distance at the start of the Peak District. The sun was still out but the grey clouds were not far away, rain was definitely imminent! Across the main road and the lane leads down to the curiously named pub 'Swan with Two Nicks'. Not wanting to become a roadsign photographer I thought I would still grab a quick picture. One of the two signs had been 'altered' and a strategically placed letter 'D' replacing one of the letters (I'll let you figure that one out!). In the interest of keeping the blog respectable I took a picture of the unchanged sign!

I finally got to the canal which is approached by a steep cobbled lane at exactly the 8 mile point in just over an hour. Along the canal towards Dunham Massey, the canal very busy with walkers and boats ambling along the canal. I knew the general direction I needed to go in and there were several options to leave the canal. Gambling on the path needed, it turned out to be the correct one which led me throught the pretty village of Dunham. Over the ladder stile and I was into Dunham Massey Park, a National Trust house set in a large deer park. There are lots of good trails and photo opportunities!

 

The aim now was to weave my way out of the park and head back towards the motorway via trails and field crossings. Turning out of the park at mile 10 I was faced with a mile and a half running on the top of a grassy embankment littered with rabbit holes and copious amounts of cow pats. The wind was very strong now, the sun had departed and what started as a nice sunny morning was quickly diminishing. On to the Bollin Valley Way and the route takes in some nice trails along the river Bollin.

The next mile (mile 12) took in a convoluted route across fields, over the motorway slip road via a farmer's bridge and through a delapidated farm, hence the 10 minute pace. Once through the farm I was back onto the country lanes and I had to consult my map on my phone to check the correct route to take me into the village of Rostherne. I wanted to ensure I took the right lane as there were many options. Having covered 14 miles already I knew there should be at least another 5 miles before I got home, so wanted to avoid any extra miles!

Today they were holding the Race For Life 5K in Tatton Park so I was passed by a constant stream of cars making there way towards the park. Entering the top of the park, I was back on very familiar territory and knew there were 4 miles to go. The rain had now started, I upped the pace on the long gradual downhill (turned out to be the quickest mile at 7:09) past the queuing cars. Once out of the shelter of the trees I was out in to the most exposed part of the park. The wind was howling and the rain now horizontal, I could feel my arms becoming numb (a quick check on the date - yes this was June).

Out of the park and back through the town and home for 19 miles exactly, that was a tough one! I got inside and my daughter said 'what have you done to your leg', 'oh nothing' I replied, glancing down to reveal a good couple of scratches - the perils of trail running!

12/06/2011 Stats

Distance: 19.05 miles

Time: 2:32:16

Juneathon Total Distance: 109.60 miles